SSH & Port Forwarding Risks and Safer Alternatives

SSH & Port Forwarding: What It Is, Why It’s Used, and a Safer Alternative

What is SSH?

Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol for secure connections to remote computers or servers. The protocol encrypts communication so you run commands, transfer files, and manage systems safely over the internet.

Developers, system admins, and IoT engineers use SSH daily to:

• Access servers for maintenance and troubleshooting
• Transfer files securely with tools like scp or sftp
• Manage headless devices (servers without a monitor)
• Automate deployments and updates via scripts

What is Port Forwarding?

Port forwarding is a networking technique allowing external devices to connect to a service inside a private network.

For example:

• A home router blocks outside access by default.
• To reach an internal SSH service, you “forward” port 22 from your public IP to your internal device.

Common uses of port forwarding with SSH include:

• Remote server management from outside your LAN
• Giving contractors or team members remote access to development systems
• Accessing devices like Raspberry Pis or lab servers from home or while traveling

Why People Use SSH + Port Forwarding Together

The combination allows a user anywhere in the world to connect directly to a specific device on a private network. The approach is simple, well-documented, and works with almost any internet-connected device.

But the method comes with serious trade-offs.

The Risks of SSH + Port Forwarding

1. Exposed Attack Surface
2. Forwarding a port means opening to the entire internet. Hackers scan for open SSH ports (especially port 22) constantly, and brute force attacks are common.
3. Weak or Compromised Credentials
4. If passwords are weak or hackers steal keys, attackers log in as if they were you.
5. No Granular Control
6. Anyone who gets in through the forwarded port often has broad access to the device or network.
7. Static IP Dependency
8. Port forwarding usually requires a fixed IP or a dynamic DNS service, adding cost and complexity.
9. Firewall & NAT Challenges
10. Changing ISP setups or corporate firewalls break connections unexpectedly.

A Simpler, Safer Alternative: Remote.It

Instead of opening ports and exposing your network, Remote.It connects you to devices securely without changing any firewall settings.

How Remote.It Works:

• No Open Ports: Services stay invisible to the internet.
• Service-Level Access: Connect only to what you need (e.g., SSH, HTTPS), not the entire device or network.
• Firewall-Friendly: Works through NAT and corporate firewalls without special configuration.
• Encrypted Connections: We secure every connection end-to-end.
• Scalable: Works for one device or thousands, across LAN, WAN, cloud, and container environments.

Example: With port forwarding, you might open port 22 on your router to SSH into a Raspberry Pi. With Remote.It, the Pi stays hidden, and you connect to its SSH service securely through the Remote.It app or CLI: no public exposure, no router changes.

Final thoughts

SSH is a solid tool, but combining it with port forwarding creates unnecessary risk and complexity. Remote.It gives you the same remote access (and more) without the security trade-offs.

Whether you’re managing a single device at home or an entire fleet of servers in the cloud, Remote.It keeps you connected, invisible, and secure.

Start using Remote.It for SSH today

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