What is an SSH key pair, and why do I need it for my proServer?

While a password can be cracked using a brute-force attack, SSH keys are nearly impossible to decrypt using brute force alone. When generating a key pair, two long strings are created. These are called the public key and the private key. You can place the public key on any server and then connect to that server using a client that has the private key stored on it. If the two match, the system unlocks without requiring a password.

To further enhance security, the private key can be protected with a password. This password must be entered once before establishing a connection.