How To: Disable direct root logins, and create a more secure SSH enviorment.

[eUKShane]

Disabling direct root login will force a hacker to have to gain access to two seperate passwords to SSH into your server.

First, Set up the admin account if you haven't already got one:

groupadd admin
useradd admin -gadmin

Create a password for the new account.

passwd admin

On a CPanel system, you can now go into root WHM and add anotheruser to the wheel group, or use your favorite editor to put "admin" in the wheel group by editing /etc/group

Now, SSH into your server as admin and gain root access by typing:

su -

Next, use your favorite editor to edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config, assuming you are using pico, type:

pico -w /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Find the line:

#Protocol 2, 1

Uncomment it and change it to look like:

Protocol 2

Next, find the line:

#PermitRootLogin yes

Uncomment it and make it look like:

PermitRootLogin no

Now, save the file, with perl you would press CTRL+x, then y then enter to save the file.

Restart SSH by issueing this command:

/etc/rc.d/init.d/sshd restart

Next, we'll make sure we disable telnet:

pico -w /etc/xinetd.d/telnet

Change the disable = no line to disable = yes than save the file (Ctrl+X in pico)

Finally, Restart xinted with:

/etc/rc.d/init.d/xinetd restart

That's all !
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Best Regards,
UKShane
http://www.eukhost.com