SSH Key: “Permissions 0644 for 'id_rsa.pub' are too open.” on mac

Question

I generate a ssh key pair on my mac and add the public key to my ubuntu server(in fact, it is a virtual machine on my mac),but when I try to login the ubuntu server,it says:

Answer 1

SSH keys are meant to be private so a 644 permission is too open.

Binary references to set Permissions

 r(read) = 4
 w(write) = 2
 x(execute) = 1

So by adding these numbers and by passing the summed digit to chmod command,We set the permission of file/directory. The first digit sets permission for the owner, second digit for group and the third one for all other users on the system who have no right to the file.

A permission of 644 means 
(4+2) = read/write permission for the owner
(4) = read permission for the group 
(4) = read permission for all other users 
 

By changing the the permission of the file to 400 using

chmod 400 

solves the issue. As it makes the key read-only accessible to the owner.

Ref: https://www.linux.com/training-tutorials/understanding-linux-file-permissions/