Enter passphrase for key '/home/ec2-user/.ssh/lab-3-key - Cloud9, pcluster, FDS

Question

I am attempting to run FDS (CFD code for fire simulation) on Cloud9 pcluster using the following tutorial:
https://fds-smv-on-pcluster.workshop.aws/oyo/setup/pcluster.html

A few of the input commands in the tutorial are out of date, but* I have gotten to the point where you connect to the PCluster with your created ssh lab key to download and install FDS software:*

```
pcluster ssh --cluster-name pc-fsx -i ~/.ssh/lab-3-key
```

And *I get asked for a passphrase:*
**Enter passphrase for key '/home/ec2-user/.ssh/lab-3-key': **

I do not know what this passphrase is.  Is it created when I create my lab key?  Is it from my AWS account or Cloud9 environment?  I am relatively new to AWS and Python and command line.

FYI, the key is created as follows:

```

IFACE=$(curl --silent http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/network/interfaces/macs/)
SUBNET_ID=$(curl --silent http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/network/interfaces/macs/${IFACE}/subnet-id)
VPC_ID=$(curl --silent http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/network/interfaces/macs/${IFACE}/vpc-id)
REGION=$(curl --silent http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/placement/availability-zone | sed 's/[a-z]$//')
AWS_REGION=$(curl --silent http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/placement/availability-zone | sed 's/[a-z]$//')

```

```
# generate a new key-pair
aws ec2 create-key-pair --key-name lab-3-your-key --query KeyMaterial --output text --region=${AWS_REGION} > ~/.ssh/lab-3-key
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/lab-3-key

```

I believe I did everything as the tutorial asked, as far as I could tell.  Any help?

Accepted Answer

If you are asked for a passphrase, it's often because your private ssh key is encrypted. For example, when using the ssh-keygen command, there's the option to add a passphrase in the last step.

However, when you run the aws ec2 create-key-pair command, the private key is returned unencrypted. Perhaps you could try running this command again, to generate a new, unencrypted, key pair?

However, when you run the `aws ec2 create-key-pair` command, the private key [is returned unencrypted](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/cli/latest/reference/ec2/create-key-pair.html). Perhaps you could try running this command again, to generate a new, unencrypted, key pair?

Enter passphrase for key '/home/ec2-user/.ssh/lab-3-key - Cloud9, pcluster, FDS

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