Provided by: ssh-audit_3.1.0-1_all 
NAME
ssh-audit - SSH server & client configuration auditor
SYNOPSIS
ssh-audit [options] <target_host>
DESCRIPTION
ssh-audit analyzes the configuration of SSH servers & clients, then warns the user of weak, obsolete,
and/or untested cryptographic primitives. It is very useful for hardening SSH tunnels, which by default
tend to be optimized for compatibility, not security.
See <https://www.ssh-audit.com/> for official hardening guides for common platforms.
OPTIONS
-h, --help
Print short summary of options.
-1, --ssh1
Only perform an audit using SSH protocol version 1.
-2, --ssh2
Only perform an audit using SSH protocol version 2.
-4, --ipv4
Prioritize the usage of IPv4.
-6, --ipv6
Prioritize the usage of IPv6.
-b, --batch
Enables grepable output.
-c, --client-audit
Starts a server on port 2222 to audit client software configuration. Use -p/--port=<port> to
change port and -t/--timeout=<secs> to change listen timeout.
-d, --debug
Enable debug output.
-g, --gex-test=<x[,y,...] | min1:pref1:max1[,min2:pref2:max2,...] | x-y[:step]>
Runs a Diffie-Hellman Group Exchange modulus size test against a server.
Diffie-Hellman requires the client and server to agree on a generator value and a modulus value.
In the "Group Exchange" implementation of Diffie-Hellman, the client specifies the size of the
modulus in bits by providing the server with minimum, preferred and maximum values. The server
then finds a group that best matches the client's request, returning the corresponding generator
and modulus. For a full explanation of this process see RFC 4419 and its successors.
This test acts as a client by providing an SSH server with the size of a modulus and then obtains
the size of the modulus returned by the server.
Three types of syntax are supported:
1. <x[,y,...]>
A comma delimited list of modulus sizes.
A test is performed against each value in the list where it acts as the minimum, preferred
and maximum modulus size.
2. <min:pref:max[,min:pref:max,...]>
A set of three colon delimited values denoting minimum, preferred and maximum modulus size.
A test is performed against each set.
Multiple sets can specified as a comma separated list.
3. <x-y[:step]>
A range of modulus sizes with an optional step value. Step defaults to 1 if omitted.
If the left value is greater than the right value, then the sequence operates from right to
left.
A test is performed against each value in the range where it acts as the minimum, preferred
and maximum modulus size.
Duplicates are excluded from the return value.
-j, --json
Output results in JSON format. Specify twice (-jj) to enable indent printing (useful for
debugging).
-l, --level=<info|warn|fail>
Specify the minimum output level. Default is info.
-L, --list-policies
List all official, built-in policies for common systems. Their full names can then be passed to
-P/--policy.
--lookup=<alg1,alg2,...>
Look up the security information of an algorithm(s) in the internal database. Does not connect to
a server.
-m, --manual
Print the man page (Windows only).
-M, --make-policy=<custom_policy.txt>
Creates a policy based on the target server. Useful when other servers should be compared to the
target server's custom configuration (i.e.: a cluster environment). Note that the resulting
policy can be edited manually.
-n, --no-colors
Disable color output.
-p, --port=<port>
The TCP port to connect to when auditing a server, or the port to listen on when auditing a
client.
-P, --policy=<"built-in policy name" | path/to/custom_policy.txt>
Runs a policy audit against a target using the specified policy (see POLICY AUDIT section for
detailed description of this mode of operation). Combine with -c/--client-audit to audit a client
configuration instead of a server. Use -L/--list-policies to list all official, built-in policies
for common systems.
-t, --timeout=<secs>
The timeout, in seconds, for creating connections and reading data from the socket. Default is 5.
-T, --targets=<hosts.txt>
A file containing a list of target hosts. Each line must have one host, in the format of
HOST[:PORT]. Use --threads to control concurrent scans.
--threads=<threads>
The number of threads to use when scanning multiple targets (with -T/--targets). Default is 32.
-v, --verbose
Enable verbose output.
STANDARD AUDIT
By default, ssh-audit performs a standard audit. That is, it enumerates all host key types, key
exchanges, ciphers, MACs, and other information, then color-codes them in output to the user.
Cryptographic primitives with potential issues are displayed in yellow; primitives with serious flaws are
displayed in red.
POLICY AUDIT
When the -P/--policy option is used, ssh-audit performs a policy audit. The target's host key types, key
exchanges, ciphers, MACs, and other information is compared to a set of expected values defined in the
specified policy file. If everything matches, only a short message stating a passing result is reported.
Otherwise, the field(s) that did not match are reported.
Policy auditing is helpful for ensuring a group of related servers are properly hardened to an exact
specification.
The set of official built-in policies can be viewed with -L/--list-policies. Multiple servers can be
audited with -T/--targets=<servers.txt>. Custom policies can be made from an ideal target server with
-M/--make-policy=<custom_policy.txt>.
EXAMPLES
Basic server auditing:
ssh-audit localhost
ssh-audit 127.0.0.1
ssh-audit 127.0.0.1:222
ssh-audit ::1
ssh-audit [::1]:222
To run a standard audit against many servers (place targets into servers.txt, one on each line in the
format of HOST[:PORT]):
ssh-audit -T servers.txt
To audit a client configuration (listens on port 2222 by default; connect using "ssh -p 2222
anything@localhost"):
ssh-audit -c
To audit a client configuration, with a listener on port 4567:
ssh-audit -c -p 4567
To list all official built-in policies (hint: use their full names with -P/--policy):
ssh-audit -L
To run a built-in policy audit against a server (hint: use -L to see list of built-in policies):
ssh-audit -P "Hardened Ubuntu Server 20.04 LTS (version 1)" targetserver
To run a custom policy audit against a server (hint: use -M/--make-policy to create a custom policy
file):
ssh-audit -P path/to/server_policy.txt targetserver
To run a policy audit against a client:
ssh-audit -c -P ["policy name" | path/to/client_policy.txt]
To run a policy audit against many servers:
ssh-audit -T servers.txt -P ["policy name" | path/to/server_policy.txt]
To create a policy based on a target server (which can be manually edited; see official built-in policies
for syntax examples):
ssh-audit -M new_policy.txt targetserver
To run a Diffie-Hellman Group Exchange modulus size test using the values 2000 bits, 3000 bits, 4000 bits
and 5000 bits:
ssh-audit targetserver --gex-test=2000,3000,4000,5000
To run a Diffie-Hellman Group Exchange modulus size test where 2048 bits is the minimum, 3072 bits is the
preferred and 5000 bits is the maximum:
ssh-audit targetserver --gex-test=2048:3072:5000
To run a Diffie-Hellman Group Exchange modulus size test from 0 bits to 5120 bits in increments of 1024
bits:
ssh-audit targetserver --gex-test=0-5120:1024
RETURN VALUES
When a successful connection is made and all algorithms are rated as "good", ssh-audit returns 0. Other
possible return values are:
1 = connection error
2 = at least one algorithm warning was found
3 = at least one algorithm failure was found
<any other non-zero value> = unknown error
SSH HARDENING GUIDES
Hardening guides for common platforms can be found at: <https://www.ssh-audit.com/>
BUG REPORTS
Please file bug reports as a Github Issue at: <https://github.com/jtesta/ssh-audit/issues>
AUTHOR
ssh-audit was originally written by Andris Raugulis <moo@arthepsy.eu>, and maintained from 2015 to 2017. Maintainership was assumed and development was resumed in 2017 by Joe Testa <jtesta@positronsecurity.com>. March 13, 2022 SSH-AUDIT(1)