Debian Linux Stop SSH User Hacking / Cracking Attacks with DenyHosts Software

DenyHosts is a software tool that helps to protect SSH servers from hacking and cracking attacks by blocking IP addresses that are attempting to access the server with invalid credentials.

To install and use DenyHosts on Debian Linux, you can follow these steps:

1. Install the denyhosts package:

sudo apt install denyhosts

2. Configure DenyHosts by editing the configuration file at /etc/denyhosts.conf. You can adjust the settings in this file to control how DenyHosts behaves.

3. Restart the DenyHosts service to apply the changes:

sudo service denyhosts restart

4. Monitor the logs to see if DenyHosts is blocking any IP addresses. The logs are located at /var/log/denyhosts.

DenyHosts can be configured to automatically block IP addresses that have attempted to access the server with invalid credentials a certain number of times within a certain time frame. You can also manually add IP addresses to the blocklist if needed.

Keep in mind that DenyHosts is just one tool that can help to protect an SSH server from hacking and cracking attacks. It is important to use a combination of security measures to protect your server, including strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and regular updates.