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MaxStartups is the SSH setting behind the “60 versus 99” question, but neither value is universally safer for cloud servers. It limits concurrent unauthenticated connections to sshd: a lower ceiling can reduce connection pressure sooner, while also rejecting legitimate bursts sooner. The right value depends on expected connection concurrency and the effective configuration on your server.
What does MaxStartups 10:30:60 mean?
MaxStartups sets the maximum number of concurrent unauthenticated connections to the SSH daemon. In the documented start:rate:full format, each number has a distinct role:
startis the connection count at which the server begins probabilistically refusing new connections.rateis the refusal probability, expressed as a percentage, at that starting count.fullis the count at which all additional connection attempts are refused.
So 10:30:60 means that probabilistic refusal begins at 10 concurrent unauthenticated connections, with a 30% refusal probability at that point; the probability rises linearly as the count approaches 60, where all additional attempts are refused. The Debian trixie sshd_config manual describes this behavior and gives 10:30:60 as an example.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThese are unauthenticated connections, not a limit on the number of successfully authenticated SSH sessions. Additional connection attempts are dropped until an existing connection authenticates or its LoginGraceTime expires.
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Does 60 beat 99 on a cloud server?
Not as a universal rule. A lower full value reaches the point where all additional unauthenticated connection attempts are refused sooner. That can constrain connection pressure, but it can also reject valid clients sooner when legitimate connections arrive in a burst. The manuals define the behavior; they do not establish that 60 is safer or better than 99 for cloud servers.
For example, if you automate deployments or run jobs that open multiple SSH connections at once, a lower ceiling may affect legitimate work during a burst. If connection concurrency is low and predictable, a lower ceiling may be acceptable. Assess expected concurrency and watch for refusals of legitimate connections rather than choosing a value from its appearance alone.
| Setting | What the documentation establishes | Practical distinction |
|---|---|---|
10:30:60 |
Debian trixie documents it as an example; refusal begins at 10 with a 30% probability and rises to all attempts refused at 60. | Reaches the all-refused threshold sooner than a value of 99, so it may reject legitimate bursts sooner. |
10:30:99 |
The cited manuals do not identify it as a default or recommend it for cloud servers. Under the documented tuple semantics, refusal begins at 10 with a 30% probability and rises to all attempts refused at 99. | Allows a higher unauthenticated-connection count before all new attempts are refused; it is not established as universally safer. |
Debian trixie documents 10:30:100 as the default, not 10:30:60. A manual’s default or example is not proof of the setting active on a particular VM.
Is MaxAuthTries the same setting?
No. MaxAuthTries limits authentication attempts permitted within a connection; MaxStartups governs concurrent connections that have not yet authenticated. Debian trixie and the OpenBSD 6.3 manual document a MaxAuthTries default of 6. Changing one setting does not change the job of the other.
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How to assess the setting on your VM
- Identify the exact directive. Check whether the hardening advice concerns
MaxStartups,MaxAuthTries, or another SSH control; their names and effects are not interchangeable. - Check the host’s effective SSH configuration and OpenSSH version. The cited Debian and OpenBSD manuals describe their documented settings, not every cloud image. Distribution, release, vendor changes, included configuration files, and host-specific overrides can affect what applies on your server.
- Estimate legitimate unauthenticated connection concurrency. Account for normal administration as well as automation or connection bursts. Judge the threshold against those expected connections, not only a desired security posture.
- Preserve a working access path before making a change. Keep an existing administrative session available while applying and validating a configuration change, and avoid relying on an untested value to preserve access.
- Validate against real use and monitor for refusals. Confirm that expected clients can connect under ordinary and burst conditions. If valid connections are refused, revisit the threshold rather than assuming the lower number is automatically preferable.
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