How to disable root login on cPanel server

For security purpose you may disable direct root login and create another ssh user with the privileges, simply you need to follow the steps:

Note : Don't close your current session until you confirm that the with the changes you have made, the server is accessible in another ssh session

1) Create a user say : webadmin

# useradd webadmin

2 ) Set password for webadmin

# passwd webadmin

3) In case of cPanel, you need to add this user to  'wheel group'

WHM >> Security Center >> “Manage Wheel Group Users”

Now the user has been granted su previlages, you need to disable the root login for that you will need to login to the server at shell (command prompt)

1) Edit the SSHD configuration file ‘sshd_config’:

pico /etc/ssh/sshd_config

2) Search the line

PermitRootLogin yes
and change it to
PermitRootLogin no

Once you are complete with the above changes, save the file and exit. You will have to restart the sshd service for the changes to take effect.

# /etc/init.d/sshd restart

Now, you will have to SSH to your server as user ‘webadmin’ and then su to root as follows:

login as: webadmin
webadmin@xx.xx.xx.xx’s password: <webadmin pass here>
[admin@server ~]$ su -
password: <root password here>
[root@server ~]#

Thats't