ssh_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host

[Alfred Hovdestad]

Earlier, it was said:

chkbrian wrote:
 >> I encountered the following problem while I typing "ssh -v 
 >><host_name>"
 >>[snip]
 >> ssh_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host

 >You should specify your platform and OpenSSH version, but this is
 > almost certainly due to tcpwrappers configuration.
 >
 >Add the following line to hosts.allow:
 >sshd: ALL
 >
 >It may be in /etc or /usr/local/etc.
 >
 >Alternatively you could rebuild sshd without "--with-tcp-wrappers".



I think I am experiencing the same problem.  I found the following error 
in my logs:

Cannot release PAM authentication

I found a report from October 2002 with a similar problem.  The solution 
there was to re-create the user accounts.  I tried adding an account to 
my server and I can ssh to the new account, but not to my existing account.

I am running RedHat 9.0 with openssh 3.5.  I have tried connecting from 
a RedHat 8.0 box running openshh 3.4 and a tru64 box also with openssh 
3.4, with the same results:  I can login to the new account, but not to 
my existing account.

The problem is not with tcp wrappers, as I can login to one account, but 
not another.  I have tried deleting my ssh keys, my host keys, and 
rebooting my system, none of which has made any difference.

Is there anything else I can check?  I can send any log information that 
you need.

   Alfred Hovdestad
   System Administrator
   University of Saskatchewan