solution: The following script will spawn sftp in batch mode. The password prompt will be taken care by the expect. #!/usr/local/bin/expect spawn sftp -b keybatch kitepilot@hamster expect "password:" send "\n"; interact # end#/usr/bin/sh # Name: batchscp # Author: Poser CodeMonkey # Date: April 1, 2009 # Purpose: File scp batch to server list # Three variables accepted by commandline options # $1 = first parameter (/source_path/source_filename) # $2 = second parameter (/target_directory/) # $3 = third paramter (file that contains list of hosts) SOURCEFILE=$1 TARGETDIR=$2 HOSTFILE=$3 if [ -f $SOURCEFILE ] then printf "File found, preparing to transfer\n" while read server do scp -p $SOURCEFILE ${server}:$TARGETDIR done < $HOSTFILE else printf "File \"$SOURCEFILE\" not found\n" exit 0 fi exit 0 your keybatch will contain: batchscp /source_patch/source_filename /target_directory serverlist.file bye It will call this file: #serverlist.file-- skypilot.kitepilot.com 192.168.41.254 209.67.38.99 hackfest.obnosis.com #end-- A one step level of security can be encrypting your expect script using gnupg so that your password will be concealed if you want to use expect say called from cron as a backup solution in a production environment. http://www.gnupg.org/ For more information on expect scripts http://expect.nist.gov/ A example of automating sftp using expect can be seen at the following link http://linux-bsd-central.com/index.php/content/view/26/29/ Excerpted for PLUG from: http://forums11.itrc.hp.com/service/forums/questionanswer.do?admit=109447626+1237607848092+28353475&threadId=690015 Obnosis | (503)754-4452 PLUG Linux Security Labs 2nd Saturday Each Month@Noon - 3PM JD Austin suggested for kitepilot@kitepilot.com's request for "a script or solution that will supply username and password": write a script that uses expect and scp to put the file in place.-- JD Austin Twin Geckos Technology Services LLC jd@twingeckos.com 480.288.8195x201 http://www.twingeckos.com On Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 6:39 PM, Bob Elzer wrote: He has the key, but to login to every machine to copy the file, he has to type the password first. Which is what he is trying to avoid. -----Original Message----- From: plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of Bryan O'Neal Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 6:15 PM To: 'Main PLUG discussion list' Subject: RE: To have a program to "type" a username/passwordfor me. How? If SSH without passwords is what your after why not use key based authentication? Setting up keys is painfully simple. Public key encryption Generating keys for server A (the one with the data to be synced) a@A:~> ssh-keygen -t rsa Enter file in which to save the key (/home/a/.ssh/id_rsa): Created directory '/home/a/.ssh'. Enter passphrase (empty for no passphrase): Enter same passphrase again: Your identification has been saved in /home/a/.ssh/id_rsa. Your public key has been saved in /home/a/.ssh/id_rsa.pub. The key fingerprint is: 3e:4f:05:79:3a:9f:96:7c:3b:ad:e9:58:37:bc:37:e4 a@A Tell Server B to Accept the key 1. Create a directory ~/.ssh as user b on B a@A:~> ssh b@B mkdir -p .ssh b@B's password:: 2. Append a's new public key to b@B:.ssh/authorized_keys a@A:~> cat .ssh/id_rsa.pub | ssh b@B 'cat >> .ssh/authorized_keys' b@B's password:: 3. Change permissions for b's authorized_keys file a@A:~> ssh b@B chmod 0600 .ssh/authorized_keys b@B's password:: Done -----Original Message----- From: plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us [mailto:plug-discuss-bounces@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us] On Behalf Of kitepilot@kitepilot.com Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 5:30 PM To: Main PLUG discussion list Subject: Re: To have a program to "type" a username/passwordfor me. How? Ah well... So much for skipping the research: http://bash.cyberciti.biz/security/expect-ssh-login-script/ Darn it... ET kitepilot@kitepilot.com writes: > To have a program to "type" a password for me. How? > Hello widespread wisdom... > > I want to propagate public keys to several dozens of puters so I can > login passwordless. > > I am not looking forward to typing (or cut'n pasting) a password a > gazillion times. They all have the same username/password combination. > > I know that expect can be used to "type" a password (or to fool passwd > to change a password without manual intervention), but I don't know how. > > What I want is ti fire a loop to copy my keys to all the machines and > to have the program to "type" the username and the password to free me > up from the dull stuff. > > This *HAS* to be possible, does anybody know how? > Thanks! :) > ET > > PS: No, I haven't researched this, this question is the beginning of > my research... > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss _________________________________________________________________ Express your personality in color! 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