OpenSSH server

Ashkhan · 03-23-2008, 04:27 PM

Hi all,

I have a quick question. Is it possible to print out what options are used by the OpenSSH server in case the sshd_config file doesn't exist? What default values are used?

Specifically interested in OpenSSH_3.9p1.

From the manual:

-f configuration_file
Specifies the name of the configuration file. The default is /etc/ssh/sshd_config. sshd refuses to start if there is no configuration file.

It is interesting that sshd (OpenSSH_4.3p2) starts even though there is no sshd_config file. Can't test this with the OpenSSH_3.9p1 version right now.

Thanks in advance

Ash

Tinkster · 03-23-2008, 05:41 PM

Have you actually tried stopping and starting it? Maybe the
file got deleted after it was started?

Cheers,
Tink

Ashkhan · 03-23-2008, 06:43 PM

I deleted the config file and restarted sshd. It works, I can log but I have no idea what options are enabled or what behaviour I can expect from sshd now.

yitzle · 03-23-2008, 10:41 PM

You're sure there is no config file at /etc/default/ssh ?

Ashkhan · 03-24-2008, 05:03 AM

There was no sshd_config. Actually, I moved the file to /var/tmp and restarted sshd. It seems it remembered its inode. After removing the file sshd refuses to start as mentioned in the manual.

If you create empty sshd_config it is satisfied. What is enabled is a mystery though.

billymayday · 03-24-2008, 05:17 AM

I'm not saying RTFM, but did you look at man sshd_config? It tells you the defaults for the arguments (at least the first few, before I stopped looking)

Ashkhan · 03-24-2008, 07:08 AM

Thanks billymayday for poiting that out. I downloaded the default sshd_config shipped with OpenSSH and all the default values are there as comments. The original sshd_config I was looking at was modified and there was only a couple of options.

Feeling a bit stupid