Difference between revisions of "Custom SSH Security"
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| − | + | === Enhancing SSH security === | |
This article details how to modify the ssh service to restrict the cipher list and key exchange algorithms on a QuantaStor SDS Storage Appliance. The full list of key exchange options are detailed in the [http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi/OpenBSD-current/man5/sshd_config.5?query=sshd_config&sec=5|sshd_config man page here] | This article details how to modify the ssh service to restrict the cipher list and key exchange algorithms on a QuantaStor SDS Storage Appliance. The full list of key exchange options are detailed in the [http://www.openbsd.org/cgi-bin/man.cgi/OpenBSD-current/man5/sshd_config.5?query=sshd_config&sec=5|sshd_config man page here] | ||
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For customers who wish to secure their QuantaStor SSH service and restrict communication to stronger ciphers and key exchange algorithms but who may not understand the complexity of the topic, we recommend following the security best practices outlined by the [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Security/Guidelines/OpenSSH#OpenSSH_server|Mozilla Foundation] for the OpenSSH 5.3 or newer releases. QuantaStor 3.x currently includes the OpenSSH_5.9p1 based patch releases. | For customers who wish to secure their QuantaStor SSH service and restrict communication to stronger ciphers and key exchange algorithms but who may not understand the complexity of the topic, we recommend following the security best practices outlined by the [https://wiki.mozilla.org/Security/Guidelines/OpenSSH#OpenSSH_server|Mozilla Foundation] for the OpenSSH 5.3 or newer releases. QuantaStor 3.x currently includes the OpenSSH_5.9p1 based patch releases. | ||
| − | + | ==== Editing the SSH config file ==== | |
You will want to edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file on each of your QuantaStor system(s) and add your custom settings for the 'KexAlgorithms', 'MACs' and 'Ciphers'. These sections are not normally included in the file and will need to be added, they can be inserted anywhere in the file. The below example shows what you would add to your /etc/ssh/sshd_config file following the Mozilla Foundation security guidelines. | You will want to edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file on each of your QuantaStor system(s) and add your custom settings for the 'KexAlgorithms', 'MACs' and 'Ciphers'. These sections are not normally included in the file and will need to be added, they can be inserted anywhere in the file. The below example shows what you would add to your /etc/ssh/sshd_config file following the Mozilla Foundation security guidelines. | ||
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| − | + | ==== Verifying the SSH security settings ==== | |
You can confirm the new ciphers and algorithms are in use by using ssh in debug2 mode with the <pre>-vv</pre> flags. | You can confirm the new ciphers and algorithms are in use by using ssh in debug2 mode with the <pre>-vv</pre> flags. | ||
Revision as of 17:24, 15 May 2015
Enhancing SSH security
This article details how to modify the ssh service to restrict the cipher list and key exchange algorithms on a QuantaStor SDS Storage Appliance. The full list of key exchange options are detailed in the man page here
For customers who wish to secure their QuantaStor SSH service and restrict communication to stronger ciphers and key exchange algorithms but who may not understand the complexity of the topic, we recommend following the security best practices outlined by the Foundation for the OpenSSH 5.3 or newer releases. QuantaStor 3.x currently includes the OpenSSH_5.9p1 based patch releases.
Editing the SSH config file
You will want to edit the /etc/ssh/sshd_config file on each of your QuantaStor system(s) and add your custom settings for the 'KexAlgorithms', 'MACs' and 'Ciphers'. These sections are not normally included in the file and will need to be added, they can be inserted anywhere in the file. The below example shows what you would add to your /etc/ssh/sshd_config file following the Mozilla Foundation security guidelines.
#Enforce strong security ciphers and algorithms KexAlgorithms diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256 MACs hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-256 Ciphers aes256-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes128-ctr
Once the new settings are in the configuration file, you will want to restart the ssh service using the below command:
sudo service ssh restart
Verifying the SSH security settings
You can confirm the new ciphers and algorithms are in use by using ssh in debug2 mode with the-vvflags.
The first list of key exchange ciphers in the kex_parse_kexinit section of the ssh debug output are those the client can support, these are specific to the client you are running and limiting their cipher and algorithms is not within the scope of this document.
... debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ecdh-sha2-nistp256,ecdh-sha2-nistp384,ecdh-sha2-nistp521,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ecdsa-sha2-nistp256-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521-cert-v01@openssh.com,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256,ecdsa-sha2-nistp384,ecdsa-sha2-nistp521,ssh-rsa-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-dss-cert-v01@openssh.com,ssh-rsa-cert-v00@openssh.com,ssh-dss-cert-v00@openssh.com,ssh-rsa,ssh-dss debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,arcfour256,arcfour128,aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,arcfour,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes256-ctr,arcfour256,arcfour128,aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,arcfour,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-256-96,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-512-96,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,umac-64@openssh.com,hmac-sha2-256,hmac-sha2-256-96,hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-512-96,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd160@openssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com,zlib debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ...
The second set of key exchange ciphers in the kex_parse_kexinit section of the ssh debug output are those the ssh server can support. The below example output shows what you would see after configuring with the best practice settings advised in the SSH cipher security section above.
... debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha256 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss,ecdsa-sha2-nistp256 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes256-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes128-ctr debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes256-ctr,aes192-ctr,aes128-ctr debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-256 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-sha2-512,hmac-sha2-256 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib@openssh.com debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0 debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0 ...
The other section in the ssh debug output 'mac_setup' and 'kex' details the message authentication code(MAC) that the systems negotiate for identity verification and the cipher chosen for communication. The below example output shows what you would see after configuring with the best practice settings advised in the SSH cipher security section above.
... debug2: mac_setup: found hmac-sha2-256 debug1: kex: server->client aes128-ctr hmac-sha2-256 none debug2: mac_setup: found hmac-sha2-256 debug1: kex: client->server aes128-ctr hmac-sha2-256 none ...
