ESXi 5.1: Lost the User and Password Authentication

[ArielStu]

Hi

After defining Public key authentication,  does not let me Logon  using User & Password by  Putty or Winscp

is there a way to be defined as both:   Public key and  User & Password ?

right now cannot access the files system

Thanks

[schepp]

Hi,

please post your /etc/ssh/sshd_config

When you don't edit anyting in the config file both logins should work.

Regards

[ArielStu]

just  leave the file empty ?

there are many parameters there,  the ESXi has the ssh enable,

thanks

[schepp]

No not empty. Just with the standard config it should work. AS said, post your config here so wie can take a look if you disabled password login

[ArielStu]

i tried to  VI   from  the vMA because   to correct the login authentication

but  ssh  root@<IP_Remote>  'vi   /etc/ssh/sshd_config'   brought the files to me into the VMA, the VI commands didn't work

So  used the scp  command to copy  the sshd_config  from ESXi to the VMA machine, then here changed it, by Winscp to copy back (here i let the password login)  

so made a mistake:  before i copied back  i  changed the sshd_config  in the remote  to  sshd_config.bak

now when i want to copy the changed sshd_config does not let me, because  cannot authenticate  ssh any more

how can i get the server ?

[schepp]

Enable the local console and enter the shell at the terminal:

VMware KB: Using ESXi Shell in ESXi 5.0 and 5.1

[ArielStu]

OK,   will access the terminal

i want to be able to login by putty using user password and  by   ssh command without asking for password

i post here the sshd_config  between lines

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

# running from inetd

# Port 2200

Protocol 2

HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key

HostKey /etc/ssh/ssh_host_dsa_key

UsePrivilegeSeparation no

SyslogFacility auth

LogLevel info

PasswordAuthentication no   # if i type here yes, or omitt the row, would it let me the ssh command access? #

PermitRootLogin yes

PrintMotd yes

PrintLastLog no

TCPKeepAlive yes

X11Forwarding no

Ciphers aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,3des-cbc

MACs hmac-sha1,hmac-sha1-96

UsePAM yes

# only use PAM challenge-response (keyboard-interactive)

ChallengeResponseAuthentication no

Banner /etc/issue

Subsystem sftp /usr/lib/vmware/openssh/bin/sftp-server

AuthorizedKeysFile /etc/ssh/keys-%u/authorized_keys

# Timeout value of 10 mins. The default value of ClientAliveCountMax is 3.

# Hence, we get a  3 * 200 = 600 seconds timeout if the client has been

# unresponsive.

ClientAliveInterval 200

[schepp · Accepted solution]

Hi,

set the ChallengeResponseAuthentication to yes.

This will allow key and password logins.

The rest can stay the way it is.