Error in SSH When Connecting to Paired Server

  • 7022823
  • 06-Apr-2018
  • 12-Mar-2019

Environment

GroupWise Disaster Recovery (Reload for GroupWise)

Situation

When testing a GroupWise Disaster Recovery (GWDR) collector profile, trying to connect up to the paired GWDR server, the SSH key fails with the following error:

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

@    WARNING: REMOTE HOST IDENTIFICATION HAS CHANGED!     @

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

IT IS POSSIBLE THAT SOMEONE IS DOING SOMETHING NASTY!

Someone could be eavesdropping on you right now (man-in-the-middle attack)!

It is also possible that the RSA host key has just been changed.

The fingerprint for the RSA key sent by the remote host is

08:50:e8:e4:1b:17:fd:69:08:bf:44:f2:c4:e4:8a:27.

Please contact your system administrator.

Add correct host key in /root/.ssh/known_hosts to get rid of this message.

Offending key in /root/.ssh/known_hosts:1

RSA host key for 1.1.1.2 has changed and you have requested strict checking.

Host key verification failed.


Resolution

This error indicates that a key is  already on the remote server using the same host name or ipaddress for that key. This can happen if the GroupWise server, or GWDR Server was rebuilt or moved and is using the same ipaddress or host name as before. 

To fix this recreate the key. In a terminal prompt type the following command: 

 ssh-keygen -R “hostname/ipaddress” -f /root/.ssh/known_hosts

Where the host name or ipaddress is the destination server that is trying to connect (GWDR paired server)  

This command is also useful to quickly reset any of the SSH keys and reestablish the SSH connection.  

After this is done, attempt to connect to the ssh again (ssh hostname/ipaddress) or go back through the connectivity setting for the profile and run a test.  It should be able to connect to the paired server without any problem. 

Cause

The SSH keys for the hostname/ipaddress have changed and are no longer recognizable by the remote server.