My Mint Notes

My Mint Linux Notes

Notes on my Minut Linux

SSH server

First order of business is to install an SSH server so I can securely connect to machine remotely. OpenSSH server is optimum for this.

In terminal window run this command:

sudo aptitude install openssh-server

Backup your sshd-config file:

sudo cp /etc/ssh/sshd_config /etc/ssh/sshd_config.bak

Edit sshd_config file. To read about the options read sshd_config man page

sudo vi /etc/ssh/sshd_config

To enhance security modify your sshd_config to disable login by root and deny all users except those listed:

• PermitRootLogin no
• AllowUsers <userid> <userid> // Adding AllowUsers explicity retricts access to only specified users

Restart ssh:

sudo restart ssh

Now you should be able to remotely connect to your Mint Linux

Aptitude

Copied from Garfield Tech for reference:

aptitude update: Update the local cache of available packages (formerly apt-get update.
aptitude upgrade: Upgrade available packages (formerly apt-get upgrade).
aptitude dist-upgrade: Upgrade available packages even if it means removing stuff (formerly apt-get dist-upgrade).
aptitude install pkgname: Install package (formerly apt-get install).
aptitude remove pkgname: Uninstall package (formerly apt-get remove).
aptitude purge pkgname: Uninstall package and config files (formerly apt-get --purge remove).
aptitude search string: Search for a package with "string" in the name or description (formerly apt-cache search string).
aptitude show pkgname: Show detailed of a package (formerly apt-cache show pkgname).
aptitude clean: Delete downloaded package files (formerly apt-get clean).
aptitude autoclean: Delete only out-of-date package files but keep current ones (formerly apt-get autoclean).
aptitude hold pkgname: Fix a package at its current version and don't upgrade it automatically (formerly an obscure echo-to-file command). unhold to remove the hold.