When configuring SSH, which file is needed for key-based authentication?
A) known_hosts
B) /etc/shadow
C) /etc/passwd
D) authorized_keys

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The authorized_keys file contains the public keys that are allowed to access the system. When a user tries to authenticate with SSH, the private key is used to encrypt a message that can only be decrypted with the public key stored in the authorized_keys file. Therefore, this file is needed for key-based authentication. The known_hosts file stores the public keys of remote systems that have been previously accessed, /etc/shadow stores password hashes, and /etc/passwd stores user account information.

When Configuring SSH, Which File Is Needed for Key-Based Authentication