Hello, My apologies if this is a known "feature" and I'm simply reporting something already known. The situation is this: - the sshd in openssh-2.3.0p1 (and also previously in openssh-2.1.1p4) fail when invoked via inetd on Solaris 8 - the sshd is invoked with: 1) an entry in /etc/services: sshback 10000/tcp sshdback # SSH Back Door 2) an entry in /etc/inetd.conf sshback stream tcp nowait root /usr/local/sbin/sshd sshd -i -f \ /usr/local/etc/ssh/sshd_config.inetd (line split exists in this email, but not in original file) - the sshd_config.inetd is pretty standard with nothing special other than (for example) the port number changed - when connecting from an ssh client (also openssh-2.3.0p1) with verbose mode turned on, session appears as follows. Only the last 11 lines are shown (please let me know if you wish to see more) and the hex values after debug: Wait SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP have been changed... I wasn't sure if I was exposing my private key data. Is someone can explain to me what that data is and why it will help your debugging, I'd be happy to pass it on: debug: got kexinit: debug: first kex follow: 0 debug: reserved: 0 debug: done debug: kex: server->client blowfish-cbc hmac-sha1 none debug: kex: client->server blowfish-cbc hmac-sha1 none debug: Sending SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST. debug: Wait SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP. ff ff ff ff ff ff ff ff <------ please see above notes Disconnecting: Bad packet length 796226418. debug: Calling cleanup 0x805d910(0x0) - note that this same method works properly on other OS's and versions - I would be happy to answer any questions that assist in your diagnosis, but I expect you'll be able to reproduce the problem readily with access to another solaris 8 server. I hope that helps, Adam Benjamin Systems Administrator Open Text Corporation