What Is SSH?

SSH stands for Secure SHell and is typically used as an encrypted version of telnet.

In a telnet session, all communications are transmitted in plain-text, allowing anyone to listen-in on your session and steal passwords and other information. Such sessions are also susceptible to session hijacking, where a malicious user takes over your session once you have authenticated.

SSH allows you to access a remote server's shell without compromising security. SSH serves to prevent such vulnerabilities.

What is SSH Tunneling?

SSH can be used to encrypt communications between Navicat and your remote PostgreSQL server. This is known as SSH tunneling and is actually quite simple to use.

Benefit of SSH Tunneling

Many Hosting Companies that provide PostgreSQL hosting will block access to the PostgreSQL server from outside the hosting company's network, and only grant access to users connecting from localhost.

The major benefit of SSH tunneling is that it allows us to connect to a PostgreSQL server from behind a firewall when the PostgreSQL server port is blocked.

As long as the Hosting Company provides SSH access, you can still connect through Navicat's Port Forwarding function.

Navicat Port Forwarding

When your Navicat communicates with your remote PostgreSQL server, all communication (with the exception of the user password) is done in plain text. Navicat Port Forwarding offers an easy way to boost the security of communications with the PostgreSQL server. It protects PostgreSQL sessions from various attacks.

The next session will illustrate how to setup SSH Tunnel by Navicat.

If your remote server supports SSH connection, your Navicat will be able to connect with remote PostgreSQL databases through SSH tunnel without making any changes to existing PostgreSQL privileges setting.

Setting up Navicat for SSH Tunnel