pysftp AuthenticationException while connecting to server with private key

Question

I am trying to connect to SFTP server. I have a private key along with a password. I have tried to read related questions on SO, but have been unable to successfully connect.

This is what I have tried:

pysftp.Connection(host=<hostname>, username=<username>,
                  password=<password>, private_key=<path to .ppk file>)

AuthenticationException: Authentication failed

pysftp.Connection(host=<hostname>, username=<username>,
                  private_key_pass=<password>, private_key=<path to .ppk file>) 

SSHException: not a valid DSA private key file

However, I can use the same credentials and connect with FileZilla. FileZilla asked for password and converted the .ppk file into an unprotected file.

I tried to use the same host name, username and key file as used in FileZilla, but I continue getting errors. Also tried connecting using Paramiko.

Solution

I could finally connect.

Converted the file to a .pem file using PuTTY. Passed this .pem file and kept the rest of the parameters the same as before.

pysftp.Connection(host='hostname', username='username',
                   password='password', private_key='path to .pem file')

Hope this helps someone having similar issues.

Comments

[kidbrax]

So you still have to use the password parameter even though you are using the PEM key? I am currently having the same issue.

[Sergey Makhonin]

Here is a decent instruction for converting .ppk to .pem and vice versa: aws.amazon.com/premiumsupport/knowledge-center/…

[General4077]

As Martin Prikryl pointed out you can't use password with private_key. This likely should be private_key_pass=<password> as in the original code example

[Martin Prikryl]

Without more information, this is a mere comment to @heathensoul answer, rather than a standalone answer.

[Martin Prikryl]

I do not see how does this answer the question. You have shown how to generate a new key. The question about problems with using an existing key.

[user3632065]

In my case problem was with my private key, the how I was generating that key was not support by pysftp and I was able to solve with new key that I have generated in this way.

[Martin Prikryl]

But you cannot just generate a new key. You have to put its public key on the server, what your answer does not even mention. And why doing it this way, if you can simply convert the existing key to the format that pysftp supports.

[Nicholas Flees]

It would be helpful to know why you needed to downgrade in order to solve the issue.

[BCArg]

I wanted to try that, though that version of pysftp is only compatible with python[version='2.7.*|3.4.*|3.5.*']