Best practices for protecting SSH private keys to prevent unauthorized server access
SSH keys grant direct access to your server, making them high-value credentials that must be secured. If exposed or mismanaged, a private key can be used to gain unauthorized access to your systems.
To keep your SSH keys secure:
Store your private key in a secure, access-controlled location on your local machine.
Protect the private key with a strong passphrase to guard against misuse if the key is compromised.
Never share your private key or upload it to untrusted platforms or services.
Set strict file permissions to prevent unauthorized access:
$ chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
Use an SSH agent or key management tool for secure, passphrase-protected authentication.