Do you use it?

If you don't, you might consider getting rid of it.

Like this(in a terminal): sudo apt-get remove openssh-server

If you do use it but are behind a router, isolated from incoming traffic, you probably don't have much to worry about. I'm no expert though.

There are ways to "harden" it though. http://www.thegeekstuff.com/2011/05/openssh-options/

Personally, I don't allow logging in using a password. Any machine I want to be able to log in, I add the client's public key to the server's authorized_keys. Saves me typing in passwords and keeps outsiders out, so far anyways.

Might want to check out "fail2ban". If you keep openssh-server that is.

Remember though, I'm far from an expert. Google is my expert.

Thanks for your input, Chuggerguy. I'll check out your suggestions.

It's my operating system and all I ever use, and has been great! I don't plan to remove it- it's stable and definitely more secure than Windows products.

I like to keep informed, though, and since I use it for a few financial transactions I need it clean.

Yeah, no worries.

(1) It's probably not even installed.
(2) You're probably not exposed to unsolicited incoming traffic.
(3) You're password is probably not "password".

Linux is basically all I use too. I have Windows 7 on a couple machines but rarely boot into them. I like Windows 7, it's a good OS, but I just feel more at home in Linux. :)

Richard

Claims to have had his Linux gateway hacked by someone using an "SSH over an unusual port number".

It's like shooting yourself in the butt ... hard to do and you have to do several foolish things in a row.

He would have to have had an ssh server installed, which most Linux distros don't do by default unless you select "set me up a server" from your install options. I just checked, and I have a client, but not the server.

He would have had to have deliberately configured to answer requests on unusual port numbers instead of silently ignoring them. The default ports are what you get on a vanilla install.

It would have to be answering SSH requests over the Internet, not sitting behind a router, unless that router was also deliberately configured to allow unusual port numbers.

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To check, open your Software manager or Synaptic and look for openssh ... if it's not installed it can't be hacked.

I'm sure you'll find plenty of useful information by referring to Ubuntu-specific forums and sites.

I believe it's true that desktop linux machines have historically been less subject to outsider attacks. Aside from other reasons, so very few non-server PCs use Linux, I suspect the bad guys figure it's not worth the effort to target them.

Very useful, and reassuring. I did check and it isn't installed.

Thanks, all.

Mark