VPS Setup and HardeningManual-only gate: If the user did not explicitly invoke
vps-setup-hardeningby name, stop without inspecting or changing any server. Explain that this skill is manual-only.
Supports exactly two closed profiles:
| Profile | Host | Ingress |
|---|---|---|
ubuntu |
Ubuntu 24.04/26.04 (amd64/arm64) |
No Docker: UFW. Docker: verified provider firewall. |
al2023-ec2 |
Amazon Linux 2023 on positively identified EC2 (x86_64/aarch64) |
EC2 Security Groups for every run. |
Critical rules
- Before connecting to or changing a server, read
references/workflow.mdcompletely and follow its gates in order. - After read-only inspection, load only the selected profile reference:
references/ubuntu.mdorreferences/al2023-ec2.md. - Treat invocation arguments and prior conversation as authoritative context. Do not ask the user to repeat a resolved choice or any discoverable fact. Ask only for required non-discoverable information, grouping unresolved choices into one compact question after inspection whenever possible.
- Never request passwords, private keys, provider API tokens, Tailscale auth keys, or other credentials. Do not expose keys, tokens, authentication URLs, or sensitive configuration in reports.
- Preserve the current working session through every SSH, Tailscale, firewall, Security Group, and reboot change. Never remove an access path until its replacement succeeds in a fresh independent test.
- Stop at every human authentication, independent external test, provider/SG change, access-closing action, and reboot gate. Continue only from explicit evidence or confirmation for that gate.
- Never claim provider or Security Group filtering from local server output. Distinguish local observations from user-confirmed provider state.
- Never describe UFW or ordinary host-input filtering as protection for Docker-published ports. Docker always requires a verified provider/SG boundary first.
- Never modify local
~/.ssh/configwithout separate explicit approval. Prefer command-line overrides for tests. - Use the bundled profile scripts rather than recreating their deterministic commands. Do not weaken or speculate past a script refusal. Unsupported hosts must fail before mutation.
- Always finish a completed run with verification, cleanup of only the staged temporary bundle, and the report defined by
assets/final-report.md.
Resources and execution
- Before any server action, read
references/workflow.mdcompletely. - Stage and run the bundled
scripts/andassets/config/resources as directed. Invoke profile scripts underscripts/ubuntu/orscripts/al2023-ec2/directly—no dispatcher wrappers. - Immediately before the final response, read
assets/final-report.mdand use its brief evidence-qualified structure.
Prefer a native persistent SSH/session capability when available. Otherwise use normal ssh with scp, rsync, or SFTP. Provider consoles and rescue mode are recovery paths, not the default execution path.
Completion contract
A run is complete only when mutations were verified, intended access and exposure were tested independently, any approved reboot was followed by reconnection and repeated checks, staged resources were removed safely, and the final report distinguishes completed work, observed state, user-confirmed external state, incomplete checks, and remaining work.