Knowledgebase

How to Create a New User with Sudo Access on Your VPS

Creating a separate user with sudo privileges is one of the first security steps you should take after deploying a Linux VPS. Instead of using the root account for everyday administration, a sudo-enabled user provides better security, accountability, and reduces the risk of accidental system changes.

Why Use a Sudo User?

• Improves VPS security
• Reduces the risk of accidental system damage
• Follows Linux security best practices
• Recommended for Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux servers

Requirements

• Root SSH access
• A Linux VPS (Ubuntu, Debian, CentOS, AlmaLinux or Rocky Linux)
• SSH client such as PuTTY or Terminal

Step 1 — Connect to Your VPS

Login to your server as the root user.

ssh root@YOUR_SERVER_IP

Replace YOUR_SERVER_IP with your actual VPS IP address.

Step 2 — Create a New User

Create a new Linux user. Replace newuser with your preferred username.

adduser newuser

or on some Linux distributions:

useradd -m newuser

The system will ask you to create a secure password.

Step 3 — Grant Sudo Privileges

Ubuntu / Debian

usermod -aG sudo newuser

CentOS / AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux

usermod -aG wheel newuser

Step 4 — Verify Group Membership

groups newuser

Example output:

newuser : newuser sudo

Step 5 — Test Sudo Access

Switch to the new account.

su - newuser

Then run:

sudo whoami

If everything is configured correctly, the output should be:

root

This confirms that the new user has administrative privileges.

Security Best Practices

• Use your sudo user instead of the root account for daily administration.
• Disable direct root SSH login after confirming sudo access.
• Enable a firewall such as UFW or Firewalld.
• Install Fail2Ban to protect against brute-force attacks.
• Keep your VPS updated with the latest security patches.
• Consider using SSH keys instead of passwords.

Common Issues

User is not in the sudoers file

Run the following command and then log out and log back in.

usermod -aG sudo newuser

Sudo command not found

Install sudo:

Ubuntu / Debian

apt install sudo

CentOS / AlmaLinux

dnf install sudo

Conclusion

Creating a dedicated user with sudo privileges is a simple but essential step toward securing your Linux VPS. It minimizes security risks, follows industry best practices, and makes server administration safer for production environments.

Related Guides

• How to Connect to Your VPS via SSH
• Why You Should Disable Root Login on Your VPS
• How to Change Your SSH Port
• Best Practices to Secure Your VPS
• VPS Security Checklist for Beginners