ssh authentication still prompts for password

Question

I'm have setup SourceTree to connect to my Git repo using SSH without password. My public key has been successfully stored on the Git server.

However, I'm repeatedly getting prompted for a password to authenticate the user 'git'. I can see on the Git server that my key exchange is successful.

Jun  1 14:16:19 Ptk-Controller sshd[28381]: Accepted publickey for git from 172.28.1.42 port 53452 ssh2: RSA 22:1c:2d:43:1a:30:ba:73:8b:f0:74:c1:12:69:cc:58
Jun  1 14:24:23 Ptk-Controller sshd[29046]: Accepted publickey for git from 172.28.1.42 port 53758 ssh2: RSA 22:1c:2d:43:1a:30:ba:73:8b:f0:74:c1:12:69:cc:58
Jun  1 14:26:43 Ptk-Controller sshd[29142]: Accepted publickey for git from 172.28.1.42 port 53884 ssh2: RSA 22:1c:2d:43:1a:30:ba:73:8b:f0:74:c1:12:69:cc:58
Jun  1 14:32:07 Ptk-Controller sshd[29630]: Accepted publickey for git from 172.28.1.42 port 54018 ssh2: RSA 22:1c:2d:43:1a:30:ba:73:8b:f0:74:c1:12:69:cc:58
Jun  1 14:36:03 Ptk-Controller sshd[29853]: Accepted publickey for git from  172.28.1.42 port 54171 ssh2: RSA 22:1c:2d:43:1a:30:ba:73:8b:f0:74:c1:12:69:cc:58

My repo is configured as git@phantom.ipaccess.com:people/cw1/ansible.git (I did read somewhere to include ssh://, but this threw up different issues).

As things are I can successfully push/clone etc using SourceTree.

Any ideas why the password prompt is happening?

marcin_piela · Answer

I had a very similar problem on OS X. Remote accessed through SSH (url: git@...). Authentication: private / public key pair. Each fetch or pull caused prompt for password for user "git". When I entered the password to my private key it went on. Problem was SourceTree never respected the "store password in keychain" option and asked for password each time I wanted to do a fetch or pull (pull caused two prompts!).

Today I found a solution to that problem:

ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Unfortunately this command must be issued after each restart and it's interactive because you have to input the password to your private key.

cam tullos_ufp3p8 · Answer

It's been 2 years since this was last posted, and I get the same problem on Mac.

h tsch · Answer

I am having same issue with source tree 2.3.1 running on OS X 10.11.6.  I have generated ssh key so I can run command line git (push, clone, branch, pull, etc) with no issues.  I have reinstalled sourcetree after using app uninstall to completely remove all the dependency directories.  Then I tried renaming the Keychains directory and then reboot so it would not be involved.  Best I can do is clone a local repository via command line and then I can add the cloned local repository to source tree and it looks fine.  As soon as I try pushing a modification via sourcetree it complains.  After moving Keychains directory back again I have searched for sourcetree, bitbucket,  Atlasssian or anything related and find nothing.  I don't know what else to try.  window keeps popping up asking for 'Password Required ... for user xx on host yyy ... with a check box to store password in keychain.