🔒 Raspberry Pi – Security & Backup: Secure Login, Harden System & Clone SD Cards

🧲 Introduction – Secure Your Raspberry Pi & Preserve Your Work

While Raspberry Pi is great for experimentation, it’s often connected to the internet or critical local networks—making security and data backup essential. From hardening login credentials to backing up your SD card, these measures prevent data loss and unauthorized access.

🎯 In this guide, you’ll learn:

• How to change the default username and password
• How to apply key security hardening tips
• How to backup and clone your Raspberry Pi SD card

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📘 Topics Covered

🔹 Topic	📖 Description
🛡️ Raspberry Pi – Security Tips & Hardening	Strengthen security using firewall, updates, SSH keys, etc.
🔐 Raspberry Pi – Change Default Login	Replace the default pi user and set a strong password
♻️ Raspberry Pi – Backup & Clone SD Card	Create a full image backup or mirror your Pi setup

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🛡️ Raspberry Pi – Security Tips & Hardening

A few small steps can go a long way in securing your Raspberry Pi.

🔹 1. Change SSH Port (optional):

sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
# Change Port 22 to a custom port
sudo systemctl restart ssh

🔹 2. Disable SSH When Not in Use:

sudo systemctl disable ssh

🔹 3. Use SSH Keys (disable password logins):

ssh-keygen               # Generate key on client
ssh-copy-id pi@<ip>      # Copy public key to Pi

🔹 4. Enable Unattended Upgrades:

sudo apt install unattended-upgrades
sudo dpkg-reconfigure --priority=low unattended-upgrades

🔹 5. Install a Firewall:

sudo apt install ufw
sudo ufw enable
sudo ufw allow ssh

✅ Enable only necessary ports.

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🔐 Raspberry Pi – Change Default Login

The default user pi is widely known—changing it reduces brute-force risk.

🔹 Create New User:

sudo adduser myuser
sudo usermod -aG sudo myuser

🔹 Disable Default User:

sudo deluser --remove-home pi

Or simply:

sudo passwd pi

to reset the password.

✅ Use strong passwords and optionally install fail2ban.

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♻️ Raspberry Pi – Backup & Clone SD Card

Backing up ensures you don’t lose progress on your projects.

🔹 Method 1: Clone SD Card (Linux/macOS)

1. Insert card reader
2. Identify SD card device:

sudo fdisk -l

3. Create image:

sudo dd if=/dev/sdX of=pi_backup.img bs=4M status=progress

4. Restore image:

sudo dd if=pi_backup.img of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress

✅ Replace sdX with your SD device (e.g., sdb).

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🔹 Method 2: Use rpi-clone (Live Pi Backup)

sudo apt install git
git clone https://github.com/billw2/rpi-clone.git
sudo cp rpi-clone/rpi-clone /usr/local/sbin
sudo rpi-clone sda

✅ Clone entire Pi to a second USB drive without removing the card.

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🔹 Method 3: Windows SD Card Backup (Using Win32 Disk Imager)

1. Insert card in reader
2. Open Win32 Disk Imager
3. Click Read to create image
4. Click Write to restore later

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📌 Summary – Recap & Next Steps

Even a simple Raspberry Pi setup needs basic protection and backup. Whether you’re hosting a service, running IoT code, or just tinkering—security measures and data safety help ensure long-term success and peace of mind.

🔍 Key Takeaways:

• Change default login and disable unused services
• Use SSH keys and firewall (ufw) for remote access security
• Enable automatic updates and use tools like fail2ban
• Backup your SD card using dd, rpi-clone, or Win32 Imager

⚙️ Real-World Applications:

• Prevent downtime in home automation setups
• Secure IoT devices on public or shared networks
• Clone working systems for school, labs, or team deployment

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions

❓ How do I clone my Raspberry Pi while it’s running?
✅ Use the rpi-clone tool to mirror the system to a USB device live.

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❓ What’s the best way to secure SSH access?
✅ Use SSH keys, change the port, and disable password login in /etc/ssh/sshd_config.

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❓ Can I automate backups?
✅ Yes. Use a cron job with rpi-clone or schedule dd image creation on reboot or intervals.

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❓ Is it safe to delete the pi user?
✅ Yes, after creating and testing a new sudo-enabled user.

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