Tips for securing your SSH server
Protected Session
An SSH server facing the Internet will almost certainly be under attack, but a few proactive steps will help to keep the intruders away.
Secure Shell, better known as SSH, is a secure communication protocol used to execute commands on remote servers. SSH works on a client/server architecture. Data transferred through SSH is automatically encrypted using symmetric, asymmetric, and hashing algorithms. At receiving end, the data is automatically decrypted.
About 90 percent of system administrators use SSH to access their servers and configure them remotely. Users overwhelmingly prefer SSH over Telnet, an alternative communication protocol that is now considered insecure. SSH makes the data in transit more secure, but if you wish to secure an SSH server, you need to take some additional steps. Following are some measures that will help you protect your SSH server from attack.
Public Keys Instead of Passwords
The article on "System Hardening" elsewhere in this issue mentioned the benefits of using key authentication rather than passwords with SSH. Your password can be cracked by intruders, and you could end up getting hacked by a simple brute-force password attack. Here is a quick reprise on how to set up key-based authentication.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Two New Distros Adopt Enlightenment
MX Moksha and AV Linux 25 join ranks with Bodhi Linux and embrace the Enlightenment desktop.
-
Solus Linux 4.8 Features Removes Python 2
Solus Linux 4.8 has been released with the latest Linux kernel, updated desktops, and a key removal.
-
Zorin OS 18 Hits over a Million Downloads
If you doubt Linux isn't gaining popularity, you only have to look at Zorin OS's download numbers.
-
TUXEDO Computers Scraps Snapdragon X1E-Based Laptop
Due to issues with a Snapdragon CPU, TUXEDO Computers has cancelled its plans to release a laptop based on this elite hardware.
-
Debian Unleashes Debian Libre Live
Debian Libre Live keeps your machine free of proprietary software.
-
Valve Announces Pending Release of Steam Machine
Shout it to the heavens: Steam Machine, powered by Linux, is set to arrive in 2026.
-
Happy Birthday, ADMIN Magazine!
ADMIN is celebrating its 15th anniversary with issue #90.
-
Another Linux Malware Discovered
Russian hackers use Hyper-V to hide malware within Linux virtual machines.
-
TUXEDO Computers Announces a New InfinityBook
TUXEDO Computers is at it again with a new InfinityBook that will meet your professional and gaming needs.
-
SUSE Dives into the Agentic AI Pool
SUSE becomes the first open source company to adopt agentic AI with SUSE Enterprise Linux 16.