Posted January 19Jan 19 You are reading Part 1 of the 57-part series: Harden and Secure Linux Servers. [Level 1]This series covers progressive security measures, from fundamental hardening techniques to enterprise-grade defense strategies. Each article delves into a specific security practice, explaining its importance and providing step-by-step guidance for implementation.To explore more security best practices, visit the main guide for a full breakdown of all levels and recommendations.The root user has unrestricted access to the entire system, making it a high-value target for attackers. If an attacker gains access to the root account, they can control everything on the server. Disabling direct root login helps prevent brute-force attacks and forces users to log in with a limited-privilege account, reducing security risks.How to Disable Root LoginOpen the SSH configuration file:sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config Locate the following line:PermitRootLogin yes Change it to:PermitRootLogin no Save and close the file.Restart the SSH service to apply the changes:sudo systemctl restart sshd Best Practices:✅ Use a non-root user with sudo privileges instead of logging in as root.✅ Combine this with SSH key authentication to further enhance security.✅ Monitor SSH login attempts using sudo cat /var/log/auth.log | grep "sshd" to check for unauthorized access attempts.By implementing this step, you make it significantly harder for attackers to gain unauthorized access to your Linux server, improving its overall security.
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