Question 1

What is AutoSSH?

Accepted Answer

AutoSSH is a utility that automatically restarts SSH sessions and tunnels when they drop, making it ideal for persistent remote access and automation.

Question 2

How do I create a persistent SSH tunnel with AutoSSH?

Accepted Answer

Use AutoSSH with SSH port forwarding syntax and specify monitoring ports. For example: `autossh -M 0 -N -f -o 'ServerAliveInterval 30' -o 'ServerAliveCountMax 3' -L 8080:localhost:80 user@remotehost`

Question 3

Can I use AutoSSH with systemd?

Accepted Answer

Yes, AutoSSH works well with systemd. You can create a `.service` unit file that starts AutoSSH on boot and restarts it on failure.

Question 4

Does AutoSSH support reverse tunnels?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. You can set up a reverse tunnel using `-R`, like: `autossh -M 0 -f -N -R 2222:localhost:22 user@remotehost`

Question 5

Is AutoSSH suitable for pentesting or IoT use?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it's widely used in red team ops, C2 setups, IoT device connections, and remote lab environments due to its resilience and stealth capabilities.