I have already : Installed the server Generated the pub/pri keys with -P "" Copied the id_rsa.pub to authorized_keys ssh localhost answered "yes", copied to known_hosts tried ssh localhost still asks for password Output: hduser@hduser1-desktop:~$ ssh -v localhost OpenSSH_5.3p1 Debian-3ubuntu7, OpenSSL 0.9.8k 25 Mar 2009 debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config debug1: Applying options for * debug1: Connecting to localhost [127.0.0.1] port 22. debug1: Connection established. debug1: identity file /home/hduser/.ssh/identity type -1 debug1: identity file /home/hduser/.ssh/id_rsa type 1 debug1: Checking blacklist file /usr/share/ssh/blacklist.RSA-2048 debug1: Checking blacklist file /etc/ssh/blacklist.RSA-2048 debug1: identity file /home/hduser/.ssh/id_dsa type -1 debug1: Remote protocol version 2.0, remote software version OpenSSH_5.3p1 Debian- 3ubuntu7 debug1: match: OpenSSH_5.3p1 Debian-3ubuntu7 pat OpenSSH* debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0 debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_5.3p1 Debian-3ubuntu7 debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received debug1: kex: server->client aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none debug1: kex: client->server aes128-ctr hmac-md5 none debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST(1024<1024<8192) sent debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT sent debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY debug1: Host 'localhost' is known and matches the RSA host key. debug1: Found key in /home/hduser/.ssh/known_hosts:3 debug1: ssh_rsa_verify: signature correct debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_REQUEST sent debug1: SSH2_MSG_SERVICE_ACCEPT received debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password debug1: Next authentication method: publickey debug1: Offering public key: /home/hduser/.ssh/id_rsa debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password debug1: Trying private key: /home/hduser/.ssh/identity debug1: Trying private key: /home/hduser/.ssh/id_dsa debug1: Next authentication method: password Any suggestions ? Cheers