Software⏱️ 4 min read📅 2026-06-11

How to Fix: scp error: "Permission denied (publickey). lost connection"

Fixing Permission Denied Error with SCP Command

Quick Answer: Check the SSH configuration and permissions on both the local machine and the remote server.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 💡 Why You Are Getting This Error
  2. 🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps
  3. 💡 Conclusion

The error 'Permission denied (publickey). lost connection' occurs when the SSH connection is terminated due to a lack of access permissions. This issue affects users who are trying to transfer files using SCP (Secure Copy) from their local machine to a remote server, in this case, Savannah. The frustration behind this error lies in its unpredictability and the difficulty in identifying the root cause without additional information.

Resolving this error requires careful analysis of SSH configuration settings and permissions on both the local and remote machines. In this guide, we will walk you through the primary fix methods to resolve the 'Permission denied (publickey). lost connection' error when using SCP to transfer files to Savannah.

💡 Why You Are Getting This Error

  • The primary reason for this error is a mismatch between the SSH protocol version used on both ends of the connection. If the remote server's SSH client and the local machine's SSH server are not compatible, it can lead to authentication issues. Additionally, incorrect SSH configuration settings or missing permissions on the remote server can also cause this error.
  • An alternative reason for this issue could be a problem with the SSH key pair used for authentication. If the private key is corrupted, deleted, or has incorrect permissions, it may prevent the connection from being established.

🔧 Proven Troubleshooting Steps

Checking and updating SSH protocol version

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Open the SSH configuration file located at /etc/ssh/sshd_config on the remote server.
  2. Step 2: Step 2: Verify that the SSH protocol version is set to a compatible value. If not, update it to a compatible version (e.g., OpenSSH_7.0p1).
  3. Step 3: Step 3: Restart the SSH service to apply the changes.
  4. Step 4: Step 4: Test the connection using SCP to ensure that the error has been resolved.

Verifying and correcting SSH key pair settings

  1. Step 1: Step 1: Check the permissions of the private key file (/Users/wcyang/.ssh/id_rsa) on the local machine.
  2. Step 2: Step 2: Ensure that the private key file has correct ownership and permissions (e.g., -rw-r--r--).
  3. Step 3: Step 3: Verify that the public key is correctly configured in the SSH configuration file (/etc/ssh/sshd_config) on the remote server.
  4. Step 4: Step 4: Test the connection using SCP to ensure that the error has been resolved.

💡 Conclusion

To resolve the 'Permission denied (publickey). lost connection' error when using SCP to transfer files to Savannah, it is essential to carefully analyze SSH configuration settings and permissions. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you should be able to identify and correct the root cause of the issue, ensuring a successful connection and file transfer.

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