[Remote-SSH Bug]: Control character 1004h appearing in terminal when asked to type password

[TesiLin]

Is there an existing issue for this bug?

• I have searched the existing issues

Required Troubleshooting Steps

• I have followed these troubleshooting steps
• I have tried both values of the remote.SSH.useLocalServer setting

Connect Locally

It connects successfully

->

No response

Expected Behavior

When connect to the remote server, the password enter bar should have gray instruction belike: "Enter password for user@ip". The terminal should connect without displaying any unexpected control characters.

However, now the instruction is "Enter password for 1004huser@ip".

Steps To Reproduce

Use the Remote-SSH extension to connect to a remote server.
Observe the terminal output, where the string 1004h appears before the username and IP address (e.g., 1004huser@ip).

Remote-SSH Log

Remote-SSH Log

[23:28:57.980] Log Level: 2
[23:28:57.996] VS Code version: 1.94.2
[23:28:57.996] Remote-SSH version: remote-ssh@0.115.0
[23:28:57.996] win32 x64
[23:28:58.005] SSH Resolver called for "ssh-remote+remote_ip", attempt 1
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.useLocalServer": false
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.useExecServer": true
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.showLoginTerminal": false
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.remotePlatform": {"remote_ip":"linux","remote_ip":"linux","remote_ip":"linux","remote_ip-root":"linux"}
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.path": undefined
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.configFile": undefined
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.useFlock": true
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.lockfilesInTmp": false
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.localServerDownload": auto
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.remoteServerListenOnSocket": false
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.showLoginTerminal": false
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.defaultExtensions": []
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.loglevel": 2
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.enableDynamicForwarding": true
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.enableRemoteCommand": false
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.serverPickPortsFromRange": {}
[23:28:58.006] "remote.SSH.serverInstallPath": {}
[23:28:58.007] "remote.SSH.permitPtyAllocation": false
[23:28:58.007] "remote.SSH.preferredLocalPortRange: undefined
[23:28:58.007] "remote.SSH.useCurlAndWgetConfigurationFiles: false
[23:28:58.035] SSH Resolver called for host: remote_ip
[23:28:58.035] Setting up SSH remote "remote_ip"
[23:28:58.041] Using commit id "384ff7382de624fb94dbaf6da11977bba1ecd427" and quality "stable" for server
[23:28:58.045] Script variables:
 {
  "InstallExitCode.24": "AlreadyInProgress",
  "InstallExitCode.25": "ServerDownloadFailed",
  "InstallExitCode.26": "NoDownloaderAvailable",
  "InstallExitCode.27": "UnsupportedArch",
  "InstallExitCode.28": "StatusCheckFailed",
  "InstallExitCode.29": "NeedInsidersArch",
  "InstallExitCode.30": "NoDownloaderAvailableForStatusCheck",
  "InstallExitCode.31": "ServerTransferFailed",
  "InstallExitCode.32": "ServerFailedToStart",
  "InstallExitCode.33": "NeedInsidersWindows",
  "InstallExitCode.34": "CreateInstallDirFailed",
  "InstallExitCode.35": "UnsupportedPlatform",
  "InstallExitCode.36": "ServerTerminatedCVE20201416",
  "InstallExitCode.37": "UnpackFailed",
  "InstallExitCode.38": "ChangeDirFailed",
  "InstallExitCode.AlreadyInProgress": "24",
  "InstallExitCode.ServerDownloadFailed": "25",
  "InstallExitCode.NoDownloaderAvailable": "26",
  "InstallExitCode.NoDownloaderAvailableForStatusCheck": "30",
  "InstallExitCode.UnsupportedArch": "27",
  "InstallExitCode.StatusCheckFailed": "28",
  "InstallExitCode.NeedInsidersArch": "29",
  "InstallExitCode.ServerTransferFailed": "31",
  "InstallExitCode.ServerFailedToStart": "32",
  "InstallExitCode.NeedInsidersWindows": "33",
  "InstallExitCode.CreateInstallDirFailed": "34",
  "InstallExitCode.UnsupportedPlatform": "35",
  "InstallExitCode.ServerTerminatedCVE20201416": "36",
  "InstallExitCode.UnpackFailed": "37",
  "InstallExitCode.ChangeDirFailed": "38",
  "InstallUnpackCode.Success": "success",
  "InstallUnpackCode.Error": "error",
  "InstallUnpackCode.MissingFiles": "missingFiles",
  "uuid": "c6d9d8f55b54",
  "startMarker": "c6d9d8f55b54: running",
  "commitId": "384ff7382de624fb94dbaf6da11977bba1ecd427",
  "quality": "stable",
  "token": "1aa11111-1111-1111-11a1-11a111111aa1",
  "vscodeAgentFolder": "$HOME/.vscode-server",
  "allowClientDownload": "1",
  "forceClientDownload": "0",
  "cliNameInArchive": "code",
  "ignoreWgetConfigFlag": " --no-config ",
  "ignoreCurlConfigFlag": " --disable ",
  "wgetTriesSegment": "--tries=1",
  "listenArgs": "--on-host=127.0.0.1 --on-port",
  "getDownloadServerStartTrigger": "c6d9d8f55b54:trigger_server_download",
  "getDownloadServerEndTrigger": "c6d9d8f55b54:trigger_server_download_end",
  "getProgressDownloading": "c6d9d8f55b54%%1%%",
  "getProgressInstalling": "c6d9d8f55b54%%2%%"
}
[23:28:58.047] Install and start server if needed
[23:28:58.050] Checking ssh with "C:\Windows\system32\ssh.exe -V"
[23:28:58.052] Got error from ssh: spawn C:\Windows\system32\ssh.exe ENOENT
[23:28:58.053] Checking ssh with "C:\Windows\ssh.exe -V"
[23:28:58.054] Got error from ssh: spawn C:\Windows\ssh.exe ENOENT
[23:28:58.054] Checking ssh with "C:\Windows\System32\Wbem\ssh.exe -V"
[23:28:58.055] Got error from ssh: spawn C:\Windows\System32\Wbem\ssh.exe ENOENT
[23:28:58.055] Checking ssh with "C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\ssh.exe -V"
[23:28:58.056] Got error from ssh: spawn C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\ssh.exe ENOENT
[23:28:58.056] Checking ssh with "C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe -V"
[23:28:58.094] > OpenSSH_for_Windows_9.5p1, LibreSSL 3.8.2

[23:28:58.099] Running script with connection command: "C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe" -T -D 1496 "remote_ip" sh
[23:28:58.100] Generated SSH command: 'type "C:\Users\STIRLI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\vscode-linux-multi-line-command-remote_ip-249895947.sh" | "C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe" -T -D 1496 "remote_ip" sh'
[23:28:58.101] Using connect timeout of 17 seconds
[23:28:58.101] Terminal shell path: C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe
[23:28:58.350] > �[?9001h�[?1004h
[23:28:58.351] Got some output, clearing connection timeout
[23:28:58.478] > user@remote_ip's password:�]0;C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe�
[23:28:58.479] Showing password prompt

Anything else?

I tried connecting to the same server with the same version of VSCode and Remote-SSH on two different laptops. One showed the 1004h, while the other did not. So I think it is related to local settings, but my two laptops have the same SSH config and VSCode config, synced with my account.

On the laptop where everything works normally, the log output does not include the lines > �[?9001h�[?1004h.

Versions:

VSCode: 1.94.2 (also tried 1.85.2)
Remote - SSH: v0.115.0
OS: Windows 11
Remote Server OS: 22.04.4 LTS
Terminal Type (on remote server): xterm-256color (same with local)

By the way, when searching through issues, I noticed that 1004h has also appeared in logs; they all appeared after September 2024.

This error doesn't seem to affect my ability to connect to the server; I just want to remove it because it's quite annoying.

The edit was made to anonymize the server IP; no other content was changed.

[russlank]

Same for me!! The problem that this bug causes preventing applying the SSH configuration for the desired user; however the behavior is normal when root user is specified.

[TesiLin]

Additional info:

1. Tried Remote-SSH version ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-0.107.2023091115, with VSCode 1.94.2, nothing changed, still 1004h.
2. Tried the built-in Windows system recovery, Settings - "Reset this PC" - "Remove everything" (including all personal files, apps, and settings), nothing changed, still 1004h.

[joshspicer]

Thanks for the detailed report. Googling around for '1004h' turns up with some emacs/xterm kind of control character to enable "focus reporting" (1 , 2). If that's the case here, not sure how that's getting inserted 🤔

[joshspicer]

@russlank Are you also on a windows machine? Mind providing your logs as well?

@TesiLin This is not blocking you from connecting, correct? (I just saw the last line of your initial post). It's just a visual annoyance?

[joshspicer]

From my windows 11 host I'm not seeing the artifact in the quick pick but I am seeing various control characters (including BEL) in the log, which may be related.

[Classpi]

I just happened to be having issues with not being able to log in using ssh keys, and now I have to enter a password to connect to the server. I'm not sure if this is related to this issue?

[russlank]

@russlank Are you also on a windows machine? Mind providing your logs as well?

@TesiLin This is not blocking you from connecting, correct? (I just saw the last line of your initial post). It's just a visual annoyance?

Yes, It is Windows 11

Here the part of log I catch after authentication and starting logging into the remote host (however, I can't find the log to the start of the authentication, you may guide me a little how I can reach it...):

[11326 ms] Dev Containers 0.388.0 over Remote - SSH 0.115.0 in VS Code 1.95.0 (912bb6...b5b95).
[11326 ms] Start: Resolving Remote
[11328 ms] Setting up container: /vibrant_monkey
[11328 ms] Host authority: ssh-remote+7b22...e227d
[11329 ms] Start: Loading environment from ExecServer
[11331 ms] Host OS: linux 6.8.0-47-generic
[11331 ms] Host CWD: undefined
[11331 ms] Start: Run: /bin/sh 
[11334 ms] Start: Run in host: echo ~
[11377 ms] /home/xyzuser
[11377 ms] 
[11377 ms] Start: Run in host: id -un
[11421 ms] xyzuser
[11421 ms] 
[11422 ms] Start: Run in host:  (command -v getent >/dev/null 2>&1 && getent passwd 'xyzuser' || grep -E '^xyzuser|^[^:]*:[^:]*:xyzuser:' /etc/passwd || true)
[11466 ms] userEnvProbe: loginInteractiveShell (default)
[11466 ms] userEnvProbe: not found in cache
[11467 ms] userEnvProbe shell: /bin/bash
[11516 ms] userEnvProbe PATHs:
Probe:     '/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin'
Container: None
[11524 ms] Start: Run: docker inspect --type container /vibrant_lewin
[11573 ms] Start: Run: wsl -l -v
[11620 ms] Start: Run: wsl -d Ubuntu -e /bin/sh -c echo ~
[11699 ms] Start: Run: wsl -d Ubuntu -e /bin/sh -c cd '/home/xyzuser' && /bin/sh
[11704 ms] Start: Run in host: id -un
[11746 ms] xyzuser
[11746 ms] 
[11746 ms] Start: Run in host:  (command -v getent >/dev/null 2>&1 && getent passwd 'xyzuser' || grep -E '^xyzuser|^[^:]*:[^:]*:xyzuser:' /etc/passwd || true)
[11748 ms] Start: Run in host: echo ~
[11748 ms] /home/xyzuser
[11748 ms] 
[11749 ms] Start: Run in host: test -f '/home/xyzuser/.vscode-server/cli/servers/Stable-912...5b95/server/node'
[11749 ms] 
[11749 ms] 
[11750 ms] Exit code 1
[11750 ms] Start: Run in host: test -f '/home/xyzuser/.vscode/cli/servers/Stable-912...5b95/server/node'
[11751 ms] 
[11751 ms] 
[11751 ms] Exit code 1
[11751 ms] Start: Run in host: test -f '/home/xyzuser/.vscode-server/bin/912...5b95/node'

The same problem happens when I connect to the container on the remote host actually

[russlank]

I just happened to be having issues with not being able to log in using ssh keys, and now I have to enter a password to connect to the server. I'm not sure if this is related to this issue?

Probably yes,
As I guess, the manipulated user name, when 1004h characters inserted, the user name becomes not matching the settings in the SSH's config file.

[TesiLin]

@russlank Are you also on a windows machine? Mind providing your logs as well?

@TesiLin This is not blocking you from connecting, correct? (I just saw the last line of your initial post). It's just a visual annoyance?

Yes it's just visual annoyance. It seems to have no impact on anything else.

[russlank]

@russlank Are you also on a windows machine? Mind providing your logs as well?
@TesiLin This is not blocking you from connecting, correct? (I just saw the last line of your initial post). It's just a visual annoyance?

Yes it's just visual annoyance. It seems to have no impact on anything else.

In my case, I believe that it prevents selecting a proper SSH key basen on SSH's config file (C:\Users\<USER>\.ssh\confiog), what requires typing the user's password every time instead... it seems that the inserted characters cause preventing matching correct username

[joshspicer]

I can also confirm i'm able to repro on my windows 11 host with stable VS Code. In my case it hasn't seemed to affect anything functionally