Browse guides
Connect to your VPS for the first timeCreate an administrator userSecure SSH accessConfigure the UFW firewallKeep the system up to datePlan backups and snapshots

Secure SSH access

Require key authentication and block direct root login without locking yourself out.

Intermediate10 min readUpdated July 18, 2026
1

Back up the configuration

Before changing SSH, make a copy of its configuration so that you can restore it if needed.

sudo cp /etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config.backup
2

Apply safe rules

Create a dedicated override file at /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/99-hardening.conf.

PermitRootLogin no
PasswordAuthentication no
PubkeyAuthentication yes
MaxAuthTries 3
LoginGraceTime 30

SSH key required

Only disable passwords after validating key access in a second session.

3

Validate and reload SSH

Test the syntax before reloading the service. No output means that the configuration is valid.

sudo sshd -t
sudo systemctl reload ssh

Test without closing your session

Open a new terminal and reconnect with your sudo user before leaving the current session.