SFTP host key verification failed
Why SSH host key verification fails and how to resolve known_hosts conflicts.
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Host key verification errors occur when the server's SSH key does not match the client's known_hosts entry.
Common causes
- Server host key changed
- Man-in-the-middle protection triggered
- Old known_hosts entry
Fix checklist
- Verify the new host key with the server administrator.
- Remove the old entry from ~/.ssh/known_hosts.
- Reconnect to store the updated host key.
Related
- SFTP permission denied — Why SFTP returns permission denied errors and how to fix file or directory permissions.
- SFTP authentication failed — Why SFTP authentication fails and how to fix password or SSH key issues.
- SFTP subsystem request failed — Why SFTP subsystem requests fail and how to configure SSH servers correctly.
- SFTP key authentication required — Why SFTP servers require SSH key authentication and how to configure keys correctly.
- Authentication failed — Why FTP/SFTP authentication fails and how to correct credential, key, and account policy issues.
- SFTP directory listing failed — Why SFTP connects but cannot list directories, and how to fix path, permissions, and chroot issues.
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