Changing port and CSF

magicalwonders

• November 19, 2014 11:24

I've been getting a lot of failed login attempts from hackers, so asked my host to change the port I login to the server with. I use the same new port to sftp. However, the login attempts are just as many as before. I've noticed on looking in CSF that the allowed incoming TCP ports are still including port 22. Should this not be removed? Also, according to wikipedia, ports 20 & 21 are for FTP data transfer and FTP control (command). As I'm only using SFTP on another port, is it safe to remove these from the list in CSF ? Hope someone can advise?

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  quizknows

  • November 19, 2014 17:44

  Ensure your new SSH port is open in CSF, and that SSH is indeed listening on that port. At that time it should be fine to close port 22, as well as 20/21 if you don't use normal FTP.

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  magicalwonders

  • November 19, 2014 19:14

  ]Ensure your new SSH port is open in CSF, and that SSH is indeed listening on that port. At that time it should be fine to close port 22, as well as 20/21 if you don't use normal FTP.

  
  OK, thanks for the confirmation. I've had a look in WHM "Plugins "ConfigServer Security & Firewall "View listening Ports, and my new port is listed. 20 and 22 is not present in this list, although port 21 is. Not sure I really understand that.

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  quizknows

  • November 19, 2014 19:54

  Do you have the FTP server disabled, or do you simply not utilize it? You can go to "FTP Server Selection" in WHM and entirely disable the service if you wish.

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  magicalwonders

  • November 20, 2014 07:53

  ]Do you have the FTP server disabled, or do you simply not utilize it? You can go to "FTP Server Selection" in WHM and entirely disable the service if you wish.

  
  I've had a look in WHM and the setting for "FTP Server Selection" has "Pure-FTPD" enabled. I transfer and download files using SFTP, so I assume I need to keep that setting enabled?

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  quizknows

  • November 20, 2014 18:06

  Pure-FTPD Is not necessary for SFTP. SFTP is a subsystem of the SSH service and will work fine with no FTP server selected.

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  magicalwonders

  • November 20, 2014 18:37

  ]Pure-FTPD Is not necessary for SFTP. SFTP is a subsystem of the SSH service and will work fine with no FTP server selected.

  
  OK I'll disable that setting then. Thanks for your help and advice on this. :)

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  cPanelMichael

  • November 20, 2014 19:17

  Hello :) I just wanted to add that you may also be interested in the following thread: SSH Hardening Thank you.

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  magicalwonders

  • November 20, 2014 19:42

  ]Hello :) I just wanted to add that you may also be interested in the following thread: SSH Hardening Thank you.

  
  Thanks for the link Michael. :)

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