SSH (Password)

Use the SSH (Password) server type when you want to connect to SSH hosts using a username and password credential, while leveraging StrongDM for connectivity, access control, and auditing.

Overview

This guide describes how to set up an SSH (Password) server in StrongDM. An SSH server resource represents a combination of network destination (host and port) and the credentials required to connect. The SSH (Password) server type may be added to StrongDM to allow users to connect to resources (such as network devices) that require a username and password for authentication.

With SSH (Password):

You supply a valid username and password for the target host.
You configure the server resource in StrongDM using those credentials (or via your secret store).
StrongDM nodes use the provided username and password to connect to the server.
You still benefit from centralized access, session logging, and auditing, without managing key pairs.

This option is ideal when SSH public-key or certificate-based authentication is not supported on the host, or password-based access is simpler for your use case.

Authentication

When using the SSH (Password):

The username and password for the target host is defined in StrongDM (or via a secret store).
StrongDM node (gateway, relay, or proxy worker) uses those credentials to initiate an SSH connection to the host.
The host validates the username/password combination as usual and grants access if correct.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure that the following requirements are met:

A StrongDM node is deployed and can reach the target SSH host (hostname/IP and port).
You hold valid credentials (username and password) that allow SSH login to the host.
On the host: SSH password authentication must be enabled for the specified user account (for example, PasswordAuthentication yes).
Network/firewall rules allow SSH traffic from the relay/gateway to the target host.
(Recommended) The login user has the necessary privileges for the tasks you intend (and you understand the implications of password-based SSH).
(Optional) Host login access and logs are working, so you can validate the credentials manually before onboarding into StrongDM.

Add the Resource in StrongDM

Next, add the resource in StrongDM. This section provides instructions for adding the resource in either the StrongDM Admin UI, CLI, Terraform provider, or SDKs.

Set up and Manage With the Admin UI

If using the Admin UI to add the resource to StrongDM, use the following steps.

Log in to the Admin UI and go to Infrastructure > Servers.
Click Add server.
Select SSH (Password) as the Server Type and set other resource properties to configure how the StrongDM relay connects to the server via SSH.
Click create to save the resource.
Click the resource name to view status, diagnostic information, and setting details. After the server is created, the Admin UI displays that resource as unhealthy until the health checks run successfully. When the resource is ready, the Health icon indicates a positive, green status.

Set up and Manage With the CLI

This section provides general steps on how to configure and manage the resource using the StrongDM CLI. For more information and examples, please see the CLI Reference documentation.

In your terminal or Command Prompt, log in to StrongDM:
```
sdm login
```

Run sdm admin servers add sshPassword --help to view the help text for the command, which shows you how to use the command and what options (properties) are available. Note which properties are required and collect the values for them.

NAME:
   sdm admin servers add sshPassword - create SSH (Password) server

USAGE:
   sdm admin servers add sshPassword [command options] <name>

OPTIONS:
   --allow-deprecated-key-exchanges           sdm must use TLS to connect
   --bind-interface value                     IP address on which to listen for connections to this resource on clients. Specify "default", "loopback", or "vnm" to automatically allocate an available address from the corresponding IP range configured in the organization. (default: "default")
   --egress-filter value                      apply filter to select egress nodes e.g. 'field:name tag:key=value ...'
   --hostname value                           (required)
   --password value                           (required, secret)
   --port value                               (required) (default: 22)
   --port-forwarding                          
   --port-override value                      Port on which to listen for connections to this resource on clients. Specify "-1" to automatically allocate an available port. (default: -1)
   --proxy-cluster-id value                   proxy cluster id
   --secret-store-id value                    secret store id
   --subdomain value, --bind-subdomain value  DNS subdomain through which this resource may be accessed on clients (e.g. "app-prod" allows the resource to be accessed as "app-prod.<your-org-name>.<sdm-proxy-domain>"). Only applicable to HTTP-based resources or resources using virtual networking mode.
   --tags value                               tags e.g. 'key=value,...'
   --template, -t                             display a JSON template
   --timeout value                            set time limit for command
   --username value                           (required, secret)

Run sdm admin servers add sshPassword <RESOURCE_NAME> to add the resource in StrongDM. Set all required properties with their values. For example:

NAME:
   sdm admin servers add sshPassword - create SSH (Password) server

USAGE:
   sdm admin servers add sshPassword [command options] <name>

OPTIONS:
   --allow-deprecated-key-exchanges           sdm must use TLS to connect
   --bind-interface value                     IP address on which to listen for connections to this resource on clients. Specify "default", "loopback", or "vnm" to automatically allocate an available address from the corresponding IP range configured in the organization. (default: "default")
   --egress-filter value                      apply filter to select egress nodes e.g. 'field:name tag:key=value ...'
   --hostname value                           (required)
   --password value                           (required, secret)
   --port value                               (required) (default: 22)
   --port-forwarding                          
   --port-override value                      Port on which to listen for connections to this resource on clients. Specify "-1" to automatically allocate an available port. (default: -1)
   --proxy-cluster-id value                   proxy cluster id
   --secret-store-id value                    secret store id
   --subdomain value, --bind-subdomain value  DNS subdomain through which this resource may be accessed on clients (e.g. "app-prod" allows the resource to be accessed as "app-prod.<your-org-name>.<sdm-proxy-domain>"). Only applicable to HTTP-based resources or resources using virtual networking mode.
   --tags value                               tags e.g. 'key=value,...'
   --template, -t                             display a JSON template
   --timeout value                            set time limit for command
   --username value                           (required, secret)

Check that the resource has been added. The output of the following command should show the resource's name:
```
sdm admin resources list
```

Set up and Manage With Terraform

This section provides an example of how to configure and manage the resource using the Terraform provider. For more information and examples, please see the Terraform provider documentation.

# Install StrongDM provider
terraform {
  required_providers {
    sdm = {
      source  = "strongdm/sdm"
      version = "5.1.0"
    }
  }
}

# Configure StrongDM provider
provider "sdm" {
  # Add API access key and secret key from the Admin UI
  api_access_key = "njjSn...5hM"
  api_secret_key = "ziG...="
}

# Create SSH (Password) server
resource "sdm_resource" "linux_ssh_password_prod_01" {
  ssh_password {
    # Required
    name     = "linux-ssh-password-prod-01"       # <name>
    hostname = "ssh01.acme.internal"              # --hostname
    port     = 22                                 # --port (default 22)
    username = "ubuntu"                           # --username
    password = "StrongPassword123!"               # --password (use secret store for production)

    # Common networking options
    bind_interface = "default"                    # --bind-interface ("default" | "loopback" | "vnm")
    port_override  = -1                           # --port-override (-1 = auto-allocate)
    egress_filter  = "field:name tag:env=prod tag:region=us-west"  # --egress-filter
    subdomain      = "ssh-prod01"                 # --subdomain (VN/HTTP-only applicability noted in CLI)

    # Connection behavior
    allow_deprecated_key_exchanges = false        # --allow-deprecated-key-exchanges
    port_forwarding                = true         # --port-forwarding

    # Optional integrations
    proxy_cluster_id = "plc_0123456789abcdef"     # --proxy-cluster-id
    secret_store_id  = "ss_abcdef0123456789"      # --secret-store-id

    # Tags
    tags = {                                      # --tags
      env  = "prod"
      role = "linux"
      team = "infra"
    }
  }
}

Resource properties

The following table describes the settings available for your SSH (Password) server.

Property

Requirement

Description

Display Name

Required

Meaningful name to display the resource throughout StrongDM; exclude special characters like quotes (") or angle brackets (< or >)

Server Type

Required

SSH (Password)

Proxy Cluster

Required

Defaults to "None (use gateways)"; if using proxy clusters, select the appropriate cluster to proxy traffic to this resource

Hostname

Required

Hostname or IP address to which you are connecting, such as testserver-01.example.org; relay server should be able to connect to your target server or hostname

Port

Required

Port to connect to the resource; default port value 22

Connectivity Mode

Required

Select either Virtual Networking Mode, which lets users connect to the resource with a software-defined, IP-based network; or Loopback Mode, which allows users to connect to the resource using the local loopback adapter in their operating system; this field is shown if Virtual Networking Mode enabled for your organization

IP Address

Optional

If Virtual Networking Mode is the selected connectivity mode, an IP address value in the configured Virtual Networking Mode subnet in the organization network settings; if Loopback Mode is the selected connectivity mode, an IP address value in the configured Loopback IP range in the organization network settings (by default, 127.0.0.1); if not specified, an available IP address in the configured IP address space for the selected connectivity mode will be automatically assigned; this field is shown if Virtual Networking Mode and/or multi-loopback mode is enabled for your organization

Port Override

Optional

If Virtual Networking Mode is the selected connectivity mode, a port value between 1 and 65535 that is not already in use by another resource with the same IP address; if Loopback Mode is the selected connectivity mode, a port value between 1024 to 64999 that is not already in use by another resource with the same IP address; when left empty with Virtual Networking Mode, the system assigns the default port to this resource; when left empty for Loopback Mode, an available port that is not already in use by another resource is assigned; preferred port also can be modified later from the Port Overrides settings

DNS

Optional

If Virtual Networking Mode is the selected connectivity mode, a unique hostname alias for this resource; when set, causes the desktop app to display this resource's human-readable DNS name (for example, k8s.my-organization-name) instead of the bind address that includes IP address and port (for example, 100.64.100.100:5432)

Secret Store

Optional

Credential store location; defaults to none (credentials are stored in StrongDM resource configuration); to learn more, see Secret Store options

Username

Required

Enter the username the node should utilize to connect to the server via SSH (for example, bob.belcher)

Password

Required

Enter the password the node should utilize to connect to the server via SSH

Allow Port Forwarding

Optional

When enabled, allows SSH connections proxied by StrongDM for this server to accept local forwarding requests; this checkbox is shown when the Allow port forwarding through SSH? option is turned on in the Admin UI security settings; see Port Forwarding for more information

Resource Tags

Optional

Resource Tags consisting of key-value pairs <KEY>=<VALUE> (for example, env=dev)

Secret Store options

By default, server credentials are stored in StrongDM. However, these credentials can also be saved in a secrets management tool.

Non-StrongDM options appear in the Secret Store dropdown if they are created under Settings > Secrets Management. When you select another Secret Store type, its unique properties display. For more details, see Configure Secret Store Integrations.

Test the Connection

In the Admin UI, find the resource you created and watch for the Health icon to turn green once successful.
Using the StrongDM desktop app or CLI, connect to the server as the configured user and verify access.
On the target host, run whoami, hostname, and inspect SSH logs (for example, /var/log/auth.log) to confirm connection as expected.
If the resource remains unhealthy:
- Verify the username/password pair is valid on the host.
- Confirm that the StrongDM node sees the host (network and port).
- Check for any host-side restrictions (for example, PasswordAuthentication no).
- Review logs for “authentication failure” or “password refused”.

If you encounter issues, please consult the StrongDM Help Center.

Last updated 18 days ago

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Overview

Authentication

Prerequisites

Add the Resource in StrongDM

Set up and Manage With the Admin UI

Set up and Manage With the CLI

Set up and Manage With Terraform

Set up and Manage With SDKs

Resource properties

Secret Store options

Test the Connection