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Ubuntu Linux Install Guide

Paul Lovette edited this page Jan 30, 2021 · 21 revisions

-- DISCLAIMER: By using this guide, you assume sole risk and waive any claims of liability against the author.
-- Note: This guide is for running Akash Validator on a virtual private server (VPS), running Ubuntu 20.04.1 LTS
-- Note: This guide assumes your local machine is a Windows, but most instructions are executed on the remote (VPS) machine.
-- Note: anything preceded by "#" is a comment.
-- Note: anything all-caps in between "<>" is an instruction; e.g. "" might be "foo.txt".
-- Special thanks to Chris Graffagnino and others for sharing their knowledge of Linux and how to secure and hardening Linux


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Generate private/public ssh keys

(If you do not have a ssh key on your computer)

From your local PC
Generate private & public keys (public key will have a ".pub" extension)
When prompted, name it something other than "id_rsa" (in case you're using that somewhere else)

ssh-keygen -t rsa

Lock down private key

chmod 400 ~/.ssh/<YOUR KEY>

Push key up to your box
See below if using Digital Ocean for vps

ssh-copy-id -i ~/.ssh/<YOUR KEYNAME>.pub root@<YOUR VPS PUBLIC IP ADDRESS>

Login with ssh

ssh -i ~/.ssh/<YOUR SSH PRIVATE KEY> root@<YOUR VPS PUBLIC IP ADDRESS>

Change Hostname

Change this to something identifiable to you

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname <NEW_HOSTNAME>

Edit the hosts file to add your new hostname to the 127.0.0.1. Replace the old hostname with the new ont."

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Change the following line:

127.0.0.1 <OLD_HOST_NAME> to 127.0.0.1 SkyNet-Provider

Type ctrl+o to save, ctrl+x to exit

Reboot (You will be kicked off... wait a couple minutes before logging in)

reboot

Create non-root user

useradd <USERNAME> && passwd <USERNAME>
usermod -aG sudo <USERNAME>

Give permissions to new user (please type sudo here... even as root user) sudo visudo

sudo visudo

Add entry for new user under "User privilege specification"

<USERNAME> ALL=(ALL:ALL) ALL

Add directory and permissions

mkdir /home/<USERNAME>

chown <USERNAME>:<USERNAME> /home/<USERNAME> -R

Copy pub key to new user

rsync --archive --chown=<USERNAME>:<USERNAME> ~/.ssh /home/<USERNAME>

Set new user's login shell to bash

chsh -s /bin/bash <USERNAME>

(Do not log out as root user just yet...)

Linux Update & Hardening

Update Our Linux Installation

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
sudo apt install unzip
sudo apt install -y build-essential libssl-dev

Change default ssh port

Note: there is also a file called "ssh_config"... don't edit that one

nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

Find the line that says "# Port 22", change that to "Port <CHOOSE A PORT BETWEEN 1024 AND 65535>"
e.g. "Port 2222"

Type ctrl+o to save, ctrl+x to exit

Configure "uncomplicated firewall" (ufw)

Disable firewall

ufw disable

Set defaults for incoming/outgoing ports

ufw default deny incoming
ufw default allow outgoing

Open ssh port (We are only allowing connection from our own IP)

ufw allow from <IP you will login from> to any port <CHOOSE A PORT BETWEEN 1024 AND 65535 | Same port as above> proto tcp

Double-check the port you chose for ssh was the same as what you set in /etc/ssh/sshd_config

cat /etc/ssh/sshd_config | grep Port

Re-enable the firewall

ufw enable
ufw status verbose

Double-check your new user is in the sudo group

grep '^sudo:.*$' /etc/group | cut -d: -f4

If the above does not return the new username then run this command and repeat the grep:

usermod -aG sudo <USERNAME>

Reboot (You will be kicked off... wait a couple minutes before logging in)

reboot

Sign-in as non-root user

ssh -p <SSH PORT> -i ~/.ssh/<YOUR SSH PRIVATE KEY> <USERNAME>@<YOUR VPS PUBLIC IP ADDRESS>

Disable root login

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config

(Change "PermitRootLogin" from "yes" to "no")

ctrl+o to save, ctrl+x to exit

Reboot (You will be kicked off... wait a couple minutes before logging in)

reboot

Now Linux is setup and hardened. Lets move to the next step which could be any of the following:

  1. Install a Full Node
  2. Install a Provider Node
  3. Install a Validator
  4. Install anything that requires the Linux OS