Tag: SSH Protection

🔐 Automatically Install Fail2Ban with Smart Jail Detection on Your VPS (Script by Hosteons)

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Here’s a complete WordPress blog post draft to promote your Fail2Ban Auto-Installer script from GitHub:

🔐 Automatically Install Fail2Ban with Smart Jail Detection on Your VPS (Script by Hosteons)

At Hosteons, we’re committed to making server security easier for everyone. Whether you’re running a small VPS or managing a fleet of Linux servers, protecting against brute-force attacks is critical.

That’s why we’ve created a Fail2Ban Auto-Installer Script that not only installs Fail2Ban but also auto-detects and enables jails for common services like SSH, Apache, and Nginx — all in one click.

👉 GitHub Repository:

https://github.com/hosteons/Fail2Ban-Auto-Installer-With-Jail

✅ Key Features

  • Installs Fail2Ban on Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux, and CentOS
  • Detects installed services (e.g., sshd, nginx, apache) and enables jails accordingly
  • Skips jails for services not found on the system
  • Handles log file paths intelligently based on distro
  • Verifies and restarts Fail2Ban only if configuration is valid
  • Smart checks if Fail2Ban is already installed
  • Minimal and safe — logs errors clearly

🧠 How It Works

When you run the script:

  1. It detects your Linux OS flavor.
  2. Installs Fail2Ban (if not already installed).
  3. Checks if apache, nginx, or sshd is active.
  4. Adds only the appropriate jails with correct log paths.
  5. Restarts Fail2Ban and confirms its status.
  6. Provides clear output so you know it’s working.

This ensures Fail2Ban doesn’t fail due to missing log files or services — a common issue in manual configurations.

📥 How to Use

  1. Download the script:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hosteons/Fail2Ban-Auto-Installer-With-Jail/main/fail2ban_auto_installer.sh
chmod +x fail2ban_auto_installer.sh
./fail2ban_auto_installer.sh
  2. That’s it. The script handles the rest!

🚀 Need a Secure VPS?

This script runs perfectly on our KVM VPS and Ryzen VPS plans. Visit hosteons.com to explore secure hosting powered by NVMe SSD and DDoS protection — with native support for IPv6, WireGuard VPN, and more.

🔗 Related Resources

🔐 Secure Your VPS Like a Pro: 6 Simple Firewall Rules That Block 90% of Attacks

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Running a VPS gives you full control — but it also comes with responsibility. Whether you’re hosting with a budget VPS or a high-performance Ryzen VDS from Hosteons, security should always be a top priority.

Automated bots and malicious actors are constantly scanning servers looking for open doors. The good news? With just a few simple firewall rules, you can block 90% or more of common attacks — no advanced security knowledge needed.

🚧 Step 1: Deny All by Default

Your firewall should start from a “zero trust” position. Block all incoming traffic unless explicitly allowed.

iptables -P INPUT DROP
iptables -P FORWARD DROP
iptables -P OUTPUT ACCEPT

This is the safest starting point for VPS security.

✅ Step 2: Open Only the Ports You Need

For most users, these are the essential services:

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -j ACCEPT   # SSH
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT   # HTTP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j ACCEPT  # HTTPS

If you’re using a custom SSH port, be sure to update that here.

🛡️ Step 3: Rate-Limit SSH to Stop Brute-Force Attacks

SSH is the most frequently targeted service. Add a rate-limiting rule to block repeated login attempts:

iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -m state --state NEW -m recent --set
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 22 -m state --state NEW -m recent --update --seconds 60 --hitcount 3 -j DROP

This prevents bots from guessing passwords through brute force.

🧼 Step 4: Drop Invalid or Malicious Packets

Invalid packets are often used in scanning or attack attempts. Drop them:

iptables -A INPUT -m state --state INVALID -j DROP

This helps prevent certain types of kernel-level exploits and misbehavior.

🔁 Step 5: Allow Loopback and Established Connections

Let your server communicate with itself and continue existing sessions:

iptables -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT

Without these, things like internal services and return traffic might break.

👀 Step 6: (Optional) Block Ping (ICMP)

Ping isn’t harmful by itself, but attackers use it to detect live servers. You can hide yours:

iptables -A INPUT -p icmp --icmp-type echo-request -j DROP

Note: avoid this if you use ping-based monitoring tools.

💡 Bonus: Use CSF for Easier Firewall Management

Not comfortable with command-line tools? Hosteons VPS plans fully support CSF (ConfigServer Security & Firewall)— a beginner-friendly, feature-rich firewall system with:

  • Easy interface via DirectAdmin
  • Built-in brute-force detection
  • Country-level blocking
  • Port scan detection
  • Daily logs and alerts

Perfect for users who want simplicity without sacrificing power.

🔄 Don’t Forget to Save Your Rules

After setting your rules, make sure they persist after a reboot.

On Ubuntu/Debian:

iptables-save > /etc/iptables/rules.v4

On CentOS/RHEL:

Use iptables-save along with persistent packages, or configure firewalld.

🔐 VPS Security Starts with You

Whether you’re running a personal blog, game server, or production site on a VPS from Hosteons, implementing basic firewall rules should be your first line of defense.

These 6 rules are easy to set up and highly effective. For extra protection, consider:

  • Enabling fail2ban
  • Using SSH keys instead of passwords
  • Running regular security updates

At Hosteons, we offer high-performance, SSD-powered KVM VPS and Ryzen VDS backed by robust network security and full root access — so you’re always in control.

🔒 Ready to launch your secure VPS?

👉 Explore our VPS plans now