openssh unix dev - Mar 2006 - sftp batch mode and password authentication

Hi all,

I used to execute ftp in batch mode to dowload files. In my case, password 
authentication is the only way to get remote access. Could anyone tell me 
how can i accomplish the same task using sftp under batchmode as what i have 
done with ftp ? Meanwhile, how can i specify the password securely ? Is 
there anyother alternatives ?

--
Thanks
M.P

Hi,
> Is 
> there anyother alternatives ?
As far as alternatives are concerned, the recommended way to accomplish your
goal is:

- Use public key authentication and create a key pair without passphrase for
batch job
purposes only.
- Limit the key usage via options in the server's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
file

With this setup you have non-interactive authentication, which can be started by
cron jobs
for instance. Moreover, misuse of the passphrase-less key is limited through the
options.

Regards,
  Tobias L?tticke

ponraj schrieb:
> Hi all,
> 
> I used to execute ftp in batch mode to dowload files. In my case, password 
> authentication is the only way to get remote access. Could anyone tell me 
> how can i accomplish the same task using sftp under batchmode as what i
have
> done with ftp ? Meanwhile, how can i specify the password securely ? Is 
> there anyother alternatives ?
> 
> --
> Thanks
> M.P 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> openssh-unix-dev mailing list
> openssh-unix-dev at mindrot.org
> http://www.mindrot.org/mailman/listinfo/openssh-unix-dev
> 
> 
>

ponraj wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I used to execute ftp in batch mode to dowload files. In my case, password 
> authentication is the only way to get remote access. 
Are you saying that you can't use private keys to authenticate? (I have 
seen situations here this happens - usually as a result of severe 
restrictions on shell access to an archival data store). If that is the 
case I don't think you can do this without using something like
'expect'
  to control the process.