8

I just ran rkhunter --check and all was good except this:

Checking if SSH root access is allowed                   [ Warning]

What does this warning mean? SSH root access is not allowed on this system.

EDIT #1

Here is how my /etc/ssh/sshd_config is set:

PermitRootLogin no

and rkhunter.conf

root ~ # cat /etc/rkhunter.conf | grep  ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER
#ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER=no
ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER=unset

2 Answers 2

13

The following values need to match:

  1. In rkhunter configuration:

    cat /etc/rkhunter.conf | grep ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER
    
    ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER=no
    
  2. In sshd configuration:

    cat /etc/ssh/sshd_config | grep PermitRootLogin
    
    PermitRootLogin no
    

Once they do match, you should not be warned by rkhunter any longer.

1
  • 1
    Yes, thank you for the edit! Still getting used to the editor. Apr 2, 2015 at 20:47
5

In case you have set in your /etc/ssh/sshd_config

PermitRootLogin without-password

Again in the /etc/rkhunter.conf the value must match, as in the following example:

ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER=without-password
1
  • Everywhere I read, it is specified that (in case of Ubuntu), you should write: ALLOW_SSH_ROOT_USER=yes, but that doesn't work. This answer solves it! Thanks!
    – lepe
    Sep 9, 2017 at 4:58

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