{"id":1369,"date":"2026-09-03T11:37:30","date_gmt":"2026-09-03T06:07:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cpanelfree.com\/blog\/how-to-change-ssh-port-linux-vps\/"},"modified":"2026-09-12T12:45:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T07:15:21","slug":"how-to-change-ssh-port-linux-vps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cpanelfree.com\/blog\/how-to-change-ssh-port-linux-vps\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Change the Default SSH Port on Linux to Block 99% of Bot Scanners"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Quick Answer:<\/strong> To change the default SSH port on a Linux VPS, select an unused high port (such as 22022<\/code>), allow the new port in UFW (sudo ufw allow 22022\/tcp<\/code>), edit \/etc\/ssh\/sshd_config<\/code> to set Port 22022<\/code>, restart OpenSSH (sudo systemctl restart ssh<\/code>), and verify connection in a separate terminal before closing your active session.\n <\/p>\n

\n \u23f1\ufe0f 5 min read (976 words)<\/span>
\n \ud83d\udee1\ufe0f Verified on Ubuntu 24.04 \/ Debian 12<\/span>
\n \ud83d\udd04 Updated for 2026 Edition<\/span>\n<\/div>\n

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\n \ud83d\udcd1<\/span> Table of Contents\n <\/div>\n

Guide Index<\/span>\n <\/div>\n

\n 1<\/span>Why Changing Port 22 Drastically Cuts Server Noise<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>2<\/span>Step 1: Selecting a Safe Custom Port Number<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>3<\/span>Step 2: Opening the New Port in UFW & Cloud Security Groups<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>4<\/span>Step 3: Updating OpenSSH Daemon Configuration<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>5<\/span>Step 4: Testing the Configuration and Restarting SSH<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>6<\/span>Step 5: Verifying the Connection (Do Not Close Existing Window!)<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>7<\/span>Configuring SSH Client Shortcuts in ~\/.ssh\/config<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>8<\/span>SELinux Considerations on RHEL, AlmaLinux & Rocky Linux<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>9<\/span>Step-by-Step Port Change for Ubuntu, Debian, AlmaLinux & CentOS<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>10<\/span>Pairing Custom SSH Ports with Port Knocking & WireGuard VPNs<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>11<\/span>Automating Port Change with Ansible Configuration Management<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>12<\/span>Monitoring SSH Authentication Logs with Logwatch<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>13<\/span>Frequently Asked Questions<\/span>›<\/span><\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Why Changing Port 22 Drastically Cuts Server Noise<\/h2>\n

While security professionals rightly note that changing the SSH port is “security through obscurity” rather than a standalone cryptographic barrier, moving SSH off standard port 22 immediately eliminates over 99% of automated credential stuffing bots<\/strong>. This keeps \/var\/log\/auth.log<\/code> clean, conserves CPU cycles, and prevents authentication log bloat.<\/p>\n

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\n \u26a1 Executive Summary & Key Takeaways
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\n Verified Guide<\/span>\n <\/div>\n