What is "ssh-keygen"

ssh-keygen is a standard component of the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol suite found on Unix and Unix-like computer systems used to establish secure shell sessions between remote computers over insecure networks, through the use of various cryptographic techniques. The ssh-keygen utility is used to generate, manage, and convert authentication keys.

ssh-keygen is able to generate a key using one of three different digital signature algorithms.

With the help of the ssh-keygen tool, a user can create passphrase keys for any of these key types (to provide for unattended operation, the passphrase can be left empty, at increased risk).

These keys differ from keys used by the related tool GNU Privacy Guard.