Re: [gentoo-user] Finalizing my backup system

[Grant]

>> I'm using backupninja to backup data from my laptop, desktop, and
>> remote server onto a remote desktop system.  backupninja is very
>> simple and is really just an interface to a few other programs
>> including rdiff-backup.  I'm not worried about a good restore method
>> for now, I want to focus on keeping it simple and protecting my data.
>> This is the first time I've set up a real backup system and I'd love
>> to get some advice from you guys.  I've got a few questions.
>>
>> 1. This is the first time I've used passwordless SSH keys.  root on
>> each system being backed up logs into the remote desktop as a normal
>> user to store the backups.  Is this pretty safe?  I suppose if root is
>> compromised on any of the three systems being backed up (via physical
>> access or otherwise), the remote desktop will also be compromised as a
>> normal user.  Maybe that normal user should be extraordinarily
>> unprivileged?
>
> You can limit SSH access to only certain commands. On the remote desktop
> machine, you probably had to add an entry to the SSH authorized_keys
> file. You can prefix that line with the command that the user is allowed
> to run. For example (I use rdiff-backup too):
>
>  command="/usr/bin/rdiff-backup --server",no-pty,no-port-forwarding
>  ssh-rsa <big_ugly_key>

I tried both that and simplified versions of it but it seems to
prevent the login from working.  It hangs on the following command,
which works if I don't add the above:

ssh  -o PasswordAuthentication=no 1.2.3.4 -l user 'echo -n 1'

Should it be working?  I noticed I have ssh-dss instead of your ssh-rsa.

- Grant