RFC 4256 · PROPOSED STANDARD · 2006

Generic Message Exchange Authentication for the Secure Shell Protocol

Overview

RFC 4256, “Generic Message Exchange Authentication for the Secure Shell Protocol”, is a Proposed Standard document published in January 2006 by F. Cusack, M. Forssen. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.

Abstract

The Secure Shell Protocol (SSH) is a protocol for secure remote login and other secure network services over an insecure network. This document describes a general purpose authentication method for the SSH protocol, suitable for interactive authentications where the authentication data should be entered via a keyboard (or equivalent alphanumeric input device). The major goal of this method is to allow the SSH client to support a whole class of authentication mechanism(s) without knowing the specifics of the actual authentication mechanism(s). [STANDARDS-TRACK]

Abstract as published in the RFC, via rfc-editor.org.

What “Proposed Standard” means

An entry-level standards-track specification: stable, peer-reviewed and a solid basis for implementation, though it may still evolve before becoming an Internet Standard.

Read this RFC

The canonical text of RFC 4256 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in TXT,HTML.

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