Situation: Imagine having your system constantly bombarded with login attempts from unknown sources. This is known as a brute force attack, where an attacker uses a script to try every possible password combination to gain access to your account. It's like trying to find the correct key to unlock a door by attempting every possible key combination.
A brute force attack usually takes tens of thousands of login attempts to find the correct combination and be able to login regularly. This can be a significant concern for system administrators, as it can lead to unauthorized access and potential security breaches.
Action:
To protect your system from such attacks, you can take several steps. Firstly, using strong passwords is essential. Additionally, you can either run your SSH daemon on a different port or use a tool like Fail2Ban to prevent brute-force attacks. However, if you're using DirectAdmin, you might be receiving email notifications every time a brute force attack is detected. While these notifications can be helpful, they can also become overwhelming.
Technology:
DirectAdmin features a brute force monitor tool that sends out email notifications to all admins when brute force assaults are detected. To disable these notifications but still keep the IPs blacklisted, you need to edit the DirectAdmin.conf file. This file is located under /usr/local/directadmin/conf. To make the change, simply add the following string to the file:
hide_brute_force_notifications=1This will prevent email notifications from being sent out while still maintaining the security benefits of the brute force monitor tool. By making this simple change, you can reduce the noise from these notifications and focus on more critical system administration tasks.
By following these steps, you can effectively manage brute force attacks and protect your system from potential security threats. Remember to always prioritize strong passwords and consider using additional security tools like Fail2Ban to further enhance your system's security.