Automate SSH Key Management and Control with BastionXP

In today’s interconnected world, Secure Shell (SSH) is fundamental to secure remote access.

SSH password based authentication is vulnerable to attacks and generally not recommended for production usecases.

SSH Public Private key based authentication is a secure and recommended method for production usecases.

But managing SSH keys across a growing infrastructure can be a nightmare.

BastionXP simplifies this complexity, offering a robust SSH Key Management Solution that empowers you to control, automate, and secure your SSH access.

BastionXP is a cloud based SSH Key Management Solution that provides a centralized key management and control for all compute resources in your organization - both physical and virtual machines.

The SSH Key Challenge: Beyond Simple Authentication

SSH keys are stronger than passwords, but they introduce management overhead. BastionXP directly addresses these challenges:

Key Sprawl

BastionXP provides a centralized inventory of all your SSH keys, giving you a clear view of who has access to what. No more hunting through disparate systems!

Lifecycle Management

BastionXP automates the entire key lifecycle, from generation and distribution to rotation and revocation. Say goodbye to manual, error-prone processes.

Access Control

With granular, role-based access control (RBAC), BastionXP makes it easy to define who can access which systems, enforcing least privilege and minimizing risk.

Auditing and Compliance

BastionXP maintains detailed audit logs of all key-related activity, simplifying compliance demonstrations and security investigations.

Security Risks

BastionXP securely stores and protects your private keys, safeguarding them against unauthorized access and theft.

BastionXP creates and distributes a short-lived single-use SSH public key to your host machines.

SSH public keys are deleted immediately after a user login. Everytime, a user tries to make a new SSH connection, a new short-lived SSH public key will be distribution to the host computer.

BastionXP: Your All-in-One SSH Key Management Platform

BastionXP offers a comprehensive suite of features to simplify and secure your SSH key management:

Centralized Inventory

BastionXP provides a single pane of glass for managing all your SSH keys. Quickly see key owners, associated systems, and access levels.

Automated Key Provisioning

Streamline user onboarding and system access with automated key generation, distribution, and deployment.

Lifecycle Management

Automate key rotation and revocation to maintain security best practices and minimize the window of vulnerability.

Granular Access Control

Implement role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce least privilege and ensure only authorized personnel can access critical resources.

Auditing and Logging

Maintain comprehensive audit trails of all key-related activities for compliance and security investigations.

Key Storage and Protection

Securely store and protect your private keys using robust encryption mechanisms.

Integration with Existing Infrastructure

BastionXP integrates seamlessly with your existing IT systems, including identity providers (IdPs) and cloud platforms, through APIs and integrations.

User-Friendly Interface

BastionXP offers an intuitive interface for administrators and users, simplifying key management and system access.

How to setup and configure BastionXP SSH Key Management Solution:

Follow the instructions in this article to setup and configure the BastionXP SSH Key Management Solution:

How to Setup BastionXP SSH Key Management Solution

How BastionXP Key Management Solution Works

By default, BastionXP Web Portal will create and sync a very short-lived single-use SSH public key to your Ubuntu Linux machine, so that you can securely remote login to your Ubuntu Linux from anywhere in the world, without having to use password based authentication. The key will be cleaned up or trashed immediately after the user logs in.

Note that a user can SSH into your host machine from the BastionXP web portal, only after a successful SSO login (and 2FA authentication) provided by your SSO OAuth provider such as: Microsoft 365 or Google G-Suite.

BastionXP has a built-in SSH public key management tool, that automates SSH public key management or syncing it between your Linux machine and the SSH web client. It even cleans up the key immediately, so that a new public key setup is required for the next login attempt by the same user.

For better security, you can even disable password based authentication completely on your Linux SSH server. But, if you prefer to use password based authentication, then select the “Password authentication” option during the login prompt in the BastionXP Web Portal. The default option is “SSH Public Key Authentication.”

Benefits of Implementing BastionXP’s SSH Key Management Solution

Choosing BastionXP for your SSH key management offers significant advantages:

Enhanced Security

Dramatically reduce the risk of unauthorized access and data breaches.

Improved Operational Efficiency

Automate key lifecycle management and free up valuable IT resources.

Reduced Costs

Minimize the costs associated with manual key management and potential security incidents.

Streamlined Compliance

Simplify compliance audits with detailed audit trails and reporting.

Increased Visibility and Control

Gain complete visibility into your SSH key infrastructure and maintain control over access levels.

Why Choose BastionXP?

While other platforms exist, BastionXP stands out with its comprehensive feature set, ease of use, and focus on security.

BastionXP is the right choice! BastionXP offers the following benefits:

Scalability

BastionXP scales to meet the demands of your growing infrastructure. It can manage SSH public keys for more than 15K servers and users.

Seamless Integrations

Integrate with your existing IT ecosystem for streamlined workflows. Works seamlessly with OpenSSH server or any SSH server and SSH client tools.

Robust Security

BastionXP generates a short-lived SSH public key and places it in the right location in the host machine just before an user tries to login. The public key is deleted from the host machine after a few minutes from the host/server. A new SSH public key will be generated and placed in the server, if the user tries to relogin to the same server.

Intuitive User Experience

Empower your team with an easy-to-use interface that simplifies SSH key management.

Dedicated Support

Benefit from our expert support team to ensure smooth implementation and ongoing success.

Conclusion

Don’t let SSH key management and SSH key sprawl become a security headache for your organization.

BastionXP provides the centralized, automated, and secure solution you need to tame the SSH keys and protect your critical systems.

Try BastionXP SSH key management solution in the cloud for free for 30-days.

Contact us at [email protected] today to learn more and start securing your remote access.