[Bug 2002994] Re: sshd_config makes some changes awkward

[Robie Basak]

Thank you for your report. I agree.

When I wrote the TOTP/HOTP section in
https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/service-openssh, I wanted to use
sshd_config.d/ but was unable to instruct readers without also changing
sshd_config directly, so I gave up on the former to keep the
instructions simpler.

We're making progress at least though, in that now that we have the .d
directory, defaults have somewhere to be moved to.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2002994

Title:
  sshd_config makes some changes awkward

Status in openssh package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  As distribted, the file sshd_config has apparently been modified from
  an upstream version -- those lines that are NOT comments.  There is no
  good way for me to change any of them, even though there is a
  sshd_config.d directory for my changes.  That is because the files in
  the sshd_config.d directory are invoked early, and the uncommented
  lines in the sshd_config file override them.  I would have to modify
  the sshd_config file which defeats the purpose of having the
  directory.

  I suggest to adopt a method that I have seen elsewhere: put all of
  your changes in a file and put the file in the .d directory.  Start
  the filename with something like '50' so that it can sort before or
  after any file contributed by the local admin.  Keep the sshd_config
  file as you get it from upstream.

  This is, after all, the reason that the .d directories exist.

  In this way, admins do not have to modify distributed files, which
  avoids awkwardness when the package is updated.

  The same applies to ssh_config.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
  Package: openssh-server 1:8.2p1-4ubuntu0.5
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-122.138-generic 5.4.192
  Uname: Linux 5.4.0-122-generic x86_64
  NonfreeKernelModules: wl
  ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.24
  Architecture: amd64
  CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
  CurrentDesktop: XFCE
  Date: Mon Jan 16 06:29:16 2023
  SourcePackage: openssh
  UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2021-02-19 (696 days ago)

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