Auto answer host key question in a script :: Support Forum

silverfox
Joined:: 2013-03-06
Posts:: 1
Location:: Atlanta, GA

Auto answer host key question in a script

2013-03-06 22:54

I am trying to build a script so I can execute this under the task scheduler on the Windows server.
When I execute the open, winscp shows my the server fingerprint and then ask me if I trust this host enter 'Y'es,'N'o, C'a'ncel or 'C'opy and it automatically selects 'a' for cancel. How can I get the 'N' accepted or even skip over this question.

Authenticating...
The server's host key was not found in the cache. You have no guarantee that the server is the computer you think it is.
The server's rsa2 key fingerprint is:
ssh-rsa 2048 49:f7:11:87:19:a4:9c:5d:9b:cc:88:34:40:ba:5b:87
If you trust this host, press Yes. To connect without adding host key to the cache, press No. To abandon the connection
ss Cancel.
Continue connecting and add host key to the cache?
(Y)es, (N)o, C(a)ncel, (C)opy Key: Cancel

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martin◆ Site Admin
Joined:: 2002-12-10
Posts:: 41,518
Location:: Prague, Czechia

Re: auto answer host key question in a script

2013-03-07

Duplicate post:
Automatic answer server fingerprint question

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Guest

Re: auto answer host key question in a script

2023-04-07 15:12

When looking at the open command in the docs, there is no "reply with quote". So just how do you solve the issue with having to put the certificate into the open command, when scripting?

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martin◆ Site Admin

Re: Auto answer host key question in a script

2023-04-11

See https://winscp.net/eng/docs/scripting#hostkey

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aja206 Guest

Documentation not clear

2023-11-29 21:48

The documentation doesn't clearly show people how to use -certificate in conjunction with open to auto accept certificates...

I tried 4 variations so far and it does not work.

Here is your example arguments with scheduled tasks:

/log=c:\path\winscp.log /command "open sftp://user:password@example.com/" "put d:\examplefile.txt /home/user/" "exit"

Where do you plug -certificate?

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aja206 Guest

Okay here is how you do it

2023-11-29 22:00

Okay I burned a brain and finger calories solving the puzzle and answer what others are looking for here.

You have to add -certificate=* at the end of the path after the open command so:

/log=c:\path\winscp.log /command "open sftp://user:password@example.com/ -certificate=*" "put d:\examplefile.txt /home/user/" "exit"

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martin◆ Site Admin
Joined:: 2002-12-10
Posts:: 41,518
Location:: Prague, Czechia

Re: Okay here is how you do it

2023-11-30

@aja206:

Do not use * in the first place, that's insecure.
For SFTP, idiomatic is use of -hostkey, not -certificate (no matter that internally, they are aliases).
An example of syntax is shown here:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/scriptcommand_open#examples
Though on commandline it gets bit more complicated:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/commandline#syntax