SSH Public Key Manager

A minimal, user-friendly command-line tool for managing SSH public keys across multiple devices. This tool helps you maintain a centralized repository of SSH keys with features for capturing, deploying, and managing keys both locally and across systems.

Features

Minimal Dependencies: Uses only Python standard library
Git Integration: Automatically syncs your keys with a git repository
Key Management:
- Capture public keys from current system
- Deploy keys to current system
- Set aliases for easy identification
- Set expiry dates for keys
- Search and filter keys
- Copy keys to clipboard
- Automatic backups before changes
System Key Management:
- List all SSH keys on current system
- Rename key files (handles both public and private keys)
- Delete keys safely
- Copy system keys to clipboard

Requirements

Python 3.6+
Git (for sync functionality)
tkinter (optional, for clipboard functionality)

Installation

⚠️ IMPORTANT: Always use a private repository for storing SSH keys. Never store SSH keys in a public repository.

Create a new private repository for your SSH keys, then clone it:

# First create a private repository on GitHub/GitLab/etc
git clone <your-private-repository-url>
cd pubkeys

Make the script executable:
```
chmod +x manage_keys.py
```
The tool will check if your repository is public and warn you if it is. For security:
- Ensure your repository is private before proceeding
- Regularly verify your repository's privacy settings
- Never change a repository containing SSH keys to public

Usage

Run the tool:

./manage_keys.py

Capture public key of current device
- Lists all public keys found in your ~/.ssh directory
- Select which keys to add to the repository
- Set optional aliases and expiry dates
- Detects and handles duplicate keys
Deploy public keys to current device
- Select keys to deploy to your local ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
- Verifies successful deployment
- Sets proper file permissions
Set alias for key
- Add friendly names to your keys
- Makes keys easier to identify
Sync with git
- Manually sync changes with git repository
- Automatic commit messages for tracking changes
Delete keys
- Remove keys from the repository
- Requires confirmation to prevent accidents
List all keys
- View all keys with their metadata
- Shows aliases, types, and expiry dates
Search keys
- Find keys by name or alias
Copy key to clipboard
- Quick access to key content
- Falls back to display if clipboard unavailable
Set key expiry
- Add expiration dates to keys
- Helps with key rotation policies
Manage system keys
- View all SSH keys on your system
- Rename key files
- Safely delete keys
- Copy system keys to clipboard

File Structure

authorized_keys: Main storage file for SSH public keys
key_aliases.json: Stores metadata (aliases, expiry dates, etc.)
.key_backups/: Directory containing timestamped backups

Security Features

Repository visibility check (warns if public)
Automatic backup creation before changes
Proper file permissions (600 for authorized_keys)
Safe key deletion with confirmation
Verification of key deployments

Best Practices

Keep Repository Private: Never store SSH keys in a public repository
Regular Backups: The tool automatically creates backups, but consider external backups too
Key Rotation: Use the expiry date feature to track when keys need rotation
Descriptive Aliases: Use meaningful aliases to easily identify keys
Regular Syncing: Keep the repository updated across all systems

Contributing

Feel free to submit issues and enhancement requests!

README.md