Ant scp task: JSchException: invalid privatekey

Question

I created a new key pair using ssh-keygen and added the public key on the server. Using sftp -i private_key_file user@server I can successfully open a connection to the server and put files. However, when I try to use the Ant scp task I receive:

com.jcraft.jsch.JSchException: invalid privatekey: [B@5e9d5728

The relevant part of the Ant script:

<scp file="local-file.zip"
             trust="true"
             sftp="true"
             todir="user@server:/dir/to/put/files"
             keyfile="private_key_file"
             verbose="true"/>

Does anyone have an idea ?

What does your key file look like? Show us its structure. + What version of JSch are you using? — Martin Prikryl, Mar 15 '19 at 06:30
@MartinPrikryl Your questions point into the right direction ... see my answer below. Thanks! — the.unknowing, Mar 15 '19 at 08:20

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 15 '19 at 08:18

Looks like in recent OpenSSH versions (I have 7.9 installed in my F29) ssh-keygen generates a slightly different key format which starts now with:

-----BEGIN OPENSSH PRIVATE KEY-----

instead of:

-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----

I have version 1.50 of JSch installed, which does not like the new format. Using -m PEM option during key generation solved my issue:

ssh-keygen -t rsa -m PEM

Found the solution in this thread: Invalid privateKey when using JGit and JSCH. Thanks and credits go to Natan and Roman Vottner !

(Not sure if there also is a new version of JSch available that will accept the new key format.)

Please do not post duplicate answers. + And you should upgrade your copy of JSch in any case. — Martin Prikryl, Mar 15 '19 at 08:32

Ant scp task: JSchException: invalid privatekey

1 Answers1

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