2

I have a client I need to do work for on their server where I need the ability to ssh to their machine. They requested my IP address so that they can allow only me into their server. I know my isp gives me a dynamic IP. What are the alternatives we could use to provide a secure singular connection between the two machines?

Thanks for your help

Improve this question

5 Answers 5

Reset to default
2

You could use dynamic DNS and then have the other location allow your domain name in the hosts.allow file. (http://static.closedsrc.org/articles/dn-articles/hosts_allow.html) A few other security steps you could do is:

  • Only allow key based logins
  • Change the port on which SSH is listening
  • Only allow specific users to use SSH
Improve this answer
1

If you can not get/afford to get a static IP from your ISP. There are other options that can increase the security.

  1. They can open the SSH on a non-standard port (other than 22).
  2. They can prevent SSH login using passwords and gives you a certificate to use instead.
  3. They can allow the login for some specific users/groups only.
Improve this answer
0

One solution is dynamic DNS where external DNS server keeps track of your changing address.Check no-ip.com, Update a DNS to a for a dynamic IP

Improve this answer
0

The IP-based restriction seems kind of a wrong approach, just ask them to use key-based authentication and restrict password-based authentication.

Improve this answer
0

It'd be better if you can get key-based authentication set up by the client. That will be at least as secure as IP based restrictions.

If you can't, you might be able to use some cloud services as an out of the box approach. I haven't fully explored this, but you can possibly use an Amazon AWS trial account for a year. You can get a static IP using the Elastic IP service, which is a couple bucks a month. In this case, you'd ssh to the EC2 instance, then ssh over to the client.

Improve this answer
4
  • would this be something like what you setup with github ?
    – mcgrailm
    Dec 27, 2011 at 14:21
  • Uh, no. Github does key-based authentication, and doesn't care about the incoming IP. The only reason to set up such an EC2 instance would be to use an Elastic IP (i.e., a static IP) if your client is insisting on an IP-based security layer for SSH.
    – cjc
    Dec 27, 2011 at 14:27
  • One should note that dynamic IPs from your ISP can be pretty stable. I had one from Verizon that lasted 18 months.
    – cjc
    Dec 27, 2011 at 14:28
  • yeah I know its pretty consistent but that's if there are no power outages
    – mcgrailm
    Dec 27, 2011 at 14:47

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .