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Security Topics for Windows

How to Install Secure Shell and Secure Copy programs on a box running Windows9x/NT/2000/XP

You will want two programs, one for making secure connections (ssh), and one for copying files in a secure way (scp or sftp). One set of free programs providing these capabilities are:

putty.exe -- provides secure connections (replaces telnet)
pscp.exe -- provides secure file copying (replaces rcp)
psftp.exe -- provides secure file copying (replaces ftp)

all of them can be downloaded from this page or by using the links above:
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/download.html

You will want to put them on your desktop or wherever is convenient for you to find and use the programs.

Another alternative is to acquire a UM Blue Disc and use the included SSH Secure Shell software. More information can be found here:
http://www.itd.umich.edu/kits/

As of 2003 and according to the GPCC ( General Purpose Computing Cycles ) SSH page,, this software can also be obtained here if you are a member of the UM computing community:

/afs/umich.edu/group/itd/swdist/s/SSH/UM_SSHWinClient_3.2.3.exe

To Use the SSH (putty.exe) and SCP (pscp.exe) programs

To use putty.exe to establish a secure connection, or to use pscp.exe to copy files securly, just Double click on the appropriate icon to run the program.

When inside PuTTY:

Enter the hostname you want to connect to, e.g., dolce.physics.lsa.umich.edu and click on ssh radio button to be sure of a secure connection. Then click on OK to establish connection.

Putty will prompt you for login name and password. These are encrypted.

NOTE WELL:
If you get no response or see something like:

Red Hat Linux release 6.0 (Hedwig)
Kernel 2.2.5-15smp on an i686

then you are using telnet. Close the window and connect again via putty.exe's ssh mode.

It may be a good idea to store a session (ie, save settings for later use, so you don't have to type in the whole server name, etc. every time). When you store a session, you are saving the server name, and the protocol in which you are using for later use, as an easy to use, easy to remember alias. To store a session in PuTTy, do the same steps, but instead of pushing OK, enter a name to store under and click save.
This will save for later use. To use the saved session, double click on the name you stored it as in the window underneath.
For example:
If you wanted to store a session to dolce, in the hostname field, enter dolce.physics.lsa.umich.edu then click the SSH radio button. In the name field, type "dolce" and then click save. From then on, you can double click on dolce in your list of sessions to connect.

To connect to a saved session: Double click on the name of the saved session.

Obtaining and Using PSCP

PSCP is a freeware SCP program. You would use this program in replace of your FTP program when your remote host supports SCP.

Save pscp.exe somewhere on your hard drive.
Open a DOS window and go to the directory where you have PSCP saved.
Let's say you saved pscp.exe in c:\pscp\. Your command line syntax is as follows.
- pscp [options] [user@]host:source target pscp [options] source [source...] [user@]host:target
  Options:
  -p preserve file attributes
  -q quiet, don't show statistics
  -r copy directories recursively
  -v show verbose messages
  -P port connect to specified port
  -pw passw login with specified password

Copying files from your UNIX host to your Windows PC.

In order to copy a file from your UNIX host to your Windows PC your command line would look like this.
- C:\pcsp>pscp username@yourhost:~username/somefile c:\temp\
  - This command line copies "somefile" located in your home directory on your UNIX host to the temp directory on your C:\ drive.
    - You should see something like this fly by your DOS prompt.
      - C:\pcsp>pscp -v username@yourhost:~username/somefile c:\temp\ Logging in as "username". username@yourhost's password: (Enter your password)Sending command: scp -v -f ~username/somefile Connected to yourhost.physics.lsa.umich.edu Sending file modes: C0600 167936 somefile somefile | 164 kB | 164.0 kb/s | ETA: 00:00:00 | 100% Remote exit status 0 Closing connection
  - Remember: Backslashes (\) for your DOS and Windows files and forward slashes (/) for your UNIX files.
  - This is taking into consideration that you are already on the CSCS network, otherwise you would specify yourhost.physics.lsa.umich.edu.

Copying files from your Windows PC to your UNIX host.

In order to copy a file from you Windows PC to your UNIX host your command line would look like this.
- C:\pscp>pscp -v c:\temp\somefile username@yourhost:~username
  - This command line copies "somefile" located in the temp directory on your C:\ drive to your home directory on your UNIX host.
    - You should see something like this fly by your DOS prompt.
      - C:\pscp>pscp -v c:\temp\somefile username@yourhost:~username Logging in as "username". username@yourhost's password: (Enter your password)Sending command: scp -v -t ~username Connected to yourhost.physics.lsa.umich.edu Sending file modes: C0644 18124800 somefile somefile | 17700 kb | 334.0 kb/s | ETA: 00:00:00 | 100% Remote exit status 0 Closing connection
  - This is taking into consideration that you are already on the CSCS network, otherwise you would specify yourhost.physics.lsa.umich.edu.
  - Remember: Backslashes (\) for your DOS and Windows files and forward slashes (/) for your UNIX files.

For a GUI version of pscp.exe

Goto http://www.i-tree.org and download the program iXplorer. It has some minor bugs in it, but can be much simpler. There are very good directions and screen shots there.

Updated September 1, 2005