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1

Generate Keypair

Use the following command:ssh-keygen -t [rsa|ecdsa|ed25519]The following keys are accepted:
  • rsa
  • ecdsa
  • ed25519
Once generated, you’ll have access to a public key (in a .pub file).Run cat <public_key_file> to view the public key to send to Lead.Example Public Key
2

Send Public Key To Lead

Once your public key has been generated, send it to your Lead Implementation Manager as a plain text email.
3

Validate Lead Public Key (Host Key Generation)

Verify the fingerprint and add the public key to your known_hosts file by following the below steps:
  1. Generate a public key fingerprint by running the below command:
    ssh-keyscan sftp.lead.bank 2>&1 | ssh-keygen -lf -
The above command generates a public key fingerprint
  1. Use the public key fingerprint and compare it with the fingerprint below:
    2048 SHA256:PWqq5lPPd0zWCawxwSnqOkyy168esipmaPy2t3H1uFE sftp.lead.bank (RSA)
4

Add Lead Public Key To Your Known Hosts file

After the fingerprint is verified, run the below command to add the public key to your known_hosts file:
ssh-keyscan sftp.lead.bank >> ~/.ssh/known_hosts
5

Connect To SFTP Server

Connect by running the following command:
sftp -v -i \~/.ssh/your\_key username@sftp.lead.bank

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Connectivity Details

Set-up Checks
  • Static IP addresses are strongly encouraged for the IP allowlist.
  • CSV files should use a pipe (|) delimiter.
  • You may provide multiple SSH public keys for each environment.
  • Lead supports RSA, ECDSA, and ED25519 keys.
  • Both 2048 and 4096 bits are supported.
  • It is strongly recommended to do periodic key rotation.
  • Rotation of these keys can be processed upon request.

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Folder Structure

All program related files will be dropped into folders on the SFTP server with the following access:
  • Read/Write: For all folders where you are the submitter
  • Read Only: For folders where Lead is the submitter
We do not use the root directory of the SFTP server to store or handle files.
Missing Directories?When your SFTP is initially set up, you may not see all directories.Create the required directories by uploading a file to the desired path.
All dates in filenames must use the YYYY-MM-DD format (e.g., 2025-12-31).

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File Naming

We utilize a consistent filename format that aims to:
  • Indicate the type of file
  • Indicate the content represented in the particular file
  • Prevent filename collisions for similar files

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Example File Format

20260115T171640Z_incoming_ach_forwards_1768497400.ach
File versions can be represented by either an epoch timestamp (not ISO 8601) or an incremental version label such as v1, v2, etc. Each subsequent submission must use a higher version value.

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Example Invalid File Name

If the initial file version is invalid or changes are required, you must submit the updated version of the file — with an updated epoch time of version label, such as “v2”.

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Common Pitfalls

You may receive the below error if your key permissions are too open:
Permissions 0777 for ‘/Users/username/.ssh/id_rsa’ are too open. It is recommended that your private key files are NOT accessible by others. This private key will be ignored.
This error indicates that your public key is read/writable by any system user rather than just the current user. You may resolve this error by running: chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa