Hi Larry,

> Three weeks ago everything was working normally.
>
> We have used ssh and sftp and recently have had a number of problems
> loging into sites with passwd failures.
>
> This applies to SL 5.09 and 6.7.
>
> updated ssh using yum and our versions are up to date.
>
> Using the ssh debug switch -v it tells you step by step what your
> progress is.  We get down to passwd and it fails 3 times.  If I use a
> deliberate incorrect passwd it fails twice.
>
> Our Web hosting people don't have a clue and their support group is in
> the Philippines. They are nice people but cannot resolve the issue.
>
> We have have been using gftp for years. We have tried the command line
> login with same result.
>
> Did ssh with -sftp option change recently?

Don't know if that is the case, but maybe it is something related to 
[Open]SSL or crypt libraries.

Can you try from some other [virtual?] machines as well, running different 
OSes, in an effort to find some combination that works und look at that as 
a reference?

Maybe you can try with another [test] account, to check if it is not a 
user/password specific issue?

Last not least, increasing debug level - using multiple -v when running 
ssh - might give a clue?

Best regards,

Iosif Fettich