The Network Scanner - SSH plugin does not require SSH authentication. Specifically, it does not require SSH usernames, passwords, or private keys, as it operates by:
- Establishing TCP connections to SSH ports
- Performing the initial SSH protocol handshake
- Retrieving publicly advertised server information, such as host keys, certificates, or algorithms
- Disconnecting before authentication
Therefore, the plugin:
- Does not require SSH credentials in configuration
- Does not make authentication attempts
- Only collects visible SSH server information
- Cannot access authenticated SSH resources
- Is safe to run against production SSH servers