Secure Root SSH Access
In this session of the Linux Labs series, we address a security mandate from the Fusion Corp industry security team. The new protocol requires restricting direct root SSH logins across all application servers within the Stratos data center to enhance infrastructure security.
Lab Objectives
The primary goal was to disable the ability for the root user to log in directly via SSH on App Server 1, 2, and 3.
Key Procedural Steps:
Server Access:
Logged into App Server 1 (stapp01) as tony, App Server 2 (stapp02) as steve, and App Server 3 (stapp03) as banner.
Editing SSH Configuration:
Accessed the SSH daemon configuration file located at /etc/ssh/sshd_config on each server.
Located the directive PermitRootLogin.
Changed the value from yes to no to disable direct root access.
Applying Changes:
Saved the configuration file and restarted the SSH service (sshd) to apply the new security policy.
Verification:
Confirmed the configuration change by searching for the PermitRootLogin status within the configuration file to ensure it was correctly set to no.
By disabling direct root SSH access, the system forces administrators to log in as a standard user first and then escalate privileges, creating a better audit trail and reducing the risk of brute-force attacks against the root account.
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