PHP

SSH Tunnel Authenticate with Password and Private Key

Demonstrates the Chilkat SshTunnel.AuthenticatePwPk method, which authenticates with a server that requires both a password and a private key. The arguments are the username, the password, and an SshKey private key.

Note: The private-key path is relative to the application's current working directory. Absolute paths may also be used. Supply the path to your own key file.

Background: Most servers require either a password or a public key, not both — but some high-security deployments mandate two-factor SSH. This method satisfies that policy in one call, combining something you know (the password) with something you have (the key). The password should come from a secure source rather than a literal.

Chilkat PHP Downloads

Download Chilkat for PHP

Chilkat2 PHP

<?php

use Chilkat2\SshKey;
use Chilkat2\SshTunnel;

// Demonstrates the SshTunnel.AuthenticatePwPk method, which authenticates with an SSH server that
// requires BOTH a password and a private key.  The 1st argument is the username, the 2nd is the
// password, and the 3rd is an SshKey private key.

$tunnel = new SshTunnel();

// The tunnel forwards accepted local connections to this destination through the SSH server.
$tunnel->DestHostname = 'db.internal.example.com';
$tunnel->DestPort = 5432;

// Connect to the SSH server.  This performs the TCP/proxy connection and SSH handshake, but
// does not authenticate yet.
$sshPort = 22;
try {
    $tunnel->Connect('ssh.example.com', $sshPort);

    // Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
    // from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
    $password = 'mySshPassword';

    // Load the SSH private key.  LoadText reads the file's text, which is then imported.
    $privKey = new SshKey();
    $keyText = $privKey->LoadText('qa_data/id_rsa');

    $privKey->FromOpenSshPrivateKey($keyText);

    $tunnel->AuthenticatePwPk('mySshLogin', $password, $privKey);
} catch (\Chilkat2\Exception $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage(), "\n";
    exit;
}

echo "Authenticated with a password and a private key.\n";

// After authenticating, call BeginAccepting to start listening for local connections to forward.

$waitForThreadExit = true;
try {
    $tunnel->CloseTunnel($waitForThreadExit);
} catch (\Chilkat2\Exception $e) {
    echo $e->getMessage(), "\n";
    exit;
}