Installing Fail2Ban on Ubuntu 20.04

Fail2Ban is an open-source intrusion prevention software that aims to protect your server from brute-force attacks and other malicious activities. It works by monitoring log files and dynamically banning IP addresses that have made multiple failed login attempts or displayed suspicious behavior.

To install Fail2Ban on Ubuntu 20.04, follow these steps:

1. First, update the package list:

   sudo apt update

2. Install Fail2Ban:

   sudo apt install fail2ban

3. After the installation, the fail2ban service should start automatically. You can verify its status with the following command:

   sudo systemctl status fail2ban

4. By default, Fail2Ban comes with a basic configuration located at /etc/fail2ban/jail.conf. It's recommended to make a copy of this configuration file and use the copy for your changes:

   sudo cp /etc/fail2ban/jail.conf /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

5. Edit the jail.local file with your preferred text editor. You can configure various options to fit your needs, such as the ban time, email notifications, etc.:

   sudo nano /etc/fail2ban/jail.local

6. Save the file and close the text editor.
7. Finally, restart the Fail2Ban service to apply the new configuration:

   sudo systemctl restart fail2ban

Fail2Ban will now be running on your Ubuntu 20.04 server, helping to protect against unauthorized access attempts. Remember to regularly check the Fail2Ban logs or configure notifications to stay informed about any potential security issues.