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    <title>SSH Authentication Using Digital Certificates </title>
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<a name="wp1075655"> </a><h1 class="pTitle">
SSH Authentication Using Digital Certificates

</h1>
<a name="wp1075656"> </a><p class="pBody">
SSH authentication on the Cisco MDS 9000 Family switches provide X.509 digital certificate support 
for host authentication. An X.509 digital certificate is a data item that vouches for the origin and integrity 
of a message. It contains encryption keys for secured communications and is “signed” by a trusted 
certification authority (CA) to verify the identity of the presenter. The X.509 digital certificate support 
provides either DSA or RSA algorithms for authentication.

</p>
<a name="wp1075657"> </a><p class="pBody">
The certificate infrastructure uses the first certificate that supports the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) and 
is returned by the security infrastructure, either through query or notification. Verification of certificates 
is successful if the certificates are from any of the trusted CAs.

</p>
<a name="wp1075658"> </a><p class="pBody">
You can configure your switch for either SSH authentication using an X.509 certificate or SSH 
authentication using a Public Key Certificate, but not both. If either of them is configured and the 
authentication fails, you will be prompted for a password.

</p>
<a name="wp1075661"> </a><p class="pBody">
For more information on CAs and digital certificates, see <a href="digicert01.html">&quot;Configuring Certificate Authorities and 
Digital Certificates.&quot;</a>

</p>
<hr /><br><p class="pBody">Copyright 2010-2013, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.</p> 

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