Template: openssh-server/permit-root-login Type: boolean Default: false _Description: Disable SSH password authentication for root? Previous versions of openssh-server permitted logging in as root over SSH using password authentication. The default for new installations is now "PermitRootLogin prohibit-password", which disables password authentication for root without breaking systems that have explicitly configured SSH public key authentication for root. . This change makes systems more secure against brute-force password dictionary attacks on the root user (a very common target for such attacks). However, it may break systems that are set up with the expectation of being able to SSH as root using password authentication. You should only make this change if you do not need to do that.