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SSHFP Record

The SSHFP record contains fingerprints for public keys, used for Secure Shell (SSH). The SSHFP record is usually used with DNSSEC enabled domains. When a SSH client connects to a server it checks the corresponding SSHFP record. If the records fingerprint matches the servers, the server is legit and it is not a problem and it is safe to connect to it.

How does SSHFP record work?

Each SSHFP record contains three important components:

  1. Algorithm: The type of key that is used. This can be RSA, DSA, or ECDSA. Each has a numerical value according to the SSHFP specification (1 for RSA, 2 for DSA, 3 for ECDSA, and so on).
  2. Fingerprint Type: The type of hash used to create the fingerprint. This could be SHA-1 (numerical value 1) or SHA-256 (numerical value 2).
  3. Fingerprint: The hash of the server's public key, creating a unique identifier for it.

Together, these three components form an SSHFP record that can be queried by an SSH client when attempting to establish a connection.

When an SSH client connects to a server, it can query the DNS for SSHFP records. If it finds one, and DNSSEC validation is enabled, it can compare the SSH key provided by the server to the fingerprint in the DNS. If these match, it's a good indicator that the client is connecting to the intended server.

How to create it? 

  1. Open free trial account from here - free forever
  2. Verify your e-mail address
  3. Go to your Control Panel, click on "Add new record" and type, as follow:
    Type: SSHFP
    Host: hostname.net
    Algorithm: choose from RSA, DSA or ECDSA;
    Fingerprint type: choose from SHA-1 or SHA-256;
    Points to: pointedtothefingerprint

How to add a SSHFP record - Step by Step video:

Advanced configuration and management of SSHFP records

SSHFP records are just the beginning; understanding how to manage and configure these records for specific environments is key for advanced users. For instance, SSH clients can be configured to verify SSHFP records by adding VerifyHostKeyDNS yes to the SSH configuration. Also, managing SSHFP records in larger, more complex environments might require automation or use of DNS management tools to handle multiple records efficiently.

Practical еxamples and use cases

Let's walk through a practical example. Say you have a remote server, server.example.com, with an RSA public key. Using ssh-keygen, you generate an SSHFP record and add it to your domain. Now, when an SSH client tries to connect to server.example.com, it will verify the server's identity using the SSHFP record, making sure that it is connecting to the legitimate server.

FAQ

Question: Can SSHFP records coexist with SSH keys stored in known_hosts files?

Answer: Yes, SSHFP records can coexist with SSH keys stored in the known_hosts files on client systems. When a client connects to an SSH server, it will check both the SSHFP record in DNS (if available) and the known_hosts file to validate the server's fingerprint. If the fingerprint matches in either source, the connection proceeds; otherwise, the client may issue a warning or deny the connection.

Question: I've created an SSHFP record, but my SSH client doesn't seem to be verifying it. What could be the issue?

Answer: One common reason for this could be that your SSH client is not configured to check for SSHFP records. By default, most SSH clients do not verify SSHFP records. To enable this, you need to add VerifyHostKeyDNS yes to your SSH client configuration. Keep in mind that for SSHFP verification to work, DNSSEC must be enabled and correctly set up for your domain.

Question: What should I do if the fingerprint in the SSHFP record doesn't match the server's public key?

Answer:  If the fingerprint in your SSHFP record doesn't match the server's public key, there are a few potential causes. It could be that the SSHFP record is outdated, incorrectly added, or the server's public key might have changed. In any case, you would need to generate a new fingerprint from the server's current public key using ssh-keygen -r hostname, and then update the SSHFP record in your DNS settings with the new fingerprint.


Last modified: 2023-07-25
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