automating scp

DEF. · 09-04-2009, 10:00 AM

I want to automate some scp transfers in a bash script. However, scp requests a password.

I tried the following but the script still prompts for a password.

#!/bin/bash
scp folder/file user@1.2.3.4:'/another/folder' <<CREDENTIALS
password
CREDENTIALS

Any ideas?

Nylex · 09-04-2009, 10:08 AM

Set up SSH keys. See, e.g. http://linuxproblem.org/art_9.html.

uteck · 09-04-2009, 10:09 AM

You need to set up a ssh key for the user doing the transfer.
Here is a howto that will help. Just don't use a password on the key if you are prompted for one when making it.
http://pkeck.myweb.uga.edu/ssh/

DEF. · 09-06-2009, 06:45 AM

Not considered setting up the ssh keys. I will give that a try.

However, I also wanted to know how to automate the script to paste in the password for me? The reason for this is I will have many different machines to log on to and need script this rather than log on to each and setup ssh keys.

michaelk · 09-06-2009, 07:35 AM

You can use expect.
http://linux.com/archive/articles/56066

More information can be found by googling.

uteck · 09-06-2009, 07:55 AM

If you use the same password, you could pass the password as a variable in the script, but that is very insecure since if someone can read the script then they have the password.
There is a way to compile a script into a binary, but I think that can be decompiled.

There are some suggestions here that might help, but did not seem to work for me.
http://ant.apache.org/manual/OptionalTasks/scp.html

DEF. · 09-13-2009, 04:37 PM

Yes i'd like to put the password into the script so to automatically give the password when prompted. But how?

TB0ne · 09-13-2009, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DEF.

Yes i'd like to put the password into the script so to automatically give the password when prompted. But how?

Expect is the way to go, as was suggested by michaelk. But I'd strongly recommend against it. From a security standpoint, it's hideous....you're storing a plain-text password for another system, in (essentially), a text-file.

Setting up SSH keys is easier, too, and reduces your script to one line:

Code:

scp <file(s) to copy> <user id>@<remote system>:<destination directory>

like

scp -r /home/user myusername@111.222.333.444:/home/backups/user

chrism01 · 09-14-2009, 01:32 AM

Setup ssh keys and/or look at ssh-agent, which asks you the passwd once, then stores it in memory and your ssh tools prog (eg scp) get it from there until you logout of the local the session.

http://www.sshkeychain.org/mirrors/S...s-HOWTO-6.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ssh-agent