Script that ssh to remote host enters pass and executes a command?

Question

Is it possible to make a script that ssh to remote host, enters the passwords to log-in and then executes at least 1 command on the remote machine?

If you use ssh keys you can use a feature called forced commands. See binblog.info/2008/10/20/… — Panther, Sep 4, 2014 at 12:17
you cannot provide a password to ssh unless typing it. If you want keyboard less run, you have to use key. ssh was design so that you don't have to leave clear text password in shell. — Archemar, Sep 4, 2014 at 12:43

Harris · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-04 12:36:30Z

4

To run a command, for example ls, at a remote host via a ssh, you can use:

ssh username@remote_hostname 'echo | ls'

Before you can do it without password you need to do the following:

Copy public key to remote host:

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub remote_hostname

(The directory .ssh needs to exist on the remote host otherwise you need to create it.)

answered Sep 4, 2014 at 12:36

Harris

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Of course, when generating the key pair, you must use an empty password or you will be prompted to enter it each time you use the key. If you have private keys with password, you can load them first into ssh-agent and you won't have to enter the key password anymore as long as ssh-agent is running.
– Benoit
Sep 4, 2014 at 13:03
You don't need an empty password. gnome-keyring will store what ever password you enter the first time you use ssh and then it is transparent.
– Harris
Sep 4, 2014 at 13:11

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