Installing and Securing MySQL/MariaDB on Ubuntu

This guide walks you through the steps to install and secure MySQL or MariaDB on Ubuntu. You'll also learn how to set a root password and secure the installation to improve database security.

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Step 1: Install MySQL or MariaDB

You can choose to install MySQL or the open-source compatible MariaDB:

Option 1: Install MySQL

sudo apt install mysql-server

Option 2: Install MariaDB

sudo apt install mariadb-server

Step 2: Secure the Installation

Once installed, run the included security script to remove insecure defaults and improve your database security:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

You will be prompted to:

Switch to the unix_socket authentication method (choose no if you prefer setting a root password).
Set a password for the root user (choose yes).
Remove anonymous users
Disallow remote root login
Remove the test database
Reload privilege tables

Choose yes for all prompts unless you have specific reasons to do otherwise.

Step 3: Set or Change the Root Password (If Skipped)

If you skipped setting the root password during the mysql_secure_installation process, or wish to change it later, follow these steps:

Log into MySQL as Root:

sudo mysql

Set the Password (MySQL 5.7+ / MariaDB 10.4+):


ALTER USER 'root'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED WITH mysql_native_password BY 'your_password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

Make sure to replace your_password with a strong, secure password of your choice.

Step 4: Test the Login

Verify that you can now log in with your root password:

mysql -u root -p

It will prompt you for your password and grant access to the MySQL shell if everything is correct.

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