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Data Security Solutions – from WinMagicData Security Solutions – from WinMagic

SSH SOLUTION

SSH security reimagined
no passwords, no fragile keys, no prompts.

For decades, WinMagic has solved hard problems others ignored.
Now we’re applying a principle that’s correct—but not yet popular: 


The endpoint is the best foundation for secure online access—with no user action required.

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Why SSH is stuck in the past
SSH doesn’t use federation. Authentication relies on the user and two aging methods.
Bolt on MFA via PAM helps a little, but adds friction and breaks automation.
Method
How it works
Key Risks & Limitations
Password authentication
Common on legacy hosts; sometimes wrapped by password managers or scripts.
Risk: Phishable, brute-forceable; often stored in password managers or scripts, one vault breach can fan out.
Public key authentication
Endpoint stores private key; server stores public key.
Risk: Key copying or cloning, unmanaged sprawl, no continuous verification.
PAM plugins for MFA
(Duo, Google Authenticator)
Bolted on top of password or key via PAM. Key copying, unmanaged sprawl, no continuous verification.
Limits: Requires user interaction; unsuitable for automation; phones may be prohibited.
SSH certificates
(OpenSSH CA)
Short lived certificates signed by internal CA.
Limits: Expands attack surface; keys in transit can be misused; added latency and failure modes.
Third party key /
vault managers
Centralized issuance and injection of keys or credentials.
Limits: Credential delegation can be hijacked; complex trust chains.
Agent forwarding
/ jump hosts
Convenience for traversing networks.
Limits: Credential delegation can be hijacked; complex trust chains.
NET EFFECT
Today’s SSH either stays weak (passwords) or becomes clunky (MFA add-ons, certificate operations). None of it ties identity to the session or the endpoint.
MagicEndpoint logo
Identity in the channel (IiC)
MagicEndpoint combines IdP intelligence with endpoint trust to move SSH from static login to continuous assurance.
Continuous, not static
Session integrity from power-on to power-off, if posture slips mid-session, access stops.
Policy-bound Live Key
Cryptographic key is available only when organizational trust conditions are met.
Zero interaction
No phones, no OTPs, no prompts, works for hands-off automation and secure zones.
Misuse detection
Signature-counter style telemetry helps detect cloning or off-device key use.
Drop-in compatible
Works with existing SSH servers, no code changes, public keys can be distributed by policy.
IdP + Endpoint
Use your IdP directory and policies, leverage endpoint signals, TPM, FDE, screen lock, geolocation.
Enterprise-class control at scale
Precisely specify which of your thousands of users may use which of your thousands of endpoints to access which of your thousands of servers via SSH.
User ↔ Endpoint ↔ Server matrix
Model and enforce triplet policies that competitors can’t express, align with org structure and least-privilege.
IdP-driven distribution
Use the IdP to distribute public keys to servers, governed by role, group, and posture.
Real-time posture gating
FDE, OS patch level, screen lock state, location, time, make them first-class access conditions.
Enterprise control
Audit & forensics
FDE, OS patch level, screen lock state, location, time, make them first-class access conditions.

A Familiar Workflow — Just More Secure

SSH without passwords, phones, or fragile keys.

A 3‑minute flow that tells the story.

How it works

When the user initiates an SSH connection, the system validates three things before granting access:
1. User identity (IdP / SES group membership)
2. Endpoint trust (TPM-bound private key, device posture, screen-lock state)
3. Policy conditions (which servers the user can access, when, and under what constraints)

Once these checks pass, Winmagic provides the SSH server with a valid public key and performs cryptographic authentication using the TPM-bound private key — with no prompts or user interaction.

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1. Generates new SSH keys
2. Registers SSH keys
3. Adds the user to the group
4. User connects to SSH Server
5. Public key requested
6. Verifies user in SSH A group
7. Checks policies
8. Verifies security posture and intent
9. Public key provided
10. Cryptographic authentication
11. Access to SSH Server is granted
For Security Leaders
SSH access that align with modern security and compliance frameworks
With TPM-bound keys, centralized SES/IdP policies, and passwordless access from trusted endpoints, WinMagic SSH establishes a strong security foundation across Linux, Windows, and hybrid cloud environments
Designed to support key requirements in:
CMMC & NIST 800-171 (DoD contractors)
Helps enforce encrypted privileged remote access, device-bound credentials, and centralized access policy for systems handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), supporting controls around remote access, privileged access, and strong authentication.
Supported ✓
NIST SP 800-53 & Zero-Trust Architectures
Aligns with access control, identification and authentication, and system and communications protection controls by tying SSH access to verified users, trusted endpoints, and policy decisions before any session starts.
Supported ✓
HIPAA Security Rule (Healthcare / ePHI)
Provides strongly encrypted administrative access to servers that store or process electronic protected health information (ePHI), eliminating shared passwords and unmanaged keys that violate transmission security and access-control expectations.
Supported ✓
PCI DSS (Payment Card Environments)
Replaces insecure remote administration methods with encrypted, policy-controlled SSH access, ensuring individual accountability and eliminating shared root keys and cleartext management channels in cardholder data environments.
Supported ✓
CIS Benchmarks & DISA STIG-Driven Hardening
Supports hardened SSH deployments by eliminating password-based logins, enforcing strong cryptography, and centralizing key management in line with CIS Linux benchmarks and DoD STIG hardening practices.
Supported ✓
WinMagic SSH removes an entire class of SSH-related risks, shared keys, exported credentials, unmanaged devices, and untracked privileged access, that regulators, assessors, and internal auditors focus on first.
Didn’t see your compliance framework?
Contact us to confirm coverage
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