SSH tunneling is a powerful technique for securely forwarding network traffic between systems. Here's how to master it:

🛡️ Key Concepts

  • Port Forwarding: Redirect traffic from one port to another securely
  • Dynamic Port Forwarding: Create a SOCKS proxy for flexible routing
  • Reverse Tunneling: Allow remote access to your local services

✅ Configuration Steps

  1. Basic Tunnel

    ssh -L [local_port]:[remote_host]:[remote_port] [user]@[jump_host]
    
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  2. Dynamic Tunnel

    ssh -D [local_port] [user]@[jump_host]
    
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  3. Reverse Tunnel

    ssh -R [remote_port]:[local_host]:[local_port] [user]@[jump_host]
    

🔍 Advanced Techniques

  • Chaining Tunnels: Combine multiple jump hosts for complex networks
  • Authentication Methods: Use keys (-i [key_file]) or passwords
  • Traffic Encryption: AES-256 is standard for secure data transfer

📌 Use Cases

  • Secure remote database access
  • Bypassing network restrictions
  • Debugging services securely

⚠️ Security Best Practices

  • Always use strong authentication
  • Limit tunnel lifetimes with ServerAliveInterval
  • Monitor traffic with logging enabled

For more practical examples, check our SSH Tunneling Tips guide.

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