Fail2ban for SSH Security

This cluster centers on discussions recommending or debating the use of fail2ban and similar tools like sshguard to protect SSH servers from brute-force attacks, often alongside advice on key authentication and log monitoring.

📉 Falling 0.3x Security
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#1244
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Keywords

RAM PHP SSH MSA ROI IMO CVE IP BIND OS fail2ban ssh attempts ips logs server log login brute auth

Sample Comments

malfist Apr 30, 2025 View on HN

Why wouldn't something like fail2ban not work here? That's what it's built for and has been around for eons.

drb91 May 26, 2018 View on HN

fail2ban may prove some use: https://www.fail2ban.org

bostonvaulter2 Sep 5, 2010 View on HN

Wouldn't something like fail2ban be enough?

chmod775 Jan 14, 2022 View on HN

No mention of sshguard or fail2ban?

kyrofa Jun 7, 2024 View on HN

Why are we building this into SSH itself? Isn't this what things like fail2ban are for?

kingosticks Jun 16, 2016 View on HN

You should still use fail2ban.https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11854576

vacri Mar 4, 2013 View on HN

fail2ban is useful for things other than SSH - I've seen it deal handily with people probing our asterisk server.

pfundstein Jul 4, 2019 View on HN

I highly recommend installing fail2ban to automatically firewall IPs with consecutive failed attempts, or if possible, disable password authentication altogether and use key auth.

ams6110 Apr 15, 2012 View on HN

Something like fail2ban could deal with this.

derimagia Jun 20, 2018 View on HN

Hopefully they use something akin to fail2ban..