How do I disable SSH login for the root user?

By Trendy

How do I disable SSH login for the root user?

Enable or disable remote root login

  1. To enable remote root login, enter the following command: /etc/ssh/sshd_config: PermitRootLogin yes #enabled.
  2. To disable remote root login, enter the following command: /etc/ssh/sshd_config: PermitRootLogin no #disabled.

Should you disable SSH root login?

One of the biggest security holes you could open on your server is to allow directly logging in as root through ssh, because any cracker can attempt to brute force your root password and potentially get access to your system if they can figure out your password.

How do I disable root login?

The simplest method to disable root user login is to change its shell from /bin/bash or /bin/bash (or any other shell that permits user login) to /sbin/nologin , in the /etc/passwd file, which you can open for editing using any of your favorite command line editors as shown. Save the file and close it.

How do I disable SSH login?

Eight ways to protect SSH access on your system

  1. Backup the config file. First, back up the configuration file before making major changes.
  2. Set a banner message.
  3. Prevent empty passwords.
  4. Prevent the root user from crossing the network via SSH.
  5. Whitelist specific user accounts.
  6. No more port 22.
  7. Time’s up!
  8. Here’s the key.

Can you SSH as root?

Activating SSH login as root user Connect to the controller and log in as the root user. Open the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file with a suitable editor. In the # Authentication: section, enable the commented out PermitRootLogin yes entry.

Should I disable root account?

There is no way to disable the root account. An account with number 0 (and usually called root) must always exist. What could be done, and is done in Ubuntu (and some other distros) is remove the root account password.

Why we should not use root account?

To be safe and secure, root account should have logins disabled. 📳 Applications’ Vulnerability: When an application is served using the root account, in case of vulnerability, hacker can execute code remotely and gain access. Also your application can erase important files or directories mistakenly.

Can you ssh as root?

Can sudo change root password?

So sudo passwd root tells the system to change the root password, and to do it as though you were root. The root user is allowed to change the root user’s password, so the password changes.

How do I enable SSH login?

Enable root login over SSH:

  1. As root, edit the sshd_config file in /etc/ssh/sshd_config : nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config.
  2. Add a line in the Authentication section of the file that says PermitRootLogin yes .
  3. Save the updated /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.
  4. Restart the SSH server: service sshd restart.