OIC

use File::Remote;
{ my $secure = new File::Remote
    (rsh => "/usr/local/bin/ssh",
     rcp => "/usr/local/bin/scp" );
  $secure -> open( \*SSHID, "$host:~$user/.ssh/identity")
    ? ( $secure -> close( \*SSHID ) || die($!) )
    : die "access denied\n";
}
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updated for clarity and to heed a warning about filehandle syntax of open in File::Remote