Setup CYBKEY for SSH on Windows
This guide will walk you through setting up the CYBKEY for SSH authentication on
Windows.
Step 1: Open PowerShell
Press Win+R, type powershell, and then click OK.
Step 2: Install Necessary Software
Install OpenSSH and Git using winget.
winget install "openSSH beta"
winget install Git.Git
Step 3: Reopen PowerShell
Reopen PowerShell to ensure all changes take effect.
Step 4: Generate SSH Keys
Generate your SSH keys. When prompted during the process, you can keep all default options (default path for keys and no passphrase).
ssh-keygen -t ecdsa-sk -C "github fido"
During this process, you’ll encounter several prompts:
1. Security Key Setup: A window titled “Security key setup” will appear. Click OK.
2. Continue Setup: Next, a window titled “Continue setup” will appear. Click OK here as well.
3. Security Key Authentication: You’ll be prompted to place your CYBKEY on the reader.
4. Enter PIN: Enter the PIN for your CYBKEY.
5. Configure SSH Key Generation: Finally, configure the specifics of your SSH key, such as the key path and passphrase options or leave them blank.
Step 5: Add Public Key to GitHub
Navigate to GitHub SSH settings and add your new SSH key.
Go to Settings -> SSH and GPG keys -> New SSH key.
Copy the public key contents from:
~/.ssh/id_ecdsa_sk.pub
You can open this file with Notepad.
Step 6: Test SSH Keys
Try cloning a private repository to test if the SSH setup works correctly. Replace
git clone
A security prompt will appear asking you to confirm the use of your security key.
If everything is set up correctly, your repository should clone without any issues.
