DenyHosts vs SSHGuard: 2026 Comparison
DenyHosts is a free intrusion detection and prevention systems tool. SSHGuard is a free intrusion detection and prevention systems tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best intrusion detection and prevention systems fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Small teams running exposed SSH services on Linux servers should deploy DenyHosts when brute-force attacks are eating resources and manual blocking isn't scaling. The tool automatically blacklists IPs after configurable failed login thresholds, cutting noise from credential-stuffing attempts by 70-90 percent in typical deployments. Skip this if your infrastructure sits behind a bastion host, uses key-only authentication, or runs a managed SSH service where the provider handles attack mitigation; DenyHosts is a perimeter band-aid, not a foundational control.
Operators protecting Linux and BSD servers from SSH brute-force attacks need SSHGuard because it works entirely through log analysis and firewall rules, requiring zero agent deployment or kernel modification. The tool stops attacks at the network layer before they ever reach authentication, and its stateless design means it handles high-volume scanning without resource overhead. Not for teams needing centralized visibility across heterogeneous infrastructure; SSHGuard is host-centric and manual to coordinate across dozens of servers.
