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Delphi ActiveX

SSH Set Allowed Algorithms

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Demonstrates explicitly setting the algorithms allowed during SSH connection negotiation. A JsonObject supplies comma-separated allow-lists for the kex, hostKey, cipher, and mac categories, in order of preference, and is applied before connecting.

Important: You typically should not set allowed algorithms explicitly. By default Chilkat orders algorithms according to best practices and accounts for known vulnerabilities such as the Terrapin attack.

Background: SSH negotiates a mutually supported algorithm from each category at connection time, and pinning that choice makes an application brittle: if a server later drops a weak algorithm, or you point the code at a different server, the two sides may fail to agree and the connection breaks. The legitimate reasons to override are a security policy mandating specific algorithms, or a compatibility problem with an old device. Otherwise the safer default is to let the library's ordering evolve as cryptographic guidance changes.

Chilkat Delphi ActiveX Downloads

Delphi ActiveX
var
success: Integer;
ssh: TChilkatSsh;
json: TChilkatJsonObject;
allowed_kex: WideString;
allowed_hostKey: WideString;
allowed_cipher: WideString;
allowed_mac: WideString;
port: Integer;

begin
success := 0;

//  This example requires the Chilkat API to have been previously unlocked.
//  See Global Unlock Sample for sample code.

//  Demonstrates explicitly setting the algorithms allowed during SSH connection negotiation.
//  
//  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
//  Note: You typically should NOT explicitly set allowed algorithms.
//  By default, Chilkat orders algorithms according to best practices and accounts for known
//  vulnerabilities such as the "Terrapin Attack".  Hard-coding algorithms makes an application
//  brittle over time: if a server later changes its allowed algorithms, or if you connect to a
//  different server, the client and server may fail to agree on a mutually supported set.
//  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ssh := TChilkatSsh.Create(Self);

json := TChilkatJsonObject.Create(Self);

//  Algorithms supported by Chilkat, by category:
//  
//  Key-exchange:  curve25519-sha256, curve25519-sha256@libssh.org, ecdh-sha2-nistp256,
//    ecdh-sha2-nistp384, ecdh-sha2-nistp521, diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,
//    diffie-hellman-group16-sha512, diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,
//    diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256, diffie-hellman-group1-sha1,
//    diffie-hellman-group14-sha1, diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1
//  
//  Host key:  ssh-ed25519, ecdsa-sha2-nistp256, ecdsa-sha2-nistp384, ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,
//    rsa-sha2-256, rsa-sha2-512, ssh-rsa, ssh-dss
//  
//  Cipher:  chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com, aes128-ctr, aes256-ctr, aes192-ctr, aes128-cbc,
//    aes256-cbc, aes192-cbc, aes128-gcm@openssh.com, aes256-gcm@openssh.com, twofish256-cbc,
//    twofish128-cbc, blowfish-cbc
//  
//  MAC:  hmac-sha2-256, hmac-sha2-512, hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,
//    hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com, hmac-sha1-etm@openssh.com, hmac-sha1, hmac-ripemd160,
//    hmac-sha1-96, hmac-md5

//  List the allowed algorithms for each category, in order of preference.
allowed_kex := 'curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256';
allowed_hostKey := 'ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256';
allowed_cipher := 'chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes256-ctr';
allowed_mac := 'hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512';

json.UpdateString('kex',allowed_kex);
json.UpdateString('hostKey',allowed_hostKey);
json.UpdateString('cipher',allowed_cipher);
json.UpdateString('mac',allowed_mac);

//  Apply the allow-list.  This must be done before connecting.
success := ssh.SetAllowedAlgorithms(json.ControlInterface);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

port := 22;
success := ssh.Connect('ssh.example.com',port);
if (success = 0) then
  begin
    Memo1.Lines.Add(ssh.LastErrorText);
    Exit;
  end;

Memo1.Lines.Add('Connected.');

ssh.Disconnect();