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Can't connect to server: Permission denied (publickey,keyboard-interactive) #2480

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Description

@vaskark

Prerequisites

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  • Make sure you are able to repro it on the latest version
  • Search the existing issues.

Steps to reproduce

ssh user@localhost (or 127.0.0.1)

Expected behavior

Access to my ssh server.

Actual behavior

<user>@localhost: Permission denied (publickey,keyboard-interactive).

Error details

debug1: OpenSSH_for_Windows_10.4p1 Win32-OpenSSH-GitHub, LibreSSL 4.3.3
debug3: Started with: "C:\\\\Program Files\\\\OpenSSH\\\\ssh.exe" -vvv localhost
debug1: Reading configuration data C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/config
debug1: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/config line 3: Applying options for *
debug1: Reading configuration data __PROGRAMDATA__\\ssh/ssh_config
debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts' -> 'C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts'
debug3: expanded UserKnownHostsFile '~/.ssh/known_hosts2' -> 'C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts2'
debug2: resolving "localhost" port 22
debug3: resolve_host: lookup localhost:22
debug3: channel_clear_timeouts: clearing
debug3: ssh_connect_direct: entering
debug1: Connecting to localhost [::1] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_rsa error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_rsa.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_rsa error:2
debug1: no pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_rsa
debug1: identity file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_rsa type -1
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_rsa-cert error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_rsa-cert.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_rsa-cert error:2
debug1: no identity pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_rsa
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa error:2
debug1: no pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug1: identity file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa type -1
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa-cert error:2
debug1: no identity pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk error:2
debug1: no pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk
debug1: identity file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk type -1
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk-cert error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk-cert.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk-cert error:2
debug1: no identity pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk
debug1: loaded pubkey from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519: ED25519 SHA256:7t3ac/PLlwZXs/1taRbcKlotxnzEJltWsJ0LtFUYF0M
debug1: identity file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519 type 2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519-cert error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519-cert.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519-cert error:2
debug1: no identity pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk error:2
debug1: no pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk
debug1: identity file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk type -1
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk-cert error:2
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk-cert.pub error:2
debug3: failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk-cert error:2
debug1: no identity pubkey loaded from C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_for_Windows_10.4 Win32-OpenSSH-GitHub
debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_for_Windows_10.4 Win32-OpenSSH-GitHub
debug1: compat_banner: match: OpenSSH_for_Windows_10.4 Win32-OpenSSH-GitHub pat OpenSSH* compat 0x04000000
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Authenticating to localhost:22 as '<user>'
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ED25519 in file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts:17
debug3: load_hostkeys_file: loaded 1 keys from localhost
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/known_hosts2 error:2
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/ProgramData/ssh/ssh_known_hosts error:2
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen __PROGRAMDATA__\\ssh/ssh_known_hosts: No such file or directory
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/ProgramData/ssh/ssh_known_hosts2 error:2
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen __PROGRAMDATA__\\ssh/ssh_known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug3: order_hostkeyalgs: have matching best-preference key type ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com, using HostkeyAlgorithms verbatim
debug3: send packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug3: receive packet: type 20
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: local client KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: mlkem768x25519-sha256,sntrup761x25519-sha512,sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,ext-info-c,kex-strict-c-v00@openssh.com
debug2: host key algorithms: ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos:
debug2: languages stoc:
debug2: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: reserved 0
debug2: peer server KEXINIT proposal
debug2: KEX algorithms: mlkem768x25519-sha256,sntrup761x25519-sha512,sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,ext-info-s,kex-strict-s-v00@openssh.com
debug2: host key algorithms: rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ssh-ed25519
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos:
debug2: languages stoc:
debug2: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: reserved 0
debug3: kex_choose_conf: will use strict KEX ordering
debug1: kex: algorithm: mlkem768x25519-sha256
debug1: kex: host key algorithm: ssh-ed25519
debug1: kex: server->client cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug1: kex: client->server cipher: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com MAC: <implicit> compression: none
debug3: send packet: type 30
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY
debug3: receive packet: type 31
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_ECDH_REPLY received
debug1: Server host key: ssh-ed25519 SHA256:yIwpy5hx9pSEjlJCuAK636RwgpV8/xZA8UygWUMiq4A
debug3: record_hostkey: found key type ED25519 in file C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts:17
debug3: load_hostkeys_file: loaded 1 keys from localhost
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/Users/<home>/.ssh/known_hosts2 error:2
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/ProgramData/ssh/ssh_known_hosts error:2
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen __PROGRAMDATA__\\ssh/ssh_known_hosts: No such file or directory
debug3: Failed to open file:C:/ProgramData/ssh/ssh_known_hosts2 error:2
debug1: load_hostkeys: fopen __PROGRAMDATA__\\ssh/ssh_known_hosts2: No such file or directory
debug1: Host 'localhost' is known and matches the ED25519 host key.
debug1: Found key in C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/known_hosts:17
debug3: send packet: type 21
debug1: ssh_packet_send2_wrapped: resetting send seqnr 3
debug2: ssh_set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: rekey out after 134217728 blocks
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: Sending SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO
debug3: send packet: type 7
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug3: receive packet: type 21
debug1: ssh_packet_read_poll2: resetting read seqnr 3
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug2: ssh_set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: rekey in after 134217728 blocks
debug2: KEX algorithms: mlkem768x25519-sha256,sntrup761x25519-sha512,sntrup761x25519-sha512@openssh.com,curve25519-sha256,curve25519-sha256@libssh.org,ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group16-sha512,diffie-hellman-group18-sha512,diffie-hellman-group14-sha256,ext-info-c,kex-strict-c-v00@openssh.com
debug2: host key algorithms: ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ssh-ed25519-cert-v01@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512-cert-v01@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256
debug2: ciphers ctos: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: ciphers stoc: chacha20-poly1305@openssh.com,aes128-gcm@openssh.com,aes256-gcm@openssh.com,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr
debug2: MACs ctos: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
debug2: MACs stoc: umac-64-etm@openssh.com,umac-128-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256-etm@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-512-etm@openssh.com,umac-64@openssh.com,umac-128@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-512
debug2: compression ctos: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: compression stoc: none,zlib@openssh.com
debug2: languages ctos:
debug2: languages stoc:
debug2: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: reserved 0
debug3: send packet: type 5
debug3: receive packet: type 7
debug1: SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO received
debug3: kex_input_ext_info: extension server-sig-algs
debug1: kex_ext_info_client_parse: server-sig-algs=<ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com>
debug3: kex_input_ext_info: extension publickey-hostbound@openssh.com
debug1: kex_ext_info_check_ver: publickey-hostbound@openssh.com=<0>
debug3: kex_input_ext_info: extension ping@openssh.com
debug1: kex_ext_info_check_ver: ping@openssh.com=<0>
debug3: kex_input_ext_info: extension agent-forward
debug1: kex_ext_info_check_ver: agent-forward=<0>
debug3: receive packet: type 6
debug2: service_accept: ssh-userauth
debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug3: receive packet: type 7
debug1: SSH2_MSG_EXT_INFO received
debug3: kex_input_ext_info: extension server-sig-algs
debug1: kex_ext_info_client_parse: server-sig-algs=<ssh-ed25519,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,sk-ssh-ed25519@openssh.com,sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com,rsa-sha2-512,rsa-sha2-256,webauthn-sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256@openssh.com>
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug3: start over, passed a different list publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug3: preferred publickey,keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_lookup publickey
debug3: remaining preferred: keyboard-interactive,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled publickey
debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug3: ssh_get_authentication_socket_path: path '\\\\.\\pipe\\openssh-ssh-agent'
debug2: get_agent_identities: ssh_agent_bind_hostkey: invalid format
debug1: get_agent_identities: agent returned 1 keys
debug1: Will attempt key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519 ED25519 SHA256:7t3ac/PLlwZXs/1taRbcKlotxnzEJltWsJ0LtFUYF0M agent
debug1: Will attempt key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_rsa
debug1: Will attempt key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug1: Will attempt key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk
debug1: Will attempt key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk
debug2: pubkey_prepare: done
debug1: Offering public key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519 ED25519 SHA256:7t3ac/PLlwZXs/1taRbcKlotxnzEJltWsJ0LtFUYF0M agent
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug1: Trying private key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_rsa
debug3: no such identity: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_rsa: No such file or directory
debug1: Trying private key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa
debug3: no such identity: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa: No such file or directory
debug1: Trying private key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk
debug3: no such identity: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk: No such file or directory
debug1: Trying private key: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk
debug3: no such identity: C:\\Users\\<home>/.ssh/id_ed25519_sk: No such file or directory
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug3: authmethod_lookup keyboard-interactive
debug3: remaining preferred: password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled keyboard-interactive
debug1: Next authentication method: keyboard-interactive
debug2: userauth_kbdint
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a keyboard-interactive packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,keyboard-interactive
debug3: userauth_kbdint: disable: no info_req_seen
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug1: No more authentication methods to try.
<user>@localhost: Permission denied (publickey,keyboard-interactive).

Environment data

PSVersion                      7.6.9
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.6.9
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.26300
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.4
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Version

OpenSSH_for_Windows_10.4p1 Win32-OpenSSH-GitHub, LibreSSL 4.3.3

Lots of other posts about this but none of the solutions worked for me. Just wondering if there's any new info available about solving this.

Thanks in advance.

Activity

  1. tgauth commented on Oct 28, 2026

    @tgauth
    Collaborator

    Was there anything useful in the SSH server logs? See https://github.com/PowerShell/Win32-OpenSSH/wiki/Troubleshooting-Steps for setting up debug logging. Also, are you attempting to authenticate with a key from the ssh-agent or a key from the user's .ssh folder?

  2. vaskark commented on Oct 28, 2026

    @vaskark
    Author

    Tess Gauthier (@tgauth) Thanks for getting back.

    I've tried to follow the troubleshooting steps the best I could. I turned on logging (which wasn't on before) and tried to connect to my own server again:

    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.173 debug3: fd 8 is not O_NONBLOCK
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.173 debug3: spawning "c:\\program files\\openssh/sshd-session.exe" -R as subprocess
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.190 debug2: server_accept_loop: child 11460 for connection from 127.0.0.1 to 127.0.0.1 received config
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.275 debug3: server_accept_loop: child 11460 for connection from 127.0.0.1 to 127.0.0.1 closed pipe
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.275 debug1: child_close: enter
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.275 debug2: pselect_notify_done: reading
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.278 debug1: child_reap: preauth child 11460 for connection from 127.0.0.1 to 127.0.0.1 exited after auth attempt by invalid user
    15904 2026-10-28 14:18:02.278 srclimit_penalise: ipv4: new 127.0.0.1/32 deferred penalty of 5.000 seconds for penalty: attempted authentication by invalid user
    

    I'm still struggling to investigate file permissions. It's a bit confusing.

    Edit: I'm attempting to authenticate from my key in my users ~/.ssh folder. My ssh-agent is currently enabled.

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