From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Fri Oct  8 07:24:57 2004
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0CE1716A4CE
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri,  8 Oct 2004 07:24:57 +0000 (GMT)
Received: from hobbit.neveragain.de (neveragain.de [217.69.76.1])
	by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 5161143D3F
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Fri,  8 Oct 2004 07:24:56 +0000 (GMT)
	(envelope-from amf@hobbit.neveragain.de)
Received: from hobbit.neveragain.de (amf@localhost [127.0.0.1])
	i987OsqB016932
	(version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DHE-RSA-AES256-SHA bits=256 verify=NO);
	Fri, 8 Oct 2004 09:24:54 +0200
Received: (from amf@localhost)
	by hobbit.neveragain.de (8.13.1/8.13.1/Debian-14) id i987Os7D016931;
	Fri, 8 Oct 2004 09:24:54 +0200
Date: Fri, 8 Oct 2004 09:24:54 +0200
From: Dennis Koegel <amf@hobbit.neveragain.de>
To: Luke <luked@pobox.com>
Message-ID: <20041008072454.GB16547@neveragain.de>
References: <Pine.NEB.4.60.0410071514530.27025@mx.freeshell.org>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Disposition: inline
In-Reply-To: <Pine.NEB.4.60.0410071514530.27025@mx.freeshell.org>
X-PGP-KeyID: 0D73E19A
User-Agent: Mutt/1.5.6+20040722i
X-Greylist: Sender IP whitelisted, not delayed by milter-greylist-1.4
	(hobbit.neveragain.de [127.0.0.1]); Fri, 08 Oct 2004 09:24:54 +0200 (CEST)
cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Protecting SSH from brute force attacks
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Fri, 08 Oct 2004 07:24:57 -0000

Hi,

On Thu, Oct 07, 2004 at 03:15:25PM -0700, Luke wrote:
> There are several script kiddies out there hitting my SSH server every
> day.  Sometimes they attempt to brute-force their way in trying new
> logins every second or so for hours at a time.  Given enough time, I fear
> they will eventually get in.

Apart from what was already noted here it may be a good idea to not use
PasswordAuthentication at all, you can disable it in the sshd_config.

Personally preferred solution would be public key authentication, but
there are other options as well.

No passwords used -> no passwords can be brute-forced.

HTH,
- D.