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+SSH (Secure Shell) is a program to log into another computer over a
+network, to execute commands in a remote machine, and to move files
+from one machine to another. It provides strong authentication and
+secure communications over insecure channels. It is intended as a
+replacement for rlogin, rsh, rcp, and rdist.
+
+FEATURES
+
+ o Strong authentication. Closes several security holes (e.g., IP,
+ routing, and DNS spoofing). New authentication methods: .rhosts
+ together with RSA based host authentication, and pure RSA
+ authentication.
+
+ o Improved privacy. All communications are automatically and
+ transparently encrypted. RSA is used for key exchange, and a
+ conventional cipher (normally IDEA, Blowfish, or triple-DES) for
+ encrypting the session. Encryption is started before
+ authentication, and no passwords or other information is
+ transmitted in the clear. Encryption is also used to protect
+ against spoofed packets.
+
+ o Secure X11 sessions. The program automatically sets DISPLAY on
+ the server machine, and forwards any X11 connections over the
+ secure channel. Fake Xauthority information is automatically
+ generated and forwarded to the remote machine; the local client
+ automatically examines incoming X11 connections and replaces the
+ fake authorization data with the real data (never telling the
+ remote machine the real information).
+
+ o Arbitrary TCP/IP ports can be redirected through the encrypted channel
+ in both directions (e.g., for e-cash transactions).
+
+ o No retraining needed for normal users; everything happens
+ automatically, and old .rhosts files will work with strong
+ authentication if administration installs host key files.
+
+ o Never trusts the network. Minimal trust on the remote side of
+ the connection. Minimal trust on domain name servers. Pure RSA
+ authentication never trusts anything but the private key.
+
+ o Client RSA-authenticates the server machine in the beginning of
+ every connection to prevent trojan horses (by routing or DNS
+ spoofing) and man-in-the-middle attacks, and the server
+ RSA-authenticates the client machine before accepting .rhosts or
+ /etc/hosts.equiv authentication (to prevent DNS, routing, or
+ IP-spoofing).
+
+ o Host authentication key distribution can be centrally by the
+ administration, automatically when the first connection is made
+ to a machine (the key obtained on the first connection will be
+ recorded and used for authentication in the future), or manually
+ by each user for his/her own use. The central and per-user host
+ key repositories are both used and complement each other. Host
+ keys can be generated centrally or automatically when the software
+ is installed. Host authentication keys are typically 1024 bits.
+
+ o Any user can create any number of user authentication RSA keys for
+ his/her own use. Each user has a file which lists the RSA public
+ keys for which proof of possession of the corresponding private
+ key is accepted as authentication. User authentication keys are
+ typically 1024 bits.
+
+ o The server program has its own server RSA key which is
+ automatically regenerated every hour. This key is never saved in
+ any file. Exchanged session keys are encrypted using both the
+ server key and the server host key. The purpose of the separate
+ server key is to make it impossible to decipher a captured session by
+ breaking into the server machine at a later time; one hour from
+ the connection even the server machine cannot decipher the session
+ key. The key regeneration interval is configurable. The server
+ key is normally 768 bits.
+
+ o An authentication agent, running in the user's laptop or local
+ workstation, can be used to hold the user's RSA authentication
+ keys. Ssh automatically forwards the connection to the
+ authentication agent over any connections, and there is no need to
+ store the RSA authentication keys on any machine in the network
+ (except the user's own local machine). The authentication
+ protocols never reveal the keys; they can only be used to verify
+ that the user's agent has a certain key. Eventually the agent
+ could rely on a smart card to perform all authentication
+ computations.
+
+ o The software can be installed and used (with restricted
+ functionality) even without root privileges.
+
+ o The client is customizable in system-wide and per-user
+ configuration files. Most aspects of the client's operation can
+ be configured. Different options can be specified on a per-host basis.
+
+ o Automatically executes conventional rsh (after displaying a
+ warning) if the server machine is not running sshd.
+
+ o Optional compression of all data with gzip (including forwarded X11
+ and TCP/IP port data), which may result in significant speedups on
+ slow connections.
+
+ o Complete replacement for rlogin, rsh, and rcp.