PuTTY & SSH Glossary
Comprehensive definitions of technical terms related to PuTTY, SSH, and remote access.
SSH (Secure Shell)
A cryptographic network protocol for secure remote login and command execution over unsecured networks. SSH provides strong authentication and encrypted data communications.
Telnet
An older network protocol for remote terminal connections. Unlike SSH, Telnet transmits data in plain text without encryption, making it insecure for most use cases.
Terminal Emulator
Software that emulates a video terminal within a computer's operating system, allowing users to interact with text-based applications and command-line interfaces.
Public Key Authentication
A method of SSH authentication using a key pair (public and private keys) instead of passwords. The private key remains secret while the public key is shared with servers.
PPK File
PuTTY Private Key format - PuTTY's native file format for storing SSH private keys. PPK files can be created and managed using PuTTYgen.
Port Forwarding
A technique for redirecting network traffic from one network port to another, often used to create secure tunnels through SSH connections.
Session
In PuTTY, a saved configuration containing connection settings like hostname, port, protocol, and appearance preferences that can be reused for quick connections.
Host Key
A cryptographic key used by SSH servers to prove their identity. When first connecting to a server, PuTTY asks you to verify and accept the host key fingerprint.
Plink
PuTTY Link - a command-line SSH client that's part of the PuTTY suite, designed for scripting and automation of SSH connections.
PSCP
PuTTY Secure Copy Protocol - a command-line tool for transferring files securely between computers using the SCP protocol.
PSFTP
PuTTY Secure File Transfer Protocol - an interactive command-line SFTP client for managing files on remote servers.
PuTTYgen
PuTTY Key Generator - a tool for creating, converting, and managing SSH key pairs in various formats.
Pageant
SSH authentication agent that holds private keys in memory, allowing you to use them without re-entering passphrases for each connection.
X11 Forwarding
A feature that allows graphical applications running on a remote server to display on your local machine through an SSH connection.
Cipher
An algorithm for encrypting and decrypting data. SSH supports various ciphers like AES, 3DES, and Blowfish with different security levels and performance characteristics.
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