Skip to main content

SSH Private Key Scanning

Threat actors are actively scanning web servers to find private Secure Shell (SSH) keys. The increase in this type of scan is due to either a bug or a common operational mistake made by web server administrators.
Threat ID:
CC-1727
Category:
Threat Severity:
Medium
Threat Vector:
Published:
25 October 2017 12:00 AM
Report a cyber attack: call 0300 303 5222 or email [email protected]

This content has been archived

This article no longer conforms to NHS Digital's standards for cyber alerts, and may contain outdated or inaccurate information. Use of this information contained in this page is at your own risk

Summary

Threat actors are actively scanning web servers to find private Secure Shell (SSH) keys. The increase in this type of scan is due to either a bug or a common operational mistake made by web server administrators.

Threat details

The increase in this type of scan is due to either a bug or a common operational mistake made by web server administrators. Actors are looking for SSH keys in web directories where such a key would be stored, such as "root," "ssh," or "id_rsa."
SSH is used as a secure way to connect to servers and communicate with them. It can be used get a terminal on a remote server and enter commands. For example, SSH is used for Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) for WordPress.

Remediation steps

Type Step
  • Ensure that SSH keys are stored in a private location.
  • Do not copy a private key to the remote server that is being logged in to.
  • SSH keys can also be protected with passwords.
  • Ensure that strong password and account policies are enforced for all accounts that have access to management interfaces over SSH.

Last edited: 17 February 2020 11:39 am