[chanalku91]

It isn't meant and it wasn't designed to prevent human hackers from trying to access your server without authorization. In fact changing the SSH port and believing that it stops real hackers is something that the more seasoned server operaters call "security through obscurity" or simply: it doesn't add any security layer but sounds like it would.

So what is it good for? We discussed this already in the main topic by deanhills regarding the issues behind this tutorial. Changing the SSH port will stop 100% of all automated bot bruteforce attacks carried out by infected computers, servers, IoT devices, routers and etc. It works very well for this purpose because these kind of bruteforce attacks only target the default service port such as 22 for SSH in this case.

Not really !
Those who are experts in their fields will first do port scanning if Hacker want to attack a server!
So changing ports is indeed the best choice!
For BOT? It will indeed stop
for Hackers Unfortunately no !

[deanhills]

Not really !
Those who are experts in their fields will first do port scanning if Hacker want to attack a server!
So changing ports is indeed the best choice!
For BOT? It will indeed stop
for Hackers Unfortunately no !

Agreed. But my changing of ports was to do exactly as @"Hidden Refuge" suggested. Which is to stop the brute force logins. And it worked for that.

For hacking I hope that my Website is not important enough for someone to want to hack into it. But if they want to, then they will and I'll have to learn a few more lessons. For now my setup is very simple. I don't have FTP or e-mail enabled. But I'm sure for a very seasoned hacker, if the Website is a target they will get in.

Next layer of security obviously is keyless entry. I did that once with my HostUS VPS and locked myself out. Like it worked for maybe a few weeks, and then all of a sudden it no longer worked. Not sure why. I then didn't have a choice but to reinstall the OS and start from scratch again.

For now I'm happy with my VPS 15 the way it is. I'd say the weakest part of it for now is on my side with Vesta Panel. I have to learn how to work without a panel.

[deanhills]

When I set up VPS 9 again (wow the speed is unbelievable - like super fast) first thing I did after changing the password was to change the port number as well.  This was the first time when I did it successfully without having to think about it much.  Was very happy when PUtty worked OK with the new port number.  Almost forgot however to fix the new port number for my FileZilla user panel.  

BTW.  One should never load VestaCP before the new port has been set up, as then one has to do all kinds of changes to the IP tables in fail2ban.  Like much easier to set up the new port, and then load VestaCP as VestaCP then uses the new port number to set up the firewall and fail2ban settings.  I noticed VestaCP doing just that while the script was in the process of being loaded.  And did it load fast!  I was super impressed.  And completely baffled why no one applied for VPS 9.  Guess this was my lucky day.  I'm keeping my VPS 9 Phoenix now for long as it lasts and Dynamo is OK with it. It feels as though I've come home to a VPS that is magical. This is probably the best VPS I'll ever be able to afford to have with these fantastic specs. Virmach also must have done something how it creates its VPSs, as the handling of the VPS is just incredibly smooth, particularly when I compare it with my Contabo VPS.