Use case
Time-limited SSH access for on-call work
Open server access during an incident or maintenance window, then let it close automatically when the window ends.
Incident access often outlives the incident
During an incident, the priority is getting the right person onto the right server quickly. The cleanup afterwards is easy to forget.
- Emergency access becomes permanent
- Multiple people get broader access than they need
- Manual revocation happens after the pressure is gone
- It is hard to reconstruct who had access and when
Access windows that close themselves
- Grant immediate access for a fixed time
- Schedule access around maintenance windows
- Use groups for on-call rotations where that fits your workflow
- Automatically remove keys when the window closes
- Keep lightweight activity events for review
Related: temporary SSH access guide · security boundaries
Use time-limited access for your next maintenance window
Grant access for the incident or maintenance window, then let authorized_keys cleanup happen automatically.