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What Should I Do if My SSH Private Key Is Compromised?

Updated on 15 September, 2025

Steps to take and security measures to implement when your SSH private key has been compromised


If you believe your SSH private key has been exposed or compromised:

  • Remove the corresponding public key from your Vultr account to prevent further access to any instances using that key.
  • Generate a new SSH key pair and securely add the new public key to your account.
  • Audit your instances to check for unauthorized access, especially on critical servers.
Note
Removing the key immediately revokes its access. Follow up by reviewing and rotating other affected credentials.