How to check if SSH is working properly on Parrot OS hosted at Proxmox

Secure Shell (SSH) is an essential tool for remote server access and secure communication in Linux. If you’re using Parrot OS, a Debian-based security-focused distro, you might want to make sure your SSH setup is active and running correctly — whether for personal cloud management, remote work, or development. I had a same situation and then I search on google and get help from the internet and write it down here for later use.

Here’s a step-by-step guide (with commands!) to verify and manage your SSH server on Parrot OS:

✅ 1. Check the SSH Service Status

• To see whether the SSH server is running:
• sudo systemctl status ssh
• If it's not running, start it:
• sudo systemctl start ssh
• Want SSH to automatically start when your system boots?
• sudo systemctl enable ssh

✅ 2. Verify SSH is Listening on the Right Port (Default: 22)
Use netstat or ss to confirm that port 22 is open and listening:
sudo netstat -tuln | grep :22
# OR
sudo ss -tuln | grep :22
✅ 3. Test SSH Locally
You can test your SSH server by connecting to localhost:
ssh localhost
✅ 4. Review Your SSH Configuration
Check your SSH configuration file:
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
Look for key settings:
After editing, restart the SSH service:
sudo systemctl restart ssh
✅ 5. Check Logs If Things Go Wrong
SSH not behaving? Check system logs for helpful error messages:
sudo journalctl -xe | grep ssh
Final Thoughts
Keeping your SSH server healthy is essential for secure and stable remote access. 
Whether you're managing a cloud instance, like on Oracle Cloud, or working within 
your local network, these steps ensure you’re always in control.