SSH Secure Services on Windows 2K/XP?

jstockdale asks: "Lately I've been working on the security of the few Windows boxes I administer, specifically XP and 2000 stations. I havn't had much of a problem finding decent solutions for file/email/disk encryption (besides the fact that PGP is no longer selling their products), or for smartcard or smartcard+biometric solutions (besides the limitations on key size (2048-bit RSA maximum) and flexability). However when it comes to SSH services for remote administration, windows filesharing, and SFTP for file transfers I have hit a dead end. I have looked into SSH but their SSH for Windows Servers only runs on 2000, and costs $565. I ask what solutions have /.er's found in the realm of ssh network encryption, and also in integrating all these components simply and effectively."

Comments

Check out the VanDyke products

[mdb31]

You may want to have a look at vandyke.com; their VShell SSH server has a 'personal' edition which works very well for systems management and is cheaper than the SSH product. I've used their products for years on the server as well as client-side, and found them very reliable, as well as very well-behaved Windows services...

Re:Tried VShell?

[xee]

Indeed, VShell is an awesome SSH server for windows. I've been using it in a production environment for a few months now and am very pleased with its performance and ability. It hasn't been a particularly smooth ride, but VanDyke tech support is excellent (you send them a logfile, they'll tell you how to fix the problem). They even supported me before I bought the product. That was impressive. I highly recommend VanDyke SSH products for windows.

OpenSSH + CygWin + libsectok

[dmiller]

As a few people have mentioned OpenSSH is supported on Windows via CygWin. What hasn't been mentioned is that OpenSSH supports smartcards through the use of libsectok. I use it with Schlumberger Cyberflex Access cards.

I don't know whether libsectok has been built on Windows before, but it uses the standard /dev/tty interface so it should be too difficult to get working.

Where to find the Windows programmers

[Carnage4Life]

Disclaimer: I work for Microsoft but this post contains my opinions and does not represent some official company statement

In my opinion the best places to find out information about Microsoft technologies and products are

1. Newsgroups: Most microsoft technologies have a newsgroup in the microsoft.public.* hierarchy that are read not only by Microsoft employees but by dozens of regular developers who just want to help others who are having problems. I personally monitor microsoft.public.xml and microsoft.public.dotnet.xml where I answer a lot of questions and pass many of those I can't answer to the actual devs who work on the applications and APIs in question.
   
   
2. Online Communities: There are a number of strong online communities where Windows developers congregate to share information, tips and tricks. These range from Microsoft sponsored sites like GotDotNet, ASP.NET, and Windows Forms.NET that are run by MSFT employees who participate actively in these communities to independent sites like 4 Guys from Rolla, Code Project, Dev Hood, DevelopMentor and CodeGuru
   
   
3. Microsoft Websites: Few places beat MSDN as a source of information about Microsoft technologies. By the way, if you are into XML check out my Extreme XML column
   
   
4. Mailing Lists: There are number of mailing lists hosted by various parties about Microsoft technologies. The ones I've seen with the most vibrance have been the DevelopMentor mailing lists and the ASP Friends lists

PS: So this post isn't offtopic I'll add something about SSH. OpenSSH in Windows is possible if one installs Cygwin.