How to Restrict SSH Access to Specific IP Addresses

Many times, hackers and bots try to gain access to your system via SSH by using brute force attacks and other methods. This can compromise the security of your system. So it is important to restrict SSH access to specific IP addresses that you trust. In this article, we will look at how to restrict SSH access to specific IP addresses. You can use these steps on almost every Linux distribution.

How to Restrict SSH Access to Specific IP Addresses

Linux provides two files host.allow and host.deny to allow and deny access to SSH port. You simply need to add your trusted IP addresses to host.allow file, and add suspicious IP addresses in host.deny file.

1. Allow SSH Access

Open terminal and run the following command to open host.allow file.

$ sudo vi /etc/host.allow

Add the following line to allow access from ip 54.43.32.12

sshd: 54.43.32.12

If you want to allow access from multiple IP addresses, add them in a comma-separated manner

sshd: 54.43.32.12, 65.54.32.32, 220.234.23.12

If you want to allow access from range of IP addresses use the CIDR notation to allow an IP address range. Here is an example to allow ip address 54.43.32.0-54.43.32.255 and 44.43.32.0-44.43.32.255

sshd: 54.43.32.0/24, 44.43.32.0/24

2. Restrict SSH Access

Similarly, open terminal and run the following command to open host.deny file.

$ sudo vi /etc/host.deny

Add the following line to deny access from ip 44.43.32.12

sshd: 44.43.32.12

If you want to restrict access from multiple IP addresses, add them in a comma-separated manner

sshd: 44.43.32.12, 45.54.32.32, 210.234.23.12

If you want to restrict access from range of IP addresses use the CIDR notation to allow an IP address range. Here is an example to restrict ip address 44.43.32.0-44.43.32.255 and 34.43.32.0-34.43.32.255

sshd: 44.43.32.0/24, 34.43.32.0/24

If you want to block all addresses other than the ones mentioned host.allow file, then add the following line in host.deny file.

sshd: ALL

This will protect your website brute force attacks and other malicious methods used by hackers.

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