# ssh version?



## hazmat (Nov 27, 2002)

Why would it be that on my G4 867 with 10.2.2 it says that I am running ssh-1.9.9, and my friend's iBook with 10.2.2 it says 2.0 or 2.0.0?


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## onan (Nov 27, 2002)

Those are version numbers of the ssh protocol supported, which vary separately from the version of the actual software in which they're implemented.

There are two versions of the ssh protocol in use today: 1.5, which is very old, and contains some integral security flaws, and 2.0, which is still several years old, and believed to be secure.

The version banner offered by an ssh server usually includes both these sets of information. The protocol version is what's used for the client and server to negotiate which protocol they'll speak, and the software version is just informational. So you'll see something like:

SSH-1.99-OpenSSH_3.4p1

1.99 is the version announced by a server that's willing to speak either 1.5 or 2.0, as the client prefers.

Please forgive me if you already knew all this, and just wanted to know why it'd be different between two machines of the same distribution version. That would happen either if one of the machines had had its sshd_config file modified to alter which versions it supports, or if the host key used by one version or the other was invalid. Invalid could mean missing, or having permissions which are too loose; openssh will refuse to use a key which is widely  readable or writeable.


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## btoneill (Nov 28, 2002)

What does an 'ssh -V' give you? With 10.2.2 it should give you: 
OpenSSH_3.4p1, SSH protocols 1.5/2.0, OpenSSL 0x0090605f

Also, what are you using that is telling you it's running 1.99 and 2.0?

Try running 'ssh -2 -v hostname' and in the output look for: 
debug1: Remote protocol version 1.99, remote software version OpenSSH_3.4p1 

or something similar. That will tell you what protocol and remote server is being used. It could be your friend has a different version or ssh, possibly a commerical version installed.

Brian


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## hazmat (Nov 28, 2002)

onan: Thanks, I just wanted to know why the versions were difference between the two machines.

Brian: I'm getting this info by telnetting to port 22.  ssh -V gives the info you said.  AFAIK, both machines are total default installs, as in no modified configs.


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