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Create a SSH key to use with a SFTP user within the Marketing Cloud

Publish Date: Oct 30, 2025
Description

With the May 2020 release, customers can create an SSH key and configure an SFTP user to use the key as the authentication method within Marketing Cloud.

 

Note:

Marketing Cloud doesn't support connecting to Sogica via SFTP with SSH (password authentication works).

Resolution

Use the following steps to create a new SSH key pair, to pair with an SFTP user:

 

To Create a SSH Key pair using the command/terminal:

  1. Create a key.
    1. ssh-keygen -m PEM -t rsa -b 4096
  2. Enter a filename.
    1. originalfilename
  3. Change the key to an RFC4716 (SSH2) key format.
    1. ssh-keygen -e -f originalfilename.pub > newfilename

 

To Create a SSH Key pair using the MAC terminal:

  1. Create a key.
    1. ssh-keygen -m PEM -t rsa -b 4096
  2. Enter a filename.
    1. originalfilename
  3. Change the key to an RFC4716 (SSH2) key format.
    1. ssh-keygen -e -f originalfilename.pub > newfilename

 

To create a SSH Key using PuTTYgen:

  1. Open PuTTY Key Generator.
  2. Under the menu "Key", Select "SSH-2 RSA".
  3. In the main screen in the lower right, enter Number of bits in a generated key: 2048
  4. Click Generate.
  5. After the key has been generated, Click Conversions from the top menu bar > Select Export OpenSSH Key.
  6. Save this as .ppk format. This will be the private key.
  7. Then Save for public key by clicking Save public key with pub format.

 

To verify and update SSH Public Key to required formatting:

  1. Open the 'newfilename.pub' with a text editor.
  2. To upload successfully, it should reflect the below format and be a .txt file: 

    ---- BEGIN SSH2 PUBLIC KEY----

    KEYSTRING

    ---- END SSH2 PUBLIC KEY ----

  3. Remove additional leading or trailing text that is not a part of the key. Add the header and footer as shown.
  4. For more information about other possible formats, please see Globalscape EFT Server SSH Key Formats in the Additional Resources.

 

To upload the key within Marketing Cloud

  1. Navigate to Setup.
  2. Follow Administration > Data Management > Key Management
  3. Click Create
  4. Select SSH as Key Type.
  5. Enter Name and External Key.
  6. Browse to 'newfilename.pub'
  7. Check 'Public Key'.
  8. Click Save.

 

To attach the key to an FTP User:

  1. Navigate to Administration > Data Management > FTP Accounts
  2. Click the dropdown for the desired FTP user and click SSH Keys.
  3. Search for the Key Name.
  4. Select the desired Authentication Option.
  5. Click Save.

 

To connect using the implemented SSH Key Pair:

Using your preferred 3rd party FTP client/process, connect to the tenant-specific URL (available under FTP Site Information within your Marketing Cloud Account) and use the private key retained from the original key creation to connect. Please reference Marketing Cloud SFTP Guide in the Additional Resources for full connection requirements.

 

 

 

Knowledge Article Number

000380791

 
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Salesforce Help | Article