Patent ID: 8584210

Claim:
A computer implemented method of establishing a Secure Shell (SSH) connection with a target server computer, the method comprising: receiving, at the target server computer, a request message from a user at a client computer to establish the Secure Shell (SSH) connection using an account, wherein the request message is generated using a private key; retrieving a public key of the user from an authorized key store; using the public key of the user to decrypt the request message, wherein the account is authenticated when the request message is successfully decrypted; obtaining source identification information for the client computer; retrieving, from a policy database, access rules for the account, wherein the access rules comprise a set of account attributes limiting the client computer from which access is requested; verifying the identity of the user as being authorized when the source identification information satisfies the set of account attributes limiting the client computer; and establishing the Secure Shell (SSH) connection between the client computer and the target server computer when the user's identity is verified.