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SSH Authentication Methods Scanner (sshauth)

The SSH Authentication Methods Scanner enumerates which authentication methods each target SSH server is willing to accept. The scanner connects, requests the list of allowed authentication methods, and emits one row per target/method pair.

Common results include password, publickey, keyboard-interactive, gssapi-with-mic and hostbased. This information is critical for planning your approach: servers that accept password can be targeted with credential spraying or brute force, servers that only accept publickey require a stolen private key, and the presence of gssapi-with-mic indicates Kerberos integration which opens up ticket-based attack paths.

Authentication

Even when this scanner reports keyboard-interactive, gssapi-with-mic or hostbased, the OctoPwn SSH client only implements password and publickey. Servers that don't advertise at least one of those two will not be usable from OctoPwn, regardless of what sshauth shows here.

Pair with the related SSH scanners

  • sshbanner — software name and version.
  • sshinfo — supported KEX algorithms, ciphers, MACs.
  • sshlogin — actually validates a credential against the server.

Parameters

Normal Parameters

targets

Specifies the targets to scan.

A list of targets can be specified in the following formats:

  • ID: ID of the target server from the targets window.
  • IP: Single IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.1).
  • CIDR: IP range in CIDR notation (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24).
  • Hostname: Resolvable hostname.
  • File: Path to a file containing targets (must be in OctoPwn’s /browserefs/volatile directory). File lists need to be uploaded into OctoPwn and separated by newlines.
  • Control word: Use all to scan all stored targets.
  • Single Group: g:<groupname> (e.g., g:test1).
  • Multiple Groups: g:<groupname1>,g:<groupname2> (e.g., g:test1,g:test2).
  • Port Group: p:<port> (e.g., p:22).
  • Port Group with Protocol: p:<port>/<protocol> (e.g., p:22/tcp).

Advanced Parameters

maxruntime

Specifies the maximum runtime per host (in seconds). Set to -1 to disable.

protocol

Specifies the protocol. Fixed to SSH for this scanner.

proxy

Specifies the proxy ID to use for the scan.

Enter the ID of the proxy to route the scan through. Proxies must be configured in the Proxy Window.

resultsfile

Specifies a file for saving the scan results.

The file will be saved in OctoPwn’s /browserefs/volatile directory.

showerrors

Determines whether errors encountered during the scan should be displayed.

timeout

Sets the timeout (in seconds) for each connection attempt.

triggerports

Ports which trigger an automated sshauth scan when discovered by other scanners. Pre-populated with 22/TCP, 2222/TCP, 22222/TCP.

verifyhost

When enabled, the SSH client verifies the server host key. Disabled by default.

workercount

Specifies the number of parallel workers for the scan.

wsnetreuse

Internal parameter. Do not modify.