Along the lines of staying safe, now is probably a good time to check your password policies. 1. Don't allow root access to ssh. (modify /etc/ssh/sshd_config) 2. restrict root logins to only the local machine. (modify /etc/securetty) 3. Limit users with access to 'su' to the wheel group (use visudo and also modify /etc/pam.d/su) 4. Make sure root is the only one with a uid of 0. ( awk -F: '($3 == "0") {print}' /etc/passwd ) 5. Use pam to require strong passwords. (install/use pam_passwdqc which is part of the base distro, modify /etc/pam.d/system-auth ) 6. Use denyhosts or pam.tally2 to restrict login attempts. 7. use ssh keys. And above all, because I know many admins slack on this, and I'm guilty of it as well if it's not forced... ROTATE your passwords periodically The recommended password requirements for root: at least 10 characters with a mix of upper/lower case, special characters, and numbers. Discussion, and alternate suggestions welcome. -- During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act. George Orwell