Setting Up a Secure WebSSH Server with SSL on Ubuntu: A Step-by-Step Guide

 

How to Set Up WebSSH with SSL on Ubuntu

If you’re looking to secure your WebSSH installation with SSL on an Ubuntu system, this step-by-step guide will help you get it done. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully functioning WebSSH server that’s secured with an SSL certificate. Let's dive in!

---

Prerequisites

• An Ubuntu server with sudo privileges.
• Basic knowledge of using the command line.
• Python 3 and pip installed.

---

Step 1: Install WebSSH

First, you need to install webssh and pip3. Open your terminal and run the following commands:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-pip


pip3 install webssh

This will install webssh along with its dependencies.

Step 2: Verify WebSSH Installation

After installation, check where wssh is installed to ensure it's set up correctly:

which wssh

You should see an output like /usr/local/bin/wssh, which confirms that wssh is installed correctly.

Step 3: Generate SSL Certificates

To secure your WebSSH server with SSL, you'll need to generate an SSL certificate and a private key. Follow these steps:

1. Create a Directory for SSL Files:

   sudo mkdir -p /etc/webssh

2. Navigate to the Directory:

   cd /etc/webssh

3. Generate SSL Certificate and Private Key:

   Run the following command to create a new SSL certificate and private key:

   sudo openssl req -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout webssh.key -x509 -days 365 -out webssh.crt

   • rsa:2048 specifies the RSA key size.
   • -nodes means no password is required for the private key.
   • -days 365 sets the certificate's validity to one year.

   Follow the prompts to enter information like country, state, and common name.

Step 4: Start WebSSH with SSL

Now, start the WebSSH server using SSL by running:

sudo wssh --sslport=443 --certfile=/etc/webssh/webssh.crt --keyfile=/etc/webssh/webssh.key

• --sslport=443 specifies the port to use for SSL (443 is the default port for HTTPS).
• --certfile points to your SSL certificate.
• --keyfile points to your SSL private key.

Step 5: Verify WebSSH is Running

Open a web browser and navigate to https://your-server-ip, replacing your-server-ip with the actual IP address of your server. You should see the WebSSH interface, and your connection should be secured with SSL.

---

Conclusion

You’ve successfully set up WebSSH with SSL on your Ubuntu server. This configuration ensures that all connections to your WebSSH server are encrypted, providing an added layer of security. If you encounter any issues or have further questions, feel free to ask!