While attempting to debug something else I ran across this: ssh -vvv somehost . . . debug1: Connection established. debug1: permanently_set_uid: 0/0 debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/identity type -1 debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/identity-cert type -1 debug3: Not a RSA1 key file /root/.ssh/id_rsa. debug2: key_type_from_name: unknown key type '-----BEGIN' debug3: key_read: missing keytype debug3: key_read: missing whitespace . . . However if I verify the key I see this: ssh-keygen -l -f ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub 4096 08:70:3b:92:4c:96:1c:6a:03:a4:ae:66:8d:9e:6c:93 /root/.ssh/id_rsa.pub (RSA) Which seems ok to me. The permissions also seem ok: .ssh]# ll total 40 -rw-------. 1 root root 3863 Oct 11 2012 authorized_keys -rw-------. 1 root root 3243 Aug 9 2012 id_rsa -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 757 Aug 9 2012 id_rsa.pub -rw-r--r--. 1 root root 11071 May 8 09:42 known_hosts The password-less connections complete in any case but I am perplexed as to what is the problem with the root identity key that ssh is reporting. Can anyone explain to me what this means? -- *** e-Mail is NOT a SECURE channel *** Do NOT transmit sensitive data via e-Mail James B. Byrne mailto:ByrneJB at Harte-Lyne.ca Harte & Lyne Limited http://www.harte-lyne.ca 9 Brockley Drive vox: +1 905 561 1241 Hamilton, Ontario fax: +1 905 561 0757 Canada L8E 3C3