What it is
A secure way to connect to a server remotely and manage it through commands — how servers are administered without physical access.
How we use it
Our main channel to client servers and our own — by key, not by password; it is far safer.
Business terms
What is SSH
Where it matters to a business
- A contractor administers your server, and you want to understand how they get in.
- Someone keeps trying to guess the server password, and the logs show it.
- Server access has to be revoked quickly when a contractor or employee leaves.
How we use it
- Keys, not passwords. This is the main way into our clients' servers and our own: a key cannot be brute-forced.
- Protection against guessing. On the VPN node in the Netherlands (VPN route) SSH is covered by fail2ban: after a series of failed attempts the address is blocked.
- A fallback tunnel. In the Peregovorka login bot the link to the service goes through an frp tunnel, and a reverse SSH tunnel is kept in the repository as a fallback.
We set up servers with secure access under Infrastructure.
Common problems
- Password sign-in. A simple password on an open SSH port is only a matter of time.
- A departed person's key. It must be removed from the server on the day they leave.
- The server is not reachable directly. Because of cross-border restrictions, some servers can be reached only through an intermediate node.
When you do not need it
A client usually does not need to log into the server over SSH. What matters is that access is registered to you and described in the documentation, not held only by the contractor.
Related terms
More in "Business terms"
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