Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Tips for secure SSH connection to remote servers

Some tips for secured SSH connection to remote servers. 


Also please go through my previous posts for detailed howto.


  • Use only SSH V2 -- V1 is vulnerable to compromise. On Linux, this is usually done by default and managed in your /etc/ssh/sshd_config file by the Protocols option.
  • Don't allow root or Administrators to log in directly. Only normal users should be allowed to log in and then if required they can escalate their privileges by using su or sudo. On Linux this is controlled, again in the sshd_config file, by the PermitRootLogin option.
  • Ensure you use suitable authentication, for example passwords or keys.
  • Try to avoid using port 22 for your SSH connections. Automated brute force attack tools are commonly used by attackers to scan port 22 and try to brute usernames and passwords. Changing the port to something else, for example 2222, is a quick and simple way of reducing this risk.
  • lternatively, if you must use port 22, you can use tools like BlockSSHD or Fail2Ban to block excessive or inappropriate login attempts.
  • Ensure you have configured suitable logging of your SSH daemon and that you review your logs for illicit login attempts. Ttools like Swatch and SEC can assist with this.
  • Only bind SSH to the addresses required. If you have multiple interfaces in your host, for example an interface on your internal network and another on an external network such as the Internet, then only bind the daemon to the interface through which you need to connect. This is controlled on Linux using the ListenAddress option.
These are some general tips and how to implement these depends on the platform you are using. Anyway I hope this helps.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Things I do not like about Ubuntu LTS 10.04

The new Ubuntu 10.04 release is a great release and it is really a task to find things you dislike. Anyhow no operating system is perfect and this one also has some flaws. But now itself I am telling you that this is from my point of view and my dislikes may not be your dislikes!!!!
  • The new themes
Well the first thing I dislike about the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS is its new themes. These new themes do nothing but set back the looks of the previous versions. Ok, these themes must be on account of the GNOME 3.0 but the default theme selected is, according to my opinion, is a great mistake. This is also coming on the heels of the rumors of the possible inclusion of RGB support in the GTK widgets, which would have enabled real transparency in all widget sets. This did not happen (and is still not happening). My concern is that most new users will install 10.04 and have trouble getting beyond the default themes.