Most SSH security pertains to the server, but SSH clients have security-related settings too. Here are a few tips:
Whenever you leave a computer while SSH clients are running, lock the computer’s display with a password-protected screen locker. This is particularly important if you’re running an agent that permits an intruder to access your remote accounts without a passphrase.
In your client configuration file, turn on some safety features as mandatory values:
# OpenSSH
# Put at the top of your configuration file
Host *
GatewayPorts no
StrictHostKeyChecking ask
ForwardX11Trusted no
# Tectia
# Put at the bottom of your configuration file
*:
GatewayPorts no
StrictHostKeyChecking ask
TrustX11Applications noThe GatewayPorts value
forbids remote clients from connecting to locally forwarded ports.
Finally, rather than blindly connect, the StrictHostKeyChecking value warns you of
any changed host keys and asks what you want to do. For X11
forwarding we elect to generate a new, untrusted
xauth key rather than inherit the trust already
in effect. [9.4.5.3]