How can I strengthen SSH security and privileged access control in Linux
Strengthening SSH security and privileged access control in Linux involves several key strategies. Here are some best practices to enhance your system's security:
Strengthening SSH Security
1. Disable Root Login
- Action: Edit
/etc/ssh/sshd_config
and setPermitRootLogin no
. This forces users to log in with their own accounts and usesudo
for elevated privileges[1][2][4].
2. Use Key-Based Authentication
- Action: Generate strong RSA keys (e.g., RSA 4096) using
ssh-keygen
. Ensure that the.ssh
directory is secure, ideally owned by root or a trusted group[1][2].
3. Disable Empty Passwords
- Action: Set
PermitEmptyPasswords no
in/etc/ssh/sshd_config
. This prevents users from logging in without a password[4].
4. Limit Authentication Attempts
- Action: Set a low value for
MaxAuthTries
(e.g., four attempts) to mitigate brute-force attacks[1].
5. Implement Idle Timeout
- Adjust the
ClientAliveInterval
parameter to enforce session timeouts, reducing exposure if an attacker gains access to an idle session[1].