Linux Server Hardening Guide

Securing the primary remote entry point is vital for stopping automated brute-force attacks.

Below is a structured write-up covering the essential stages of a Linux hardening project. 1. Update and Patch Management

Disable password-based authentication ( PasswordAuthentication no ) in favor of SSH key-pair authentication . Linux Server Hardening

Moving SSH from port 22 to a non-standard port can eliminate up to 99% of automated scans. 3. Identity and Access Management

Configure automatic security updates using tools like unattended-upgrades on Debian/Ubuntu or dnf-automatic on RHEL/Fedora. 2. Secure Access (SSH Hardening) Securing the primary remote entry point is vital

Follow the principle of least privilege to limit what users and services can do.

Prevent direct root access by setting PermitRootLogin no in /etc/ssh/sshd_config . Linux Server Hardening

The most critical step is ensuring all software is current to close known vulnerabilities.