New trends

New trends

First some advice:
- use denyhosts http://denyhosts.sourceforge.net/, it works very well. All distros have packages ready.
- use the AllowUsers option /etc/ssh/sshd_config e.g:

AllowUsers joeuser foouser

MaxAuthTries 3

In the last couple of days it seems like more distributed attacks are going on, presumably to smart out software like denyhosts. However with 2/3 tries per IP a fairly large botnet is needed to crack a good password.

If you're using passphrases rather than passwords (i.e. password-interactive authentication is
disabled), then you're safe anyway. It's exactly as hard for a cracker to guess a private key
with a passphrase as it is for him to guess one without a passphrase.

What the passphrase keeps you safe from is some bastard nicking your key.