Managing SSH Keys

Managing SSH Keys

SSH keys provide secure, passwordless authentication to your Linux VM. You can store multiple keys in your account and manage which ones are used on each server.

Step 1 — Adding SSH Keys to Your Account

Your account has a key storage where you can keep all your SSH keys. These keys are not applied to any server automatically — they are simply saved for future use.

1. Go to Account → Security
2. Select the SSH Keys tab
3. Click Add new SSH key
4. Enter a name for the key (e.g. my-laptop, colleague-alex) and paste the public key in OpenSSH format
5. Click Save

You can add as many keys as you need — for yourself, your colleagues, or your automation tools.

Step 2 — Selecting SSH Keys When Creating a VM

When you order a new VPS or Cloud VDC server, you can choose which keys to install on it:

1. During the order process, find the SSH Key section
2. Select one or more keys from your saved keys, or check Enter new key to add a new one on the spot
3. Complete the order

The selected keys will be automatically installed on the VM during creation via cloud-init.

Changing SSH Keys on an Existing VM

You can add, remove, or replace SSH keys on a VM that is already running — directly from the control panel.

1. Open the VM Overview page
2. In the SSH Keys section, click the wrench icon (????)
3. In the Reset SSH Keys window, you will see checkboxes for all keys saved in your account
4. Select the keys you want to have on this VM and click Submit

How it works: The system first attempts to apply the keys instantly via the QEMU Guest Agent. If the agent is available, keys are updated without any downtime. If the agent is not available, the system will update the cloud-init configuration and reboot the VM to apply the changes.

⚠️ Important: This operation replaces all SSH keys on the VM — it does not add to them. Only the keys you select will remain on the server. If you uncheck a key, it will be removed from the VM. Make sure to keep all the keys you need selected.

Alternative: Adding SSH Keys Manually via SSH

If you prefer to manage keys manually, you can add them directly inside the operating system:

1. Connect to your VM using password authentication:

   ssh root@your_server_ip

2. Create the .ssh directory if it doesn't exist:

   mkdir -p ~/.ssh && chmod 700 ~/.ssh

3. Add the public key:

   echo "your_public_key_here" >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

4. Set correct permissions:

   chmod 600 ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Note: Keys added manually are not visible in the control panel and will not be affected by the Reset SSH Keys function.