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SSH Information

• Downloads
• Why we require SSH and SFTP
• Which should I use, SSH or SFTP?
• What you need to do to start using ssh/sftp

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Accessing the ITCS Login and Statistics and Computation Services

SSH (Secure SHell) and SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) are required to access the Login, SFTP, and Statistics and Computation services.

SSH (Secure SHell) is a protocol for remotely logging into a machine. Much like Telnet, an SSH client will provide the user with a text session ('shell') on the remote machine. Unlike Telnet, SSH provides an encrypted connection between the client and the server. In practical terms, the difference between using Telnet and SSH is much like the difference between visiting ordinary web sites and visiting so-called "secure" web sites.

Similarly, SFTP (Secure FTP) is a replacement for FTP which provides an encrypted connection between the client and server for file transfer.

Why we require SSH and SFTP

To gain access to the Login or SCS machines, you need to send them your uniqname and password. When you connect via Telnet or FTP, you do this in a way that anyone who knows how to eavesdrop can easily read and use your uniqname and password themselves because it was sent in plain text. We are requiring that you use only SSH and SFTP so that your uniqname and password are sent in an encrypted form that will not be easily and instantaneously reusable by an eavesdropper.

Making this change is one way to help to protect your ITCS account from being hijacked by 'hackers'.

Which should I use, SSH or SFTP?

When logging into a machine in the Login or Statistics and Computation services, you should use SSH.

When transferring files into and out of your IFS space, you should use SFTP, and you should connect to sftp.itd.umich.edu, not to the Login or SCS servers.

Everything you need to start using SSH should either be on your computer already or is on the U-M Blue Disc.

Note: The Blue Disc is available at the Computer Showcase, or you may be able to borrow a copy from you department computer support personnel.

Windows

For Microsoft Windows (98/NT/2000/XP), we recommend that you use the Secure Shell client that is included with the U-M Blue Disc. A copy of the SSH application installer from the Blue Disc is also available separately. To obtain a copy, see the Downloads section of this page.

Instructions for the use of SSH applications from the Blue Disc are available on the web. Please see the following for instructions on the operation of the SSH Secure Shell client and the SFTP Secure File Transfer client.

• Using SSH Secure Shell to Connect to Host Computers
• Using SSH Secure Shell to Transfer Files with SFTP

Mac

Mac OS X comes with SSH installed, and it is usually invoked from a Terminal window by typing one of the following commands. (To run the Terminal application, go to: Applications>Utilities>Terminal)

ssh login.itd.umich.edu

ssh scs.itd.umich.edu

If your user name on your Mac is different from your uniqname, please use your uniqname as the user name to connect to the Login or SCS machines. To do so, substitute uniqname with your uniqname in the command below:

ssh uniqname@login.itd.umich.edu 

The Blue Disc installs an icon that that you can just click to make the connection.

To transfer files under OSX, we recommend that you use the Fugu program, included on the Blue Disc.

In Mac OSX, command line alternative for doing secure file transfers is to run scp in a Terminal window. To transfer a file from your Mac to your IFS home directory on the Login machines, type the following command and substitute file with the correct file name and user with your uniqname.

scp file user@sftp.itd.umich.edu:file

UNIX

Windows

If you cannot get a U-M Blue Disc, you can download the SSH software independently.

The SSH for Windows client installer is available via the web at:

https://itd.www.umich.edu/software/download/s/SSH/UM_SSHWinClient_3.2.9.exe

The Windows client installer is also available via AFS, in

/afs/umich.edu/group/itd/swdist/s/SSH/UM_SSHWinClient_3.2.9.exe

Installing the Windows Client:

If your computer is managed by someone else, such as a staff or corporate workstation, please let the tech staff responsible for the computer take care of installing this software. The installer must be run with administrator privileges, and a reboot will be necessary to complete the installation.

Mac OSX

Fugu : A graphical SFTP client for Mac OS X is available via the web.

OSX comes with Terminal, ssh, and scp installed