Step-by-Step Guide to Installing OpenSSH 10.0 on Kali GNU/Linux Roll

As of now (April 2025), OpenSSH 10.0 has been officially released. This update removes the outdated DSA signatures, enables key exchange algorithms with quantum protection by default, and improves the behavior of scp/sftp and the security of sshd. The configuration file now supports more flexible conditional matching, providing a smoother experience.

In summary: more secure, more modern, and easier to use, SSH users should upgrade immediately!

However, the version in the default Kali Linux repositories typically does not update to such a new version right away. To install the latest version, you usually have a few options:

Method 1: Use Kali Rolling Test Repository (suitable for slightly newer versions)

Kali is based on Debian Testing, so you can switch to the testing repository or the kali-rolling branch to see if you can get the updated version. However, it generally won’t immediately reach version 10.0, and may only be an update of version 9.x.

Command reference:

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ sudo apt update

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ sudo apt install openssh-server

If the version is too old, continue reading for the manual compilation method.

Method 2: Compile and Install Yourself (safest way to get the latest 10.0 version)

If you want to immediately use OpenSSH 10.0, you basically need to compile it manually.

The steps are quite clear, and the editors at Linux Mi (www.linuxmi.com) have organized them for you:

1. Install the dependencies required for compilation

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ sudo apt update

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ sudo apt install build-essential zlib1g-dev libssl-dev libpam0g-dev libselinux1-dev

2. Download the source code for OpenSSH 10

Go to the official website to pull the latest source code:

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ wget https://cdn.openbsd.org/pub/OpenBSD/OpenSSH/portable/openssh-10.0p1.tar.gz

Then extract it:

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ tar zxvf openssh-10.0p1.tar.gz

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com]└─$ cd openssh-10.0p1

3. Configure the compilation parameters

Generally, you can use the default configuration, but it is recommended to add /usr so the system knows how to find your SSH.

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com] └─$./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc/ssh --with-md5-passwords

If you want to use a more standard Kali configuration, you can add more options, such as:

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com] └─$./configure --prefix=/usr --sysconfdir=/etc/ssh --with-privsep-path=/var/lib/sshd --with-pam

4. Compile and install

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com] └─$make -j$(nproc)

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com] └─$ sudo make install

After installation, confirm the version:

┌──(linuxmi㉿linuxmi)-[~/www.linuxmi.com] └─$ ssh -V

You should see:

10.0p2, OpenSSL 3.4.1 11 Feb 2025

5. Restart the ssh service (if needed)

sudo systemctl restart ssh

If your system service is named sshd, use:

sudo systemctl restart sshd

⚡ Tip

Backup old configurations: Before upgrading, back up /etc/ssh/sshd_config to prevent configuration issues.
Be cautious with remote servers: If you are operating on a remote machine, do not directly kill the old sshd, or else the connection will be troublesome.
Long-term maintenance: The version you compiled will not follow system updates, so you need to pay attention to subsequent security patches for OpenSSH.

Related link:https://www.linuxmi.com/openssh-10-0.html

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Source: Linux Mi Link: https://www.linuxmi.com/kali-gnu-linux-roll-install-openssh-10-0.html

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