A customizable Message of the Day (MOTD) for Linux systems.
Displays real-time system information on login — such as load average, memory usage, disk space, and uptime — using the standard update-motd.d mechanism.
Designed to be fast, predictable, and compatible with production environments.

• Dynamic Content: Displays real-time system information such as load average, memory usage, and disk space.
• SSH Integration: Configurable to show MOTD via SSH banner.
• Lightweight: No heavy dependencies; uses standard Linux tools.
• Customizable: Easily modify scripts and templates.

• Root access (all commands must be run as root).
• A Debian-based Linux distribution (e.g., Ubuntu 22.04+ or Debian 12+).
• Basic tools like git, cp, nano, truncate, and systemctl installed (standard on most distros).

• Tested on:
  • Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and 24.04 LTS
  • Debian 11 (Bullseye) and 12 (Bookworm)
• Optimized for Debian-based distributions. For RPM-based (e.g., Fedora, CentOS), minor adjustments may be needed (e.g., use service sshd restart instead of systemctl).

Run the following commands as root to install the MOTD files.

curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/roman-huliak/linux-motd/master/install.sh | bash

Example output:

>>> Downloading repository...
>>> Installing MOTD script...
>>> Clearing /etc/motd...
>>> Enabling SSH banner...
>>> Restarting SSH daemon...
>>> Cleaning temporary files...
>>> Installation complete.
Log out and back in to see the new MOTD.

Run the following commands as root to install the MOTD files. This will copy the necessary files to their standard locations, overwriting any existing files if they exist.

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/roman-huliak/linux-motd.git /tmp/linux-motd
   cd /tmp/linux-motd
   

2. Copy the MOTD script and templates (overwrites if files exist):

   cp -f etc/update-motd.d/10-system-status /etc/update-motd.d/10-system-status
   cp -f etc/issue.net /etc/issue.net
   chmod +x /etc/update-motd.d/10-system-status
   

3. Empty the default MOTD file to ensure only the custom content displays:

   truncate -s 0 /etc/motd
   

4. Run the MOTD update to generate the initial content:

   run-parts /etc/update-motd.d/
   

5. Test the installation by logging out and back in (local) or connecting via SSH (after configuration). You should see the custom MOTD banner.

To display the MOTD as an SSH banner:

1. Edit the SSH configuration file:

   nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
   

2. Find or add the following line and set it to:

   Banner /etc/issue.net
   

3. Save and exit the editor.

4. Restart the SSH service:

   systemctl restart sshd
   

Now, when users connect via SSH, they will see the custom MOTD banner before the login prompt.

• Local Login: The MOTD will display automatically upon terminal login.
• SSH Login: After configuration, it shows as the SSH banner.
• Regenerate MOTD: Run run-parts /etc/update-motd.d/ as root to refresh the content.

Example output:

% ssh user@example.com
WARNING: This system is for authorized use only.
All activities are monitored and logged.
Unauthorized access will be prosecuted.
------------------------------------------------------------
 Host: s1-prod-example
 System: Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS x86_64
 Uptime: up 5 days, 23 hours, 33 minutes
 Load: 0.75 0.68 0.65
 CPU:   13th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-13500
 Mem:  26Gi/62Gi
 Disk: 363G/436G used (88%)
 Network: 50.90.50.200
 Security:
    Failed logins (24h): 94
    Pending updates:     0
------------------------------------------------------------
*** System restart required ***
Last login: Wed Nov 19 23:15:39 2025 from 200.80.100.5

• No Output: Ensure run-parts /etc/update-motd.d/ runs without errors. Check permissions on /etc/update-motd.d/.
• SSH Not Showing Banner: Verify Banner is correctly set in /etc/ssh/sshd_config and SSH is restarted.
• Permission Denied on Copy: Ensure you're running as root. If /etc/update-motd.d/ doesn't exist, create it with mkdir -p /etc/update-motd.d/.
• MOTD Not Updating on Debian: Run chmod +x /etc/update-motd.d/00-header to make the script executable.

Contributions are welcome! Fork the repo, make changes, and submit a pull request. Focus on enhancing the script's features or adding support for other distros.

This project is licensed under the MIT License