ServerBuddies Support Blog

Installing Softaculous in Direct Admin

Note: Before starting the installation make sure ionCube Loaders are enabled. Otherwise you will not be able to Install Softaculous. The ionCube Loaders can be downloaded at the ionCube Downloads

Now SSH to your server and enter following commands:

The Installer will start showing the Installation Processes and when done will indicate the same. NOTE: Scripts will be downloaded during this process. The Download Activity will also be shown on the screen.

Step 1 Add your admin user to the ‘wheel’ group so that you will be able to ’su -’ to root, otherwise you may lock yourself out of root.

Adding user to the wheel group.

Edit /etc/ssh/sshd_config file.

Next, find the line PermitRootLogin yes and Uncomment it and make it look like PermitRootLogin no

Now restart SSH

How to disable direct root login

Direct login for the root user is a major security issue. We can disable direct login access to reduce the security risk. This way we can have two separate passwords for root access which makes the box more secure. Also we are using the protocol 2 which is newer and more secure.

1. SSH into your server as ‘admin’ and gain root access by su

2. Copy and paste this line to edit the file for SSH logins

3. Find the line

4. Uncomment it and change it to look like

5. Next, find the line

6. Uncomment it and make it look like PermitRootLogin no

7. Save the file Ctrl+X then Y then enter

8. Now you can restart SSH

Now, no one will be able to login to root with out first loggin in as admin and ’su -’ to root.

Be sure that you remember both the passwords!

Disable direct root login via ssh

Please follow the given steps to disable direct root login access to the server via shell prompt.

STEP 1: Create a user and add it to the wheel group

SSH into your server as root and follow the below commands to create a user.

You can create any user instead of “test”.

STEP 2: Add user to wheel group

You can add the user at the end of the ‘group’ file.

Add the user test:

For CPanel Servers, do the following.

1. Log into your WHM and click on “Manage Wheel Group Users”.

2. Select the user (Here it is “test”) and click ‘Add to group’.

3. Before disable the root access, check if the user can login and su – to gain root privileges.

SSH into your server as ‘test’

Login as: test

Password : enteryouruserpasswordhere

su –

password: enter root password here

STEP 3: Disable Direct Root Login

1. Copy and paste this line to edit the file for SSH logins

2. Find the line

3. Uncomment it (Remove #) and change it to look like

4. Next, find the line

5. Uncomment it (Remove #) and make it look like PermitRootLogin no

6. Save the file.

Now, no one will be able to login to root with out first logging in as ‘test’ and ’su -’ to root.