issue: ssh daemon Fails to start on server

trying to start the ssh service results:

# /etc/init.d/sshd start 
Starting sshd: [ OK ]
 # /etc/init.d/sshd status 
openssh-daemon is stopped


Looking at /var/log/secure logs ; the following error is noted:

sshd[19546]: fatal: daemon() failed: No such device

This is related to /dev/null  – should be a proper character devcie and not a regular file:

Fix:

# rm -f /dev/null
# mknod /dev/null c 1 3


Ensure the Permissions look like this after:

# ls -lh /dev/null

crw-rw-rw- 1 root root 1, 3 Dec 23 15:07 /dev/null

Restart SSH daemon:

# /etc/init.d/sshd start
Starting sshd: [ OK ]
# /etc/init.d/sshd status
openssh-daemon (pid 32452) is running...
#