First the bug: I've found a timing problem in 2.1.1p1 at the point where the client version string is read, a core dump with a "Did not receive ident string..." error. This problem does not appear to have been mentioned yet in the list archive. This bug was noted on HP-UX 11.0 but could be a problem on other Unices as well. My Q&D fix (patch below) was to spin on EWOULDBLOCK (the BSDism seen on HP-UX) or EAGAIN. In testing I see from 2 to 4 iterations before the first byte arrives. Now the question: Does anyone know of any plans to add a x.509 certificate capability to openssh? For political reasons only x.509 based crypto will be usable in my environment. We have used ssh heavily for some time and I'm thinking that adapting ssh for x.509 might be easier than switching the whole enterprise to another product. The commercial ssh now has a "x.509 toolkit", whatever that is, and openssh already references openssl. The patch: *** sshd.c Mon May 29 23:44:54 2000 --- /tmp/sshd.c Wed Jun 21 15:08:54 2000 *************** *** 297,302 **** --- 297,307 ---- /* Read other side\'s version identification. */ for (i = 0; i < sizeof(buf) - 1; i++) { if (read(sock_in, &buf[i], 1) != 1) { + debug("version id %.100s, %d", strerror(errno), i); + if ((errno == EWOULDBLOCK) || (errno =EAGAIN)) { + i--; + continue; + } log("Did not receive ident string from %s.", get_remote_ipaddr()); fatal_cleanup(); } ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- Steve Marquess 301-663-1770 x238 / 301-619-3933 voice DMLSS Technical Manager DSN 343-3933 JMLFDC 301-663-6788 / 301-619-7831 fax 623 Porter Street steve.marquess at amedd.army.mil Ft. Detrick, MD 21702-5018