create README.md

.gitignore

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+# Ignore SSH private keys (safety precaution) 
+*.pem 
+*.key 
+*.id_rsa 
+*.id_ed25519 
+# Ansible Vault password files (if ever used) 
+.vault_pass.txt 
+# Any sensitive temp files 
+*.retry 
+*.secret 
+# Fact cache (if enabled) 
+.fact_cache/ 
+# Backup files 
+*~ *.bak Logs *.log 
+# OS-specific
+.DS_Store Thumbs.db

README.md

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+# Ansible Playbook 
+This repository contains an Ansible playbook and inventory file to automate the installation and basic configuration of Fail2Ban on multiple Debian/Ubuntu servers. 
+
+## `Contents fail2ban-setup.yaml` 
+— Ansible playbook to install and configure Fail2Ban ansiblehosts.yaml 
+— Inventory file listing the servers to manage 
+
+## Inventory File 
+The ansiblehosts.yaml file contains your target servers and connection details. 
+Example format: 
+```
+[webservers] 
+192.168.1.219 ansible_user=steve ansible_ssh_private_key_file=/home/steve/.ssh/id_ed25519 ansible_become=true 
+192.168.1.43 ansible_user=steve ansible_ssh_private_key_file=/home/steve/.ssh/id_ed25519 ansible_become=true 
+192.168.1.51 ansible_user=steve ansible_ssh_private_key_file=/home/steve/.ssh/id_ed25519 ansible_become=true
+```
+
+## Playbook Details 
+The `fail2ban-setup.yaml` playbook: 
+`
+- Installs Fail2Ban via APT 
+- Enables SSH protection against brute-force attacks 
+- Configures basic settings: 
+   - bantime: 3600 seconds (1 hour) 
+   - findtime: 600 seconds (10 minutes) 
+   - maxretry: 5 failed attempts Ensures Fail2Ban starts on boot 
+### Playbook snippet:
+
+- name: Install and configure Fail2Ban on all servers hosts: all become: true vars: bantime: 3600 
+findtime: 600 maxretry: 5 tasks: 
+   - name: Install Fail2Ban apt: name: fail2ban state: present update_cache: yes 
+   - name: Ensure Fail2Ban service is enabled and running service: name: fail2ban state: started enabled: true 
+   - name: Create custom jail.local config copy: dest: /etc/fail2ban/jail.local content: | [DEFAULT] bantime = {{ bantime }} findtime = {{ findtime }} maxretry = {{ maxretry }} 
+```
+[sshd] 
+enabled = true 
+```
+owner: root group: root mode: '0644' 
+   - name: Restart Fail2Ban to apply config service: name: fail2ban state: restarted 
+ 
+## Usage 
+Run the playbook: 
+`ansible-playbook -i ansiblehosts.yaml fail2ban-setup.yaml --ask-become-pass`
+
+You'll be prompted once for your sudo password. 
+
+## Requirements 
+- Ansible installed on your control machine 
+- SSH public key authentication set up between control machine and target servers 
+- Target servers should be Debian/Ubuntu-based 
+
+## Security Notice 
+*Do NOT store private SSH keys or sensitive credentials in this repository.*
+ This repo is designed to be safe for public use as long as private keys and secrets are excluded. 
+
+## License