Provision a fresh Linux VPS and turn it into a hardened, production-ready box you can trust. You will log in over SSH with keys, create a non-root sudo user, lock down root and passwords, stand up a ufw firewall with fail2ban, keep the system patched, and serve traffic through Nginx.
Watch the free preview
Choosing a VPS and your first login — free to watch, no account needed.
What you'll learn
- Provision and secure a Linux VPS end to end from first login to a hardened box
- Configure SSH key authentication and disable password and root login
- Create a non-root user with sudo privileges for day-to-day administration
- Stand up a ufw firewall and fail2ban to block unwanted and malicious traffic
- Keep the server patched and serve web traffic safely through Nginx
Syllabus
Choosing a VPS and Connecting Securely
Choosing a VPS and your first loginFree preview
SSH key authentication
Users and Access Control
Creating a non-root sudo user
Disabling password and root login
Firewall and Intrusion Protection
Configuring the ufw firewall
Blocking attackers with fail2ban
Updates, Web Serving and Hardening
Keeping the server patched
Installing Nginx and a hardening checklist
Lab — 10 Exercises & Solutions
Exercises 1–5
Exercises 6–10