As a protocol, SSH enables secure communication between various systems. System administrators commonly use it to manage systems and provide user support for problem-solving. However, attackers can also exploit SSH to gain unauthorised access to systems and create tunnels for lateral movement within a network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are various methods that attackers can use to exploit SSH and gain unauthorised entry to systems. One such way is through automated software, where the attackers try to guess the system's login credentials and password in a brute force attack. If they succeed, they can access all the applications and data on the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attackers can use open SSH ports to gain unauthorised access to systems. The SSH server typically operates on port 22, but Linux users can use the -p option to connect to a specific port number when using the SSH command. Administrators can also configure SSH to listen on a different port besides 22. If you need to access a remote server that listens on port 2222, type to specify the port SSH is listening on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An attacker can access an entire network and use it as a starting point for distributing malware or other illegal operations after accessing a system that supports SSH. To log in using SSH, attackers may utilise credentials that have been guess-worked or stolen. They can travel about the network, increase their privilege level, and install malware once they've successfully signed in. RDP credentials are another item that attackers can buy on the dark web to enter systems without authorisation. SSH keys and certificates can be obtained through open buckets, public repositories, and source control, among other places. SSH ports can occasionally be misconfigured, giving attackers even more access to the network. Strong passwords, network-level authentication, SSH proxy hardening, restricting the number of admins that may log in via clear state jump hosts for remote desktop access, and account lockout policies are all crucial for securing your SSH setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Connecting through SSH to the target system is the first step. Attackers can use the target system's IP address or hostname, the username, and the ssh command to do this.
An SSH tunnel can be formed after the SSH connection has been made. The ssh command's -L or -R options do this. For local port forwarding, use the -L option; for remote port forwarding, use the -R option. The connection to the user account at the ssh_server binds the port. Using SSH and local port forwarding, an attacker can bypass the firewall protection and access a remote resource locally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Attackers can use the SSH tunnel for lateral network movement after it has been established. This involves moving files, running commands, and creating additional SSH connections (server hopping) to other systems connected to the network. An SSH Jump server is a Linux server that acts as a gateway to other Linux servers within a private network using the SSH Protocol. It's crucial to remember that although SSH tunnels can be an effective tool for system administrators, they can also be taken advantage of by attackers for harmful purposes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As a protocol, SSH enables secure communication between various systems. System administrators commonly use it to manage systems and provide user support for problem-solving. However, attackers can also exploit SSH to gain unauthorised access to systems and create tunnels for lateral movement within a network. There are various methods that attackers can use to exploit … Continue reading “SSH”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1808","glossary","type-glossary","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gabey.com.au\/gabeyinfo\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/glossary\/1808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gabey.com.au\/gabeyinfo\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/glossary"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gabey.com.au\/gabeyinfo\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/glossary"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gabey.com.au\/gabeyinfo\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gabey.com.au\/gabeyinfo\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/glossary\/1808\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gabey.com.au\/gabeyinfo\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}