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5.3 Secure SSH Configuration

SSH is the gateway to your server. It is the #1 target for brute-force attacks.

Key-Based Authentication

More secure than passwords.

Generate Keys (on your laptop):
```
ssh-keygen -t ed25519
```
Copy Public Key to Server:
```
ssh-copy-id user@server_ip
```
Test Login: You should now log in without a password.

Hardening `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`

Edit the server config file: sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

# 1. Disable Root Login (Use sudo instead)
PermitRootLogin no

# 2. Disable Password Authentication (Force keys)
PasswordAuthentication no

Restart SSH to apply: sudo systemctl restart ssh (or sshd).