Replace shared SSH keys with identity-based access
Shared private keys feel fast until someone leaves, a laptop is lost, or an auditor asks who could reach production. WarnHack Terminal gives each person role-scoped access, session audit, and one-click revoke — without a key-spreadsheet.
Start free — up to 5 servers. Replace the next key handoff with an invite.
Why shared SSH keys fail teams
- The same key ends up on five laptops and three CI runners — nobody knows the full list
- Offboarding means hoping you rotated every authorized_keys file
- You can prove a host was reached, not which human ran which command
- Contractors and interns get standing access that outlives the project
- Security reviews flag “shared credentials” as a critical finding
What good looks like
- Every session maps to a named user and role — not a shared unix account
- Access is time-bound or revocable instantly when someone leaves
- Onboarding is “invite + role,” not “email the production key”
- Audit trail shows who connected and what they ran (CloudRelay)
- You can answer customer questionnaires without reconstructing key history
How WarnHack Terminal replaces key sprawl
- 1
Connect servers once
Bring hosts under Terminal. Engineers use browser SSH — SSH-compatible, no rip-and-replace of OpenSSH on the server.
- 2
Grant by identity and role
Map people to roles (admin, devops, read-only). Stop distributing long-lived private keys as the primary access path.
- 3
Record and revoke
CloudRelay logs sessions and commands. When someone leaves, revoke access everywhere in one place — no scavenger hunt through authorized_keys.
Migration checklist
- Inventory who has which keys today (even a rough list is fine)
- Pilot Terminal on non-prod with 2–3 engineers
- Define roles that match how you already work
- Move production hosts in batches; revoke standing keys as each batch stabilizes
- Export a sample audit trail for your next security review
- Update onboarding/offboarding runbooks to remove “copy the key”
Migrate off shared SSH keys in ~10 minutes
Walkthrough: invite a user, connect a host, open browser SSH, review CloudRelay audit.
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FAQ
Do we have to delete all SSH keys on day one?
No. Most teams dual-run: Terminal for interactive access while keys remain as break-glass. Shrink the key surface as confidence grows.
Is this the same as an SSH certificate authority?
Certificates are one good pattern. Terminal focuses on productized access, roles, and audit so you get governance without operating a full CA day-to-day.
Who has done this already?
9ance moved off shared SSH keys to WarnHack Terminal for role-based browser access and a full audit trail. Read the case study.
Put this use case into production
Start free — up to 5 servers. Replace the next key handoff with an invite.