FileZilla will not authenticate using Pageant on server that only accepts PublicKey

[Evan B]

Buddy of mine runs a server that doesn't allow password authentication at all, only allows public-private key exchange. Since the keyfile is password-protected I've got Pageant set up and working for PuTTY for shell access, but FileZilla doesn't want to cooperate.

I tried using this same Pageant/Filezilla/key combo to get onto my webserver, which has the same pub key installed (but allows password authentication as well if I choose to use it), and everything works. I can paste that logfile also if needed.

I believe this to be similar to ticket #8934 (​http://trac.filezilla-project.org/ticket/8934) but since that never got resolved I guess I don't know for sure. In the logs below, I've modified the server name by inserting SERVER where relevant to mask a portion of it.

This is using Filezilla version 3.9.0.6 (latest according to Checking for Updates as of this posting) running on Win7 SP1. There is only one key loaded into Pageant, which is Release 0.62.

12:14:04 Command: open "at0m@…" 22
12:14:04 Trace: Looking up host "einstein.SERVER.org"
12:14:04 Trace: Connecting to 5.9.99.76 port 22
12:14:04 Trace: Server version: SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_6.0p1 Debian-4+deb7u2
12:14:04 Trace: Using SSH protocol version 2
12:14:04 Trace: We claim version: SSH-2.0-PuTTY_Local:_Oct_16_2014_11:15:32
12:14:04 Trace: Doing Diffie-Hellman group exchange
12:14:05 Trace: Doing Diffie-Hellman key exchange with hash SHA-256
12:14:05 Trace: Host key fingerprint is:
12:14:05 Trace: ssh-rsa 2048 f6:f2:7d:07:e8:d1:a8:b1:cf:da:6b:07:bc:59:4d:ea
12:14:05 Trace: Initialised AES-256 SDCTR client->server encryption
12:14:05 Trace: Initialised HMAC-SHA-256 client->server MAC algorithm
12:14:05 Trace: Initialised AES-256 SDCTR server->client encryption
12:14:05 Trace: Initialised HMAC-SHA-256 server->client MAC algorithm
12:14:05 Trace: Pageant is running. Requesting keys.
12:14:05 Trace: Pageant has 1 SSH-2 keys
12:14:05 Trace: Trying Pageant key #0
12:14:05 Trace: Server refused public key
12:14:05 Trace: Disconnected: No supported authentication methods available (server sent: publickey)
12:14:05 Error: Disconnected: No supported authentication methods available (server sent: publickey)
12:14:05 Trace: CControlSocket::DoClose(64)
12:14:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ResetOperation(66)
12:14:05 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(66)
12:14:05 Error: Could not connect to server
12:14:05 Trace: CFileZillaEnginePrivate::ResetOperation(66)
12:14:05 Status: Waiting to retry...
12:14:10 Trace: CControlSocket::DoClose(64)
12:14:10 Trace: CControlSocket::DoClose(64)
12:14:10 Status: Delaying connection for 1 second due to previously failed connection attempt...
12:14:10 Status: Connecting to einstein.SERVER.org...
12:14:10 Trace: Going to execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\FileZilla FTP Client\fzsftp.exe"
12:14:10 Response: fzSftp started
12:14:10 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ConnectParseResponse(fzSftp started)
12:14:10 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
12:14:10 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ConnectSend()
12:14:10 Command: open "at0m@…" 22
12:14:10 Trace: Looking up host "einstein.SERVER.org"
12:14:10 Trace: Connecting to 5.9.99.76 port 22
12:14:11 Trace: Server version: SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_6.0p1 Debian-4+deb7u2
12:14:11 Trace: Using SSH protocol version 2
12:14:11 Trace: We claim version: SSH-2.0-PuTTY_Local:_Oct_16_2014_11:15:32
12:14:11 Trace: Doing Diffie-Hellman group exchange
12:14:11 Trace: Doing Diffie-Hellman key exchange with hash SHA-256
12:14:11 Trace: Host key fingerprint is:
12:14:11 Trace: ssh-rsa 2048 f6:f2:7d:07:e8:d1:a8:b1:cf:da:6b:07:bc:59:4d:ea
12:14:11 Trace: Initialised AES-256 SDCTR client->server encryption
12:14:11 Trace: Initialised HMAC-SHA-256 client->server MAC algorithm
12:14:11 Trace: Initialised AES-256 SDCTR server->client encryption
12:14:11 Trace: Initialised HMAC-SHA-256 server->client MAC algorithm
12:14:12 Trace: Pageant is running. Requesting keys.
12:14:12 Trace: Pageant has 1 SSH-2 keys
12:14:12 Trace: Trying Pageant key #0
12:14:12 Trace: Server refused public key
12:14:12 Trace: Disconnected: No supported authentication methods available (server sent: publickey)
12:14:12 Error: Disconnected: No supported authentication methods available (server sent: publickey)
12:14:12 Trace: CControlSocket::DoClose(64)
12:14:12 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ResetOperation(66)
12:14:12 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(66)
12:14:12 Error: Could not connect to server
12:14:12 Trace: CFileZillaEnginePrivate::ResetOperation(66)

[Evan B]

Logfile for the 'working' server below.

13:53:04 Status: Connecting to ftp.SERVER2.org...
13:53:04 Trace: Going to execute "C:\Program Files (x86)\FileZilla FTP Client\fzsftp.exe"
13:53:04 Response: fzSftp started
13:53:04 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ConnectParseResponse(fzSftp started)
13:53:04 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
13:53:04 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ConnectSend()
13:53:04 Command: open "at0m@…" 22
13:53:04 Trace: Looking up host "ftp.SERVER2.org"
13:53:04 Trace: Connecting to 74.xxx.yyy.168 port 22
13:53:04 Trace: Server version: SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_4.3
13:53:04 Trace: Using SSH protocol version 2
13:53:04 Trace: We claim version: SSH-2.0-PuTTY_Local:_Oct_16_2014_11:15:32
13:53:04 Trace: Doing Diffie-Hellman group exchange
13:53:04 Trace: Doing Diffie-Hellman key exchange with hash SHA-1
13:53:04 Trace: Host key fingerprint is:
13:53:04 Trace: ssh-rsa 2048 eb:3a:c1:7d:bb:62:39:ca:04:fd:c7:fd:a8:a6:cb:4b
13:53:04 Trace: Initialised AES-256 SDCTR client->server encryption
13:53:04 Trace: Initialised HMAC-SHA1 client->server MAC algorithm
13:53:04 Trace: Initialised AES-256 SDCTR server->client encryption
13:53:04 Trace: Initialised HMAC-SHA1 server->client MAC algorithm
13:53:04 Trace: Pageant is running. Requesting keys.
13:53:04 Trace: Pageant has 1 SSH-2 keys
13:53:04 Trace: Trying Pageant key #0
13:53:04 Trace: Sending Pageant's response
13:53:04 Trace: Access granted
13:53:04 Trace: Opened channel for session
13:53:04 Trace: Started a shell/command
13:53:04 Status: Connected to SERVER2.org
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ConnectParseResponse()
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Trace: CFileZillaEnginePrivate::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Status: Retrieving directory listing...
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::SendNextCommand()
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ChangeDirSend()
13:53:05 Command: pwd
13:53:05 Response: Current directory is: "/home/at0m"
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ParseSubcommandResult(0)
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ListSubcommandResult()
13:53:05 Trace: state = 1
13:53:05 Trace: CSftpControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Trace: CControlSocket::ResetOperation(0)
13:53:05 Status: Directory listing successful
13:53:05 Trace: CFileZillaEnginePrivate::ResetOperation(0)

[Evan B]

I'm dumb, I was using the wrong host name for the original post in the ticket. Please delete.