How to Enable SSH Access for a cPanel Account on a VPS via WHM December 21, 2023

This article explains how to enable SSH access for a cPanel account on a VPS using WHM by assigning shell access and configuring SSH key-based authentication. Using SSH keys is the recommended and more secure method for server access.

Steps to enable SSH access for a cPanel account on a VPS via WHM:

Step 1: Log in to WHM.

Step 2: Enable Shell Access Using “Manage Shell Access”.

1. Open the WHM account and go to:
   Home > Security Center > Manage Shell Access
2. All of the server’s cPanel accounts will be listed.
   • Find the account for which SSH access is needed.
   • Change the shell type to one of the following:
     • Jailed Shell (recommended for security)
     • Normal Shell (full shell access – not recommended)
       
3. Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 3: Generate SSH Keys for the cPanel Account

1. Log in to the user’s cPanel account when shell access is enabled.
2. Navigate to:
   cPanel > Security > SSH Access
3. After choosing Manage SSH Keys, select Generate a New Key.
4. Enter the following information:
   • Key Name: Any descriptive name
   • Key Password: Optional but recommended
   • Key Type: RSA
   • Key Size: 2048 or 4096 bits (recommended)
5. Click Generate Key.

Step 4: Authorise the SSH Key
After generating the key, go to SSH Access in cPanel again:

• Under Public Keys, locate the newly created key.
• Click Manage.
• Click Authorise, then confirm.

This step is compulsory to let SSH log in using the key.

Step 5: Connect to the Server through SSH
Use an SSH client to connect from a local system:

ssh username@server-ip

You will be asked to enter the key password if one has been created.

Step 6: View, Download, and Convert the SSH Private Key (Windows Users)
After approving the SSH key, you must download and convert the private key if you are connecting from a Windows system using PuTTY.

1. View or Download the Private SSH Key
   1. Open the cPanel account and go to:
      cPanel > Security > SSH Access > Manage SSH Keys
   2. Under Private Keys, locate the key and click View/Download.
   3. You will find the private key in the subsequent format:
      —–BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY—–
      …
      —–END OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY—–
   4. You may either download the key file directly or copy and save the contents on your local system.
2. Convert the Private Key to PPK Format (PuTTY)
   PuTTY requires keys in PPK format.
   From the View/Download page:
   • Click Convert
   • When asked, enter the passphrase used while generating the key
   • Click Convert
     Download the converted .ppk file to your local machine.
3. Connect Using PuTTY
   1. Open PuTTY and configure the connection:
      1. Host Name: server-ip
      2. Port: 22 (or custom SSH port)
      3. Connection Type: SSH
   2. Under: Connection > SSH > Auth. Browse and select the downloaded .ppk file.
   3. Click Open to connect.

Notes:

• The key has to be renewed if the passphrase is forgotten.
• Never give anyone access to the private key file.
• Compared to password-based SSH login, key-based authentication is more secure.
• Verify that the server firewall permits port 22 (or a custom SSH port).
• If the login is unsuccessful, confirm:
  Shell access is enabled
  SSH key is authorised
• Correct username and server IP are used.

In this way, you can enable SSH access for a cPanel account on a VPS via WHM. If you encounter any issues during the process, feel free to contact the eukhost support team for assistance.