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    Home Server & Cloud Infrastructure Cloud Server Important Security Information for Your Server

    Changing the Default SSH Port

    For Cloud Servers, VPS, Dedicated Servers and Server Power Deals

    By default, port 22 is used to establish an SSH connection. This port is automatically configured during the installation of your operating system. 

    To reduce the number of brute force attacks, you can configure another port for SSH access. 

    Please Note

    Before changing the port, make sure that the applications and services installed on the server can be configured without a default port. Otherwise, changing the default port may cause these applications and services to stop working.

    To change the SSH port:

    • Log on to the server as an administrator.

    • Open the SSH configuration file sshd_config with the text editor vi:

      vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config

    • Search for the entry Port 22.

    • Replace port 22 with a port between 1024 and 65536. 

    Please Note

    Make sure that the selected port is not used for other services. You can do this by using the following port list provided by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA):

    https://www.iana.org/assignments/service-names-port-numbers/service-names-port-numbers.xhtml

    Alternatively, you can view the list of ports in the /etc/services file.

    • Save the file.

    • Restart the service.

      Ubuntu

      service ssh restart


      CentOS 7

      systemctl restart sshd

      To establish an SSH connection after this change, enter the following command:

      ssh root@IP_address_of_the_server -p NewPort