PuTTY

PuTTY at a glance

PuTTY is a long-standing, free SSH/telnet client for Windows — a staple in the admin toolbox. The project ships updates in an unhurried cadence, occasionally with important cryptographic or key-handling fixes.

For admins the attention point is key handling and stored sessions: use key-based authentication, protect private keys (a past advisory concerned key generation), and keep the client current so it uses sound algorithms. New versions drop obsolete crypto, which can lock out very old servers — plan for that. Source it from the official site (fake PuTTY builds appear in malware campaigns). PuTTY's companions (pscp, plink, Pageant) share its updates. For a richer, tabbed experience, tools like MobaXterm or Tabby build on similar foundations; PuTTY remains the minimal, reliable default.