MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Kindle3 can telnet and ssh with pass but cannot with keys

amar · 06-10-2025, 12:55 PM

Hi all,
I just joined the forum cause recently I have found this community for root and all the goodies like terminal, KOreader, etc.
It's great and I'd like to thank you for making it all so easy and clean

Now one thing is taking me days to solve and still cannot do it, maybe you will be kind enough to help.

I did everything that is required to root, install KUAL, KOreader, launchpad, usbnet, etc.
I can telnet and ssh into Kindle3 Keyboard with dropbear by just pressing Enter instead of a password, next step was to setup authorized_keys file which I did.
First with RSA key and then saw this in ssh -vvv:

Code:

debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
debug1: Offering public key: /home/will/.ssh/id_kindle RSA SHA256:3OMCm0BM9fVLwqL141DjgXaibahnP36aVfDMUQZkj88 explicit agent
debug1: send_pubkey_test: no mutual signature algorithm

So I setup ed25519 key and still couldn't login via ssh:

Code:

debug1: Offering public key: /home/will/.ssh/kindle_ed25519 ED25519 SHA256:i5ns5vcwnJRPWBoUlXyUyYUVxHHU3TfV139d96HAdtQ explicit agent
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 51
debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password
debug1: Offering public key: will@PC RSA SHA256:1Vq1xmJcsGGKDdmUY4MU4yOuobxNIX5mdZixxQRudTE agent
debug1: send_pubkey_test: no mutual signature algorithm
debug1: Offering public key: CaptainDerya's Kindle developer key RSA SHA256:3OMCm0BM9fVLwqL141DjgXaibahnP36aVfDMUQZkj88 agent
debug1: send_pubkey_test: no mutual signature algorithm
debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method
debug3: authmethod_lookup password
debug3: remaining preferred: ,password
debug3: authmethod_is_enabled password
debug1: Next authentication method: password
root@192.168.2.2's password: 
debug3: send packet: type 50
debug2: we sent a password packet, wait for reply
debug3: receive packet: type 52
Authenticated to 192.168.2.2 ([192.168.2.2]:22) using "password".
debug1: channel 0: new [client-session]
debug3: ssh_session2_open: channel_new: 0
debug2: channel 0: send open

So I don't get it, even though it says that key is ok it then continues to use password but why?

In the /var/log/messages I can find during login:

Code:

250610:174245 dropbear[23153]: Child connection from 192.168.2.1:33386
250610:174246 dropbear[23153]: Pubkey auth attempt with unknown algo for 'root' from 192.168.2.1:33386
250610:174314 powerd[2512]: I def:battinfo:cap=100%, mAh=1463mAh, volt=4183mV, current=174mA, temp=80F, bp=4183mV, lmd=1467mAh, cycl=7, cyct=23:
250610:174316 dropbear[23153]: Exit before auth (user 'root', 0 fails): Exited normally

I have all files with the latest version from mostly @NiLuJe page that gathers jailbreak and other apps plus latest certificates that I had to download in order to use KUAL (and I had to update firmware to the latest as well otherwise KUAL wouldn't work as described on forum).

I know that /mnt/us/usbnet/etc/config is responsible for setting up network and ssh options and /etc/
I even try to ssh-add-key to dropbear that defaults a file to /etc/dropbear/authorized_keys which probably wouldn't work and it didn't but at this point I just try to find a solution.

Any information would be appreciated, maybe I just miss something.
I setup IP's in the config file:
Host: 192.168.2.1
Kindle: 192.168.2.2

I'm using Linux to connect to Kindle3 Keyboard.
Usually when I change something and test I try both Dropbear and OpenSSH which is tedious as I have to disconnect, change in KUAL->usbnet toggle, etc.
So this problem affects both Dropbear and OpenSSH.

Possible issues I can think of:
- Not setting my own password on Kindle3 Keyboard but I don't think this is necessary. I tried default ones to login found on forum and python script but they didn't work so I just leave it for the time. Maybe I will want to crack it at some point just to know what Amazon put in. The password is set I just don't know it but this doesn't seem to be an issue here.
- Older version of Dropbear/OpenSSH with older encryption - I kind of mitigated this by creating ed25519 key instead of RSA but maybe I still miss something?
- Maybe current apps are for newer devices that work fine with authorized_keys but Kindle3 Keyboard is not?
- Newest kindle firmware made some changes that are preventing using keys? Don't think so as many people are using it with success.
- Some bug.

If you have any questions or suggestions I'll be happy to try them out.

Best regards,
Amar

06-10-2025, 12:55 PM	#1
amar Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2025 Device: Kindle3 Keyboard	Kindle3 can telnet and ssh with pass but cannot with keys Hi all, I just joined the forum cause recently I have found this community for root and all the goodies like terminal, KOreader, etc. It's great and I'd like to thank you for making it all so easy and clean Now one thing is taking me days to solve and still cannot do it, maybe you will be kind enough to help. I did everything that is required to root, install KUAL, KOreader, launchpad, usbnet, etc. I can telnet and ssh into Kindle3 Keyboard with dropbear by just pressing Enter instead of a password, next step was to setup authorized_keys file which I did. First with RSA key and then saw this in ssh -vvv: Code: debug1: Next authentication method: publickey debug1: Offering public key: /home/will/.ssh/id_kindle RSA SHA256:3OMCm0BM9fVLwqL141DjgXaibahnP36aVfDMUQZkj88 explicit agent debug1: send_pubkey_test: no mutual signature algorithm So I setup ed25519 key and still couldn't login via ssh: Code: debug1: Offering public key: /home/will/.ssh/kindle_ed25519 ED25519 SHA256:i5ns5vcwnJRPWBoUlXyUyYUVxHHU3TfV139d96HAdtQ explicit agent debug3: send packet: type 50 debug2: we sent a publickey packet, wait for reply debug3: receive packet: type 51 debug1: Authentications that can continue: publickey,password debug1: Offering public key: will@PC RSA SHA256:1Vq1xmJcsGGKDdmUY4MU4yOuobxNIX5mdZixxQRudTE agent debug1: send_pubkey_test: no mutual signature algorithm debug1: Offering public key: CaptainDerya's Kindle developer key RSA SHA256:3OMCm0BM9fVLwqL141DjgXaibahnP36aVfDMUQZkj88 agent debug1: send_pubkey_test: no mutual signature algorithm debug2: we did not send a packet, disable method debug3: authmethod_lookup password debug3: remaining preferred: ,password debug3: authmethod_is_enabled password debug1: Next authentication method: password root@192.168.2.2's password: debug3: send packet: type 50 debug2: we sent a password packet, wait for reply debug3: receive packet: type 52 Authenticated to 192.168.2.2 ([192.168.2.2]:22) using "password". debug1: channel 0: new [client-session] debug3: ssh_session2_open: channel_new: 0 debug2: channel 0: send open So I don't get it, even though it says that key is ok it then continues to use password but why? In the /var/log/messages I can find during login: Code: 250610:174245 dropbear[23153]: Child connection from 192.168.2.1:33386 250610:174246 dropbear[23153]: Pubkey auth attempt with unknown algo for 'root' from 192.168.2.1:33386 250610:174314 powerd[2512]: I def:battinfo:cap=100%, mAh=1463mAh, volt=4183mV, current=174mA, temp=80F, bp=4183mV, lmd=1467mAh, cycl=7, cyct=23: 250610:174316 dropbear[23153]: Exit before auth (user 'root', 0 fails): Exited normally I have all files with the latest version from mostly @NiLuJe page that gathers jailbreak and other apps plus latest certificates that I had to download in order to use KUAL (and I had to update firmware to the latest as well otherwise KUAL wouldn't work as described on forum). I know that /mnt/us/usbnet/etc/config is responsible for setting up network and ssh options and /etc/ I even try to ssh-add-key to dropbear that defaults a file to /etc/dropbear/authorized_keys which probably wouldn't work and it didn't but at this point I just try to find a solution. Any information would be appreciated, maybe I just miss something. I setup IP's in the config file: Host: 192.168.2.1 Kindle: 192.168.2.2 I'm using Linux to connect to Kindle3 Keyboard. Usually when I change something and test I try both Dropbear and OpenSSH which is tedious as I have to disconnect, change in KUAL->usbnet toggle, etc. So this problem affects both Dropbear and OpenSSH. Possible issues I can think of: - Not setting my own password on Kindle3 Keyboard but I don't think this is necessary. I tried default ones to login found on forum and python script but they didn't work so I just leave it for the time. Maybe I will want to crack it at some point just to know what Amazon put in. The password is set I just don't know it but this doesn't seem to be an issue here. - Older version of Dropbear/OpenSSH with older encryption - I kind of mitigated this by creating ed25519 key instead of RSA but maybe I still miss something? - Maybe current apps are for newer devices that work fine with authorized_keys but Kindle3 Keyboard is not? - Newest kindle firmware made some changes that are preventing using keys? Don't think so as many people are using it with success. - Some bug. If you have any questions or suggestions I'll be happy to try them out. Best regards, Amar