Initial Server Setup With Ubuntu 24.04 and 22.04

The first five things to do on a new Ubuntu server: update it, create a normal user with sudo, set up SSH keys, turn on the firewall and enable automatic security updates. Works on Ubuntu 24.04, 22.04 and 20.04.

Related guide: Full Ubuntu server setup guide

1. Log in and update

Log in as root (or the default user your provider created) and install updates.

ssh root@your_server_ip
apt update && apt upgrade -y

2. Create a normal user with sudo

Do daily work as a normal user. Replace deploy with your user name.

adduser deploy
usermod -aG sudo deploy

3. Copy your SSH key to the new user

If you logged in as root with a key, copy it across so the new user can log in with it.

rsync --archive --chown=deploy:deploy ~/.ssh /home/deploy

4. Turn on the firewall

Allow SSH first, then enable UFW.

ufw allow OpenSSH
ufw enable
ufw status

5. Automatic security updates

unattended-upgrades installs security fixes for you every day.

apt install unattended-upgrades
dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

6. Test before you log out

Open a new terminal and log in as the new user, then check sudo works.

ssh deploy@your_server_ip
sudo whoami   # root

FAQ

Should I disable root login over SSH?

Yes, once your sudo user can log in with a key. Set PermitRootLogin no in a file under /etc/ssh/sshd_config.d/ and restart SSH.

Why use a normal user instead of root?

Mistakes and malicious scripts can do far less damage, and sudo leaves a log of admin commands.