Can't SSH via password to a Remote Server

Question

I've successfully VPNed to my University server on a Fedora 17 Linux terminal.

$ sudo openconnect -u UNIVERSITY_USERNAMEID sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu
[sudo] password for PCUSERNAME: 
Attempting to connect to xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:xxx
SSL negotiation with sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu
Connected to HTTPS on sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu
GET https://sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu/
Got HTTP response: HTTP/1.0 302 Object Moved
SSL negotiation with sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu
Connected to HTTPS on sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu
GET https://sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu/+webvpn+/index.html
Please enter your username and password.
Password:
POST https://sslvpn.nameofuniversity.edu/+webvpn+/index.html
Got CONNECT response: HTTP/1.1 200 OK
CSTP connected. DPD 30, Keepalive 0
Connected tun0 as xxx.xx.xx.xx, using SSL

After this, I opened a new terminal and executed an ssh command which normally works when I'm on campus. I get the following output on the terminal:

# ssh -vvv -Y UNIVERSITY_USERNAMEID@server
OpenSSH_5.9p1, OpenSSL 1.0.0j-fips 10 May 2012
debug1: Reading configuration data /etc/ssh/ssh_config
debug1: /etc/ssh/ssh_config line 50: Applying options for *
debug2: ssh_connect: needpriv 0
debug1: Connecting to server [xxx.xxx.xx.xx] port 22.
debug1: Connection established.
debug1: permanently_set_uid: 0/0
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_rsa-cert type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_dsa type -1
debug1: identity file /root/.ssh/id_dsa-cert type -1
ssh_exchange_identification: Connection closed by remote host

To no avail, I've appended the following to file /etc/hosts.allow

SSHD: ALL
SSHD: .nameofuniversity.edu : all
SSHD: ipaddress : all

What can be wrong here?

Answer 1

Two of the possibilities are:

1. the host you're trying to ssh into only allows connections from certain IP addresses (e.g. addresses on one or more of the university's VLANs). They may not have configured it to recognise VPN addresses as "local".

2. the host is configured to allow password-based auth from certain addresses but requires an ssh key from all other addresses. If this is the case, create a public & private key pair and insert the public key into your ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file the next time you login from within the university.

I've configured the latter on many machines at the university I work at (and on my home machines and on several other machines) - it's a convenient way of allowing remote ssh access to users without making the host vulnerable to the constant barrage of script-kiddies attacking the ssh port. Users can set up public key access when they're on campus, and use it to connect from home (or a conference or whatever).

Answer 2

So it's official. The Linux Admin disclosed that since I've applied for a semester leave, my student Border VPN Access privilege has been revoked. I'm guessing my privilege was changed after I posted this question because prior to posting I was able to VPN but was just unable to SSH.