# NousResearch/hermes-agent · SSH auth constrained to configured identity only

## Open now

- 1 issue, 1 PR open on GitHub.
- #51384: \[Bug\]: SSH backend can authenticate with the wrong key when ssh-agent offers multiple identities
- PR #54397: fix(ssh): constrain auth to configured identity

These items address a bug where the SSH backend could authenticate using an unintended key when ssh-agent offers multiple identities. The work involves adding IdentitiesOnly support to restrict authentication to the explicitly configured identity.

## TL;DR

- 3 member(s): 1 open issue(s), 0 closed issue(s), 1 open PR(s), 0 merged PR(s), 1 PR(s) closed without merging.
- No fix has been merged to main; one or more PRs were attempted (see below).
- **Recommended:** review the prior/competing PR(s) below. A fix was attempted but not merged; your case may extend or revive that work.

## Maintainer resolution verdict

- Internal-tracker verdict over this cluster's issue members: `unresolved`. This is distinct from the fix status above. Weigh it yourself.

## How this cluster was grouped

- Link evidence (`STRUCTURAL_SPANNING`): every member is connected by structural evidence: shared changed files, or a closing/superseded reference.
- Pairwise link density `0.67`: the share of member pairs that carry a link, counting a structural link in full and a relevance-only link at 0.36. `1.00` means every pair is linked.

## Open related issues

- #51384: \[Bug\]: SSH backend can authenticate with the wrong key when ssh-agent offers multiple identities

## Prior & competing PRs

- **#51145: feat(ssh): support IdentitiesOnly for terminal backend**. closed without merge
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#54397`
- **#54397: fix(ssh): constrain auth to configured identity**. open
  - maintainer direction: category `superseded_by_pr`; implication `superseded`; refs `#51145`, `#51384`
  - files: `cli-config.yaml.example`, `cli.py`, `gateway/run.py`, `hermes_cli/config.py`, `hermes_cli/doctor.py`, `hermes_cli/setup.py`, `hermes_cli/web_server.py`, `tests/tools/test_ssh_environment.py`, `tests/tools/test_terminal_config_env_sync.py`, `tools/code_execution_tool.py`, `tools/environments/ssh.py`, `tools/file_tools.py`, `tools/terminal_tool.py`, `website/docs/reference/environment-variables.md`, `website/docs/user-guide/configuration.md`, `website/docs/user-guide/features/tools.md`, `website/docs/user-guide/security.md`

## Fix status

- No merged fix on record.
- Subsystem: `environments`