When you first get a VPS, it’s exposed to the internet within minutes. Bots will start scanning your IP almost immediately. Here are 10 essential security steps every beginner should take right after setup.<\/p>\n
Run Edit Disable password login and use SSH keys instead. Generate a key pair with Use UFW (Ubuntu) or firewalld (CentOS). Allow only necessary ports: your custom SSH port, HTTP (80), HTTPS (443), and any application-specific ports. Deny everything else.<\/p>\n Fail2ban monitors login attempts and bans IPs after too many failures. Install with sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y<\/code> (Ubuntu\/Debian) immediately. Outdated software is the #1 cause of VPS compromises.<\/p>\n2. Change the Default SSH Port<\/h2>\n
\/etc\/ssh\/sshd_config<\/code> and change Port 22 to a custom port (e.g., 2222). This stops 99% of automated brute-force attacks.<\/p>\n3. Set Up SSH Key Authentication<\/h2>\n
ssh-keygen<\/code>, copy the public key to your server, then set PasswordAuthentication no<\/code> in sshd_config.<\/p>\n4. Enable a Firewall<\/h2>\n
5. Install Fail2ban<\/h2>\n
sudo apt install fail2ban<\/code> and configure it for SSH and web services.<\/p>\n6. Set Up Automatic Security Updates<\/h2>\n