For Site Tools servers only (Site Ground)

Setting up an SSH Private Key for a User to securely transfer files or open a terminal window (only available on Cloud or Dedicated servers)

Login to Site Ground
Select Web Sites
SiteTools (if available. If site is managed by cpanel, these instructions won’t work)
Select Dashboard from left menu, scroll all of the way down to note the IP address of the server
Go to Dev/SSH Keys Manager in left menu
Create new SSH Key (enter in name, password) click Create
Copy SSH Private Key Text and temporarily save it on your computer (saved to use in
Open up SSH Credentials in right side menu of the Key just created and copy username (save if to WinSCP login)

Convert private key to format that WinSCP or Putty can understand
run Puttygen
load private key from the temporary file
enter in the password (passphrase) that was entered into SiteGround to create the key (so the key can be opened)
If you don’t want a password required when connecting, after the key is open, DELETE both passwords from the form
Click on Save Private Key (save as Putty format, *.ppk) and save to a secure location

Run WinSCP and enter CTRL N to open up site manager or go to Session -> Sites -> Site Manager
Select or Create New Entry – Select SFTP as the File Protocol, enter hostname (IP address of server, if using Sucuri), Port number 18765, Paste in Username from Site Tools
Click on Advanced
Select Authentication under SSL in the left menu
Select Private Key (this will remember where the key is stored in the file. If you move the file, this will break)
Click OK
Connect to Server

Filezilla
Create a New Site or Edit existing Site (File -> Site Manager) – Select SFTP as the File Protocol, enter hostname (IP address of server, if using Sucuri), Port number 18765, Paste in Username from Site Tools.
Click OK to Save
Import SSH private key: Edit Menu – Settings – > SFTP -> Add Key file, to add the Private Key. Click OK
Opne up Site Manager, select the site and connect
Connect to Server