Solving Permission Errors During AWS EC2 SSH Connection

Solving Permission Errors During AWS EC2 SSH Connection

Dealing with permission errors while attempting to connect to AWS EC2 through SSH can be vexing. This guide will help you understand these common errors and provide effective solutions.

Deciphering the Error Messages

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@         WARNING: UNPROTECTED PRIVATE KEY FILE!      @
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Permissions 0644 for 'xxx.pem' are too open.
It is required that your private key files are NOT accessible by others.
This private key will be ignored.
bad permissions: ignore key: xxx.pem
Permission denied (publickey).

The error messages displayed above usually arise when the permissions for your PEM file in AWS EC2 are incorrectly set. The system flags the file as being excessively accessible, which poses a security risk.

Quick Resolution: Altering PEM File Permissions

By following these simple steps, you can modify the permissions on your PEM file:

1. Open a terminal and navigate to the location of your PEM file.
2. Enter and execute the following command:

chmod 400 xxx.pem

3. After running this command, try reconnecting to AWS EC2 via SSH.

By following this process, any permission errors should be resolved, enabling a smooth connection to AWS EC2 through SSH.