Auto-storing server host key in cache with plink

Solution 1:

Try prepending your script with:

echo y | plink -ssh root@REMOTE_IP_HERE "exit"

This will pipe the y character through stdin to plink when you get the Store key in cache? (y/n) prompt, allowing all further plink commands to pass through without the need of user input. The exit command will close the SSH session after it has been established, allowing the following plink commands to run.

Here's an example script which writes the external server's Unix time to a local file:

echo y | plink -ssh root@REMOTE_IP_HERE "exit"
plink -ssh root@REMOTE_IP_HERE "date -t" > remote_time.tmp

Pipelining Reference: http://tldp.org/HOWTO/Bash-Prog-Intro-HOWTO-4.html

Solution 2:

PuTTY and plink.exe share the same cache of 'acceptable server keys' on the host they are installed on.

So if your scenario is interactive (and hence your frustration not being heard when you press 'y' or 'n'), a workaround is to attempt a connection with PuTTY first.

When doing this:

• You'll open PuTTY and pretend to start an interactive SSH session to the server
• You'll get a Windows dialog box showing the key asking if you want to trust it
• You'll check the presented key, to ward of MITM's, then press OK
• Henceforth, plink.exe won't bother to ask if you trust the server or not - it already knows you do