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Security & Server Hardening

Protect your instance. These steps are fully compatible with both Ubuntu 24.04 and Debian 13.

CRITICAL: Keep your current SSH session open in a separate window until you have verified that the new login works. If you get locked out, use the Rescue Mode in your PowerPanel to mount your drive and reset the sshd_config.

Step 1

Deploy SSH Keys

SSH Keys are cryptographic pairs. The private key stays on your PC, while the public key is uploaded to the server to identify you. Run this on your local computer:

Your Local Computer
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "admin-access"

Next, transfer the public key to your server. (Note: On Debian, if ssh-copy-id is missing, install it via apt install openssh-client):

Your Local Computer
ssh-copy-id root@your-server-ip
Verification Test

Before moving to Step 2, ensure you can log in without being prompted for a password:

New Local Terminal Window
ssh root@your-server-ip
Step 2

Disable Password Logins

Now that your key works, we disable password logins to block brute-force attacks. Open the SSH configuration:

Server Terminal
nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Find these lines and edit them to match exactly (ensure no # is at the start):

PasswordAuthentication no
PubkeyAuthentication yes
PermitRootLogin prohibit-password

Save: CTRL+O → Enter. Exit: CTRL+X.
Restart SSH to apply:
Server Terminal
systemctl restart ssh
Step 3

Firewall Configuration (UFW)

We use UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall). On Debian, it might not be pre-installed. Run the following commands to install and configure it:

Server Terminal
apt update && apt install ufw -y ufw allow ssh ufw enable

Important: Typing ufw enable will ask for confirmation. Type y and press Enter. This will not disconnect your current SSH session as we allowed SSH in the previous line.

Step 4

Install Fail2Ban

Fail2Ban provides an extra layer of defense by banning IPs that show suspicious login patterns:

Server Terminal
apt install fail2ban -y
Check if service is active:
Server Terminal
systemctl status fail2ban

Security Hardening Complete

Your server is now protected. Head back to the main guide to continue with OpenClaw.

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