All courses
Resource hub
Featured resource
Tech Upskilling Playbook 2025
Tech Upskilling Playbook

Build future-ready tech teams and hit key business milestones with seven proven plays from industry leaders.

Learn more
Hamburger Icon
  • Labs icon Lab
  • Cloud
Google Cloud Platform icon
Labs

Generating and Exchanging SSH Keys for Secure Access

Understanding the creation and exchange of SSH keys is a key concept to grasp as a new system administrator. In this lab, we will generate keys on two systems using the `ssh-keygen` utility and learn how to exchange and verify the keys with a remote system using `ssh-copy-id` and associated key files on each. At the end of this lab, you will understand how to create secure keys for remote access, how to exchange them, and where to store them on each system involved in the chain.

Get started Contact sales
Google Cloud Platform icon
Labs

Path Info

Level
Clock icon Beginner
Duration
Clock icon 15m
Last updated
Clock icon Aug 30, 2025

Contact sales

By filling out this form and clicking submit, you acknowledge our privacy policy.

Table of Contents

  1. Challenge

    Create the Key on Server 1

    • In your terminal, log in to Server 1.
    • Change to the .ssh directory.
    • Generate a key for Server 1.
    • List the contents of the id_rsa.pub file.
    • Copy the output of this command to your clipboard.

    (See the Guide and videos for the commands!)

  2. Challenge

    Create the Key on Server 2

    • Log in to Server 2.
    • Change to the .ssh directory.
    • Install the nano text editor.
    • Open the authorized_keys file in nano.
    • Add the key you just generated to the file.

    (See the Guide and videos for the commands!)

  3. Challenge

    Exchange the SSH Keys between the Servers

    • In your Server 2 terminal window, create a new key.
    • List the contents of the id_rsa.pub file.
    • Copy the output of this command to your clipboard.
    • Log out of Server 2.
    • Install nano.
    • Open the authorized_keys file in nano.
    • Add the key you just generated to the file.

    (See the Guide and videos for the commands!)

  4. Challenge

    Test the Configuration

    • Attempt to log in to Server 2 from Server 1 without a password.
    • Attempt to log in to Server 1 from Server 2 without a password.

    (See the Guide and videos for the commands!)

Pluralsight Skills - Labs - Pluralsight
Author
Pluralsight Skills

Pluralsight Skills gives leaders confidence they have the skills needed to execute technology strategy. Technology teams can benchmark expertise across roles, speed up release cycles and build reliable, secure products. By leveraging our expert content, skill assessments and one-of-a-kind analytics, keep up with the pace of change, put the right people on the right projects and boost productivity. It's the most effective path to developing tech skills at scale.

What's a lab?

Hands-on Labs are real environments created by industry experts to help you learn. These environments help you gain knowledge and experience, practice without compromising your system, test without risk, destroy without fear, and let you learn from your mistakes. Hands-on Labs: practice your skills before delivering in the real world.

Provided environment for hands-on practice

We will provide the credentials and environment necessary for you to practice right within your browser.

Guided walkthrough

Follow along with the author’s guided walkthrough and build something new in your provided environment!

Did you know?

On average, you retain 75% more of your learning if you get time for practice.
Ready to get started?
View individual plans View team plans