Secure Telnet and FTP

To overcome this security deficiency, we are asking all students and faculty to connect to our computers using ssh (for secure telnet) and some type of secure ftp program.

• To connect from a Windows machine using ssh, you can use a freeware program called putty which is available over the web from Putty;
  • Once you downloaded putty, simply click on the icon to run it.
  • You can connect to the computer by entering its name for the host name (e.g. gibson.nmhu.edu). Make sure you have selected the ssh radio button.
  • Plain telnet is disabled on gibson, but putty works just like telnet.
  • The first time you run putty on a PC, putty will ask to synchronize the keys. Just click yes.
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• To connect from a Windows machine using a secure ftp, you can use freeware programs called pscp (personal secure copy) and Secure iXplorer (GUI for pscp). These can also be found at Secure iXplorer;
  • After you have downloaded the file, Unzip to a temporary folder (using for instance WinZip)
  • then run the setup program from this folder and follow the instructions. If you want, and the installation was verified to be successful, then you can delete all the unzipped files from the temporary folder. [Note: you can also install directly fron WinZip] {Be sure that putty.exe is in the same folder that you installed iXplorer}
  • Once Secure iXplorer is installed, you can click on its icon to run it iXplorer screen.
  • When you use iXplorer the first time, you will need to add an SSH host. setup Image The display name can be any unique name. Use your username. Be sure to set the port number to 22.
  • To connect, click on the + for SSH hosts and find the connection you want. Click on it and it will bring up a connection screen. Enter your password and you should be connected on the left to remote computer. IMAGE
  The directory structure on the right is your local computer.
  • To copy files between computers either use "Drag and Drop" or "Copy and Paste". [Be sure that you are in the directory where you want the files to go [e.g. double-click on public_html if that is the directory that is receiving the files.]
  • The files queued up to be copied are shown in a window at the bottom. In order to cancel the files queued up here, it is possible to right click in this window and remove all the queued files.
  • iXplorer stays in the desktop tray by default. By right-clicking on the tray icon it is possible to close the app any time or alternatively to disable it from staying in the tray. The information about connections to SSH hosts are kept in the registry, so that one does not have to retype them the next time the computer is restarted. The only exception to this is the user password, which is never stored anywhere. However, since the application stays in the tray, then the user still only has to type in the user password once per user session.
  • Complete information can be found at http://www.i-tree.org/ixplorer.htm
  Once you installed Secure iXplorer (and pscp), you will need to add the computer (e.g. gibson) as an ssh host by entering your username on the computer you want to connect to and the computer's name for the host name (e.g. gibson.nmhu.edu). Make sure you have 22 for the port number. Plain ftp will soon be disabled on gibson.

Both programs have a small text program that explains their use.

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written by Wayne Summers summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu