Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: Git permission denied (public key) error

Git permission denied public key error fix for Bitnami stack.

Quick Answer: Try deleting the existing keys in .ssh/authorized_keys and start over with a new pair of SSH keys, using the same keys for both Putty and GitHub.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🛑 Root Causes of the Error
  2. 🚀 How to Resolve This Issue
  3. 🎯 Final Words

The 'Permission denied (publickey)' error is a common issue that affects users who have successfully authenticated with GitHub using SSH keys. This error occurs when Git cannot connect to the remote repository due to permission issues, despite having generated the correct SSH key pair and added it to the authorized_keys file.

This error can be frustrating for developers who are familiar with connecting to GitHub using SSH keys. However, in this guide, we will walk you through the steps to resolve this issue and connect successfully to your private repository.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • The primary reason for this error is that Git is unable to find the correct location of the authorized_keys file. This can happen when there are multiple SSH keys stored in different locations, such as .ssh/authorized_keys and /etc/ssh/ssh_host_keypair.
  • Another alternative reason could be related to Bitnami Stack configurations, which might interfere with Git's ability to find the correct location of the authorized_keys file.

🚀 How to Resolve This Issue

Verify and Correct SSH Key Locations

  1. Step 1: Check the location of the .ssh/authorized_keys file and ensure it is in the expected path. If you have multiple SSH keys, verify that the correct key pair is being used.
  2. Step 2: Update your Git configuration to use the correct location of the authorized_keys file. You can do this by running the command `git config --global core.sshUserKnownHostsFile ~/.ssh/known_hosts` and `git config --global core.sshRemoteKnownHostsFile ~/.ssh/known_hosts`.
  3. Step 3: Verify that the SSH key pair is correctly configured in your Git repository settings. You can do this by running `git remote -v` to check the URL of your GitHub repository.

Update Bitnami Stack Configuration

  1. Step 1: Check the Bitnami documentation for any known issues or configuration changes that might affect Git's ability to connect to the authorized_keys file.
  2. Step 2: Verify that the SSH key pair is correctly configured in your Bitnami stack settings. You can do this by checking the `ssh` section of your stack configuration files.

🎯 Final Words

To resolve the 'Permission denied (publickey)' error, verify and correct the location of the authorized_keys file, update your Git configuration to use the correct location, and check for any Bitnami stack configuration issues. By following these steps, you should be able to connect successfully to your private repository.

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