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The below reference to Google documentation is no longer true.

Google recommends removing SSH keys from GCE instance to secure SSH. That does not make any sense to me. The keys are there for a security, right? When I remove the keys, SSHD stops working. I probably miss their point. Can someone explain what do the mean by this:

Remove ssh host keys

 

Don't use ssh host keys with your instance. Remove them as follows:

 

rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key*

The below reference to Google documentation is no longer true.

Google recommends removing SSH keys from GCE instance to secure SSH. That does not make any sense to me. The keys are there for a security, right? When I remove the keys, SSHD stops working. I probably miss their point. Can someone explain what do the mean by this:

Remove ssh host keys

Don't use ssh host keys with your instance. Remove them as follows:

rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key*

Google recommends removing SSH keys from GCE instance to secure SSH. That does not make any sense to me. The keys are there for a security, right? When I remove the keys, SSHD stops working. I probably miss their point. Can someone explain what do the mean by this:

Remove ssh host keys

Don't use ssh host keys with your instance. Remove them as follows:

rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key*

See https://developers.google.com/compute/docs/images#ssh

The below reference to Google documentation is no longer true.

Google recommends removing SSH keys from GCE instance to secure SSH. That does not make any sense to me. The keys are there for a security, right? When I remove the keys, SSHD stops working. I probably miss their point. Can someone explain what do the mean by this:

Remove ssh host keys

Don't use ssh host keys with your instance. Remove them as follows:

rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key*

Google recommends removing SSH keys from GCE instance to secure SSH. That does not make any sense to me. The keys are there for a security, right? When I remove the keys SSHD stops working. I probably miss their point. Can someone explain what do the mean by this:

Remove ssh host keys

Don't use ssh host keys with your instance. Remove them as follows:

rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key*

See https://developers.google.com/compute/docs/images#ssh

Google recommends removing SSH keys from GCE instance to secure SSH. That does not make any sense to me. The keys are there for a security, right? When I remove the keys, SSHD stops working. I probably miss their point. Can someone explain what do the mean by this:

Remove ssh host keys

Don't use ssh host keys with your instance. Remove them as follows:

rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_key
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key*
rm /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ecdsa_key*

See https://developers.google.com/compute/docs/images#ssh