SSH Key

SSH Key in CloudRaya

SSH Key allows you to securely access your Linux Virtual Machines without repeatedly entering a username and password.

Instead of password-based authentication, SSH keys use public–private key cryptography, making VM access:

• More secure
• Faster
• Suitable for automation and frequent access

SSH keys are commonly used by developers, DevOps engineers, and system administrators.

What You Can Do with SSH Key

With SSH Key in CloudRaya, you can:

• Securely log in to Linux VMs without passwords
• Prevent brute-force login attempts
• Reuse the same SSH key across multiple VMs
• Manage access centrally from the CloudRaya dashboard

How SSH Key Works

An SSH key pair consists of:

• Private Key
  Stored securely on your local device (PC / laptop)

• Public Key
  Stored on CloudRaya and injected into your VM during creation

When you connect to a VM, the system verifies the private key against the public key—no password required.

Where SSH Key Is Used in CloudRaya

SSH keys can be used in two main workflows:

1. During Virtual Machine Creation

When creating a Linux VM, you can:

• Select an existing SSH key, or
• Create a new SSH key during the VM setup

The selected public key will be automatically applied to the VM.

2. From the SSH Key Management Page

You can also manage SSH keys independently from VM creation.

From this page, you can:

• Create new SSH keys
• Import existing public keys
• View public keys
• Delete SSH keys

This is useful when preparing access keys before deploying Virtual Machines.

Supported Operating Systems

SSH Key authentication is supported for:

• Linux-based Virtual Machines

Windows Virtual Machines use different authentication mechanisms and do not support SSH keys by default.

Security Notes

• Private keys are generated or stored only on your local device
• CloudRaya does not keep copies of private keys
• Only ssh-rsa key type is currently supported
• Deleting an SSH key does not delete any Virtual Machines

Summary

• SSH keys provide secure, passwordless access to Linux VMs
• Keys can be created during VM creation or separately
• Private keys stay on your device
• Public keys are managed by CloudRaya
• SSH keys can be reused across multiple Virtual Machines

Next Steps

• Learn how to generate or import SSH keys in CloudRaya
  📄 Create SSH Key

• Attach SSH keys during VM creation and connect to your VM
  📄 Use SSH Key with Virtual Machine

• View public keys or delete unused SSH keys
  📄 Manage SSH Key