[tlug] Auto fill password in shell script?

["Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@example.com>]

Dave M G writes:

 > I tried to see if I could get my main web hosting service to set up a
 > key pair so I could log in via SSH without a password, like I do on my LAN.
 > 
 > But no, they have set their system up to not allow that. Can't say I
 > blame them. I can see how that might be a security risk.

Sure, but (a) Unix passwords are generally weaker than SSH key pass
phrases, and (b) you're in even more trouble with expect, since the
passwork will appear in the clear in the script.  It doesn't matter
how you slice it, it's at least as easy to break security of password
logins as it is with automated agent + private key logins.  (At least,
that's what the books I read years ago say; conventional wisdom may
have changed since then.)

I doubt that will convince your hosting service, though.  And I
wouldn't mention your script to them; I doubt they will like that at
all if the real reason for not allowing private key logins is security
paranoia. ;-)