SSH 2FA
Set up SSH 2FA with google authenticator
This article goes over installing google authenticator on an Ubuntu server to enable 2FA authentication when performing SSH
Note: It's recommended that you try setting up 2FA on a test server first, so you are not locked out of your server in case something goes wrong. It's also important to fully test the authentication before going live since a misconfiguration could leave your server less secure.
sudo apt install libpam-google-authenticator -y
Run the
google-authenticator command and follow the on-screen promptsgoogle-authenticator
First, it will ask you about time-based tokens. Say
y to this question:Do you want authentication tokens to be time-based: y
You will now see a big QR code on your screen, scan it with your Google Authenticator app to add it. You will also see your secret and a few backup codes looking like this:
Your new secret key is: IRG2TALMR5U2LK5VQ5AQIG3HA4
Your verification code is 282436
Your emergency scratch codes are:
29778030
86888537
50553659
41403052
82649596
Record the emergency scratch codes somewhere safe in case you need to log into the machine but don't have your 2FA app handy. Without the app, you will no longer be able to SSH into the machine!
Finally, it will ask you for some more parameters; the recommended defaults are as follows:
Do you want me to update your "/<username>/.google_authenticator" file: y
Do you want to disallow multiple uses of the same authentication token: y
By default... < long story about time skew > ... Do you want to do so: n
Do you want to enable rate-limiting: y
sudo vim /etc/pam.d/sshd
Add to bottom of pam sshd file
auth required pam_google_authenticator.so
Update SSH
sudo vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Make sure to have these settings enabled
ChallengeResponseAuthentication yes # This has been replaced by KbdInteractiveAuthentication in Ubuntu 22.04 and later
UsePAM yes
Add to bottom of
sshd_config fileAuthenticationMethods publickey,keyboard-interactive:pam
Restart SSH service
sudo systemctl restart sshd.service
sudo vim /etc/pam.d/sshd
Comment these lines so it looks like this
# auth required pam_google_authenticator.so
Update SSH
sudo vim /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Change
AuthenticationMethods to only allow publickeyAuthenticationMethods publickey
Restart SSH service
sudo systemctl restart sshd.service