Display an error message on password failure for ssh remoting ("access denied")

[pacjo]

Summary

Currently there is very little feedback presented when password authentication fails. It would be nice if there was so on-screen indicator of failure and/or a CAPS LOCK indicator.

Description

Hi, I just re-typed my password 4 times before noticing I had my caps-lock on.

Steps to reproduce:

1. Have an ssh host with password authentication enabled (even localhost)
2. run zed ssh://oopsie@localhost
3. Type in a password

Actual behavior: Same prompt shows again, no indication of failure

Desired behavior: Message for failure (ssh command-line shows "Permission denied").

Bonus; a caps-lock indicator if possible would go a long way to prevent this.

Environment

Zed: v0.164.2 (Zed)
OS: Linux Wayland nixos 25.05
Memory: 15.5 GiB
Architecture: x86_64
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 580 Series (RADV POLARIS10) || radv || Mesa 24.2.6

Screenshot

as unhelpful and ugly as it is...

[jansol]

SSH does not tell you that the password was incorrect. It does not even tell you if the user you try to log in as does not exist, or if passwords are a valid login method for the user you are trying. I believe this is by design, since otherwise one could enumerate all valid users and their allowed login methods by brute force, which is a lot of information you generally don't want to give to an attacker.

A caps lock indicator does make sense, though, and would indeed be nice to have.

[pacjo]

Doesn't it? So, out of curiosity, what shows incorrect password when logging in over ssh?

Screenshot from my phone since that's what I have on (well.. in) hand.

Also maybe a generic failure message would do the trick?

[jansol]

Your screenshot specifically does not say "incorrect password". It only asks for the password twice. It also does not say that you can (or can't) actually log in to that user with a password. (try logging in as a nonexistent user)

[jansol]

A generic failure message could be shown yes. Possibly even the one that SSH prints normally (I'm not sure how much detail the current integration manages to capture)

[pacjo]

It also does not say that you can (or can't) actually log in to that user with a password. (try logging in as a nonexistent user)

Now I can see, thanks for the explanation.

A generic failure message could be shown yes. Possibly even the one that SSH prints normally (I'm not sure how much detail the current integration manages to capture)

If possible, that would be perfect for me.

[kaf-lamed-beyt]

@jansol, I'm guessing the remote crate would be an 'OK' starting point, yeah? This file (crates/remote/src/ssh_session.rs) specifically if I'm not wrong.

One more question though, which command opens up the UI? I tried searching for ssh in the command palette but couldn't find useful info there.