To create an SSH user on Ubuntu 24.04lts and restrict access using the AllowUsers directive without using SSH keys, follow these steps:
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- sudo adduser <user-name>
Follow the prompts to set a password and fill in any additional user information.
2. Update SSH Configuration: Open the SSH configuration file in a text editor:
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- sudo vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config
3. Find the #AllowUsers line (if it exists) and uncomment it. Then, add your new user to the list. If there is not a line containing AllowUsers add it.
For example:
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- AllowUsers user1 user2 newuser
If there are other users listed, you can separate them with spaces:
4. Password Authentication: Make sure password authentication is enabled in the SSH configuration.
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- Uncomment “PasswordAuthentication yes” by removing the hashtage from in front of it.
5. Restart the SSH Service: After saving the changes, restart the SSH service to apply them:
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- sudo systemctl restart ssh
6. Test SSH Access: From a different terminal or machine, try to SSH into your Ubuntu server using the new user:
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- ssh newuser@your_server_ip
You should be prompted for the password you set earlier.
7. Important Considerations
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- Firewall Rules: Ensure that your firewall allows SSH connections (typically on port 22).
- Security: Using password authentication can be less secure than using SSH keys. Consider setting up key-based authentication if possible.
That’s it! You’ve created an SSH user and restricted access using AllowUsers.