How to install SSH in Ubuntu

SSH stands for Secure Shell. It’s a protocol for secure remote access to devices over a network. SSH provides a secure channel for connecting to a remote computer or server, allowing users to access and manage systems remotely.

Key features of SSH

Some key features of SSH are as follows:

• Port forwarding: SSH can create encrypted tunnels to forward specific ports, allowing secure access to services on remote machines.

• File transfer: SSH includes utilities for secure file transfers between systems, such as scp (secure copy) and sftp (secure file transfer protocol).

• Remote access: It enables users to access command-line interfaces and execute commands on remote systems as if directly interacting with them.

• Authentication: SSH uses various authentication methods, such as passwords, SSH keys, or multifactor authentication, to secure login to remote systems.

• Secure communication: SSH encrypts data sent between the client and server, preventing eavesdropping or tampering during transmission.

Components of SSH

• SSH client: This software installed on the local machine initiates connections to SSH servers.

• SSH server: This software runs on a remote machine and listens for incoming SSH connections, handling authentication and communication.

• SSH keys: These cryptographic keys are used for authentication instead of passwords, providing a more secure way to access remote systems.

Use cases of SSH

• Remote server management: System administrators use SSH to manage servers and perform maintenance tasks remotely.

• Secure file transfer: This method securely transfers files between systems, especially when sensitive data is involved.

• Tunneling and port forwarding: SSH can secure connections to services that would otherwise be exposed to insecure networks by encrypting the data and routing it through a secure channel.

Install SSH on Ubuntu

• Update package lists

  • To install SSH, we need to update the packages of Ubuntu as follows:

• Install SSH server

  • Use the following command to install the SSH server openssh-server:

• Start SSH service

  • Once the installation is complete, the SSH service usually starts automatically. But if it doesn’t, we can start it manually by running the following command:

• Configuring SSH (optional)

  • By default, SSH should be securely configured. However, if we need to modify its configuration, the main configuration file for SSH is /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

  • Always be cautious when making changes to this file, as incorrect configurations might cause issues with SSH access or security vulnerabilities.

• To test SSH please write the following command in the terminal.