diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 9085fcaeb..f41eb156c 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ ver. 1.0.3-dev-1 (20??/??/??) - development nightly edition
 * `action.d/mikrotik.conf` - new action for mikrotik routerOS, adds and removes entries from address lists on the router (gh-2860)
 * `filter.d/exim.conf` - fixed "dropped: too many ..." regex, also matching unrecognized commands now (gh-3502)
 * `filter.d/nginx-forbidden.conf` - new filter to ban forbidden locations, e. g. using `deny` directive (gh-2226)
+* `filter.d/sshd.conf`:
+  - avoid double counting for "maximum authentication attempts exceeded" (gh-3502)
+  - message "Disconnecting ... Too many authentication failures" is not a failure anymore
 
 
 ver. 1.0.2 (2022/11/09) - finally-war-game-test-tape-not-a-nuclear-alarm
diff --git a/config/filter.d/sshd.conf b/config/filter.d/sshd.conf
index d5d189b06..e5cdee889 100644
--- a/config/filter.d/sshd.conf
+++ b/config/filter.d/sshd.conf
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ __pref = (?:(?:error|fatal): (?:PAM: )?)?
 #__suff = (?: port \d+)?(?: \[preauth\])?\s*
 __suff = (?: (?:port \d+|on \S+|\[preauth\])){0,3}\s*
 __on_port_opt = (?: (?:port \d+|on \S+)){0,2}
-# close by authenticating user:
-__authng_user = (?: (?:invalid|authenticating) user <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER>)?
+# close by authenticating user (don't use <HOST> after %(__authng_user)s because of catch-all `.*?`):
+__authng_user = (?: (?:by|from))?(?: (?:invalid|authenticating) user <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER>)?(?: from)?
 
 # for all possible (also future) forms of "no matching (cipher|mac|MAC|compression method|key exchange method|host key type) found",
 # see ssherr.c for all possible SSH_ERR_..._ALG_MATCH errors.
@@ -38,21 +38,21 @@ __pam_auth = pam_[a-z]+
 
 prefregex = ^<F-MLFID>%(__prefix_line)s</F-MLFID>%(__pref)s<F-CONTENT>.+</F-CONTENT>$
 
-cmnfailre = ^[aA]uthentication (?:failure|error|failed) for <F-USER>.*</F-USER> from <HOST>( via \S+)?%(__suff)s$
-            ^User not known to the underlying authentication module for <F-USER>.*</F-USER> from <HOST>%(__suff)s$
+cmnfailre = ^[aA]uthentication (?:failure|error|failed) for <F-USER>.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST>( via \S+)?%(__suff)s$
+            ^User not known to the underlying authentication module for <F-USER>.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST>%(__suff)s$
             <cmnfailre-failed-pub-<publickey>>
             ^Failed <cmnfailed> for (?P<cond_inv>invalid user )?<F-USER>(?P<cond_user>\S+)|(?(cond_inv)(?:(?! from ).)*?|[^:]+)</F-USER> from <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s(?: ssh\d*)?(?(cond_user): |(?:(?:(?! from ).)*)$)
             ^<F-USER>ROOT</F-USER> LOGIN REFUSED FROM <HOST>
-            ^[iI](?:llegal|nvalid) user <F-USER>.*?</F-USER> from <HOST>%(__suff)s$
-            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> from <HOST> not allowed because not listed in AllowUsers%(__suff)s$
-            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> from <HOST> not allowed because listed in DenyUsers%(__suff)s$
-            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> from <HOST> not allowed because not in any group%(__suff)s$
+            ^[iI](?:llegal|nvalid) user <F-USER>.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST>%(__suff)s$
+            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST> not allowed because not listed in AllowUsers%(__suff)s$
+            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST> not allowed because listed in DenyUsers%(__suff)s$
+            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST> not allowed because not in any group%(__suff)s$
             ^refused connect from \S+ \(<HOST>\)
             ^Received <F-MLFFORGET>disconnect</F-MLFFORGET> from <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s:\s*3: .*: Auth fail%(__suff)s$
-            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> from <HOST> not allowed because a group is listed in DenyGroups%(__suff)s$
-            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> from <HOST> not allowed because none of user's groups are listed in AllowGroups%(__suff)s$
+            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST> not allowed because a group is listed in DenyGroups%(__suff)s$
+            ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST> not allowed because none of user's groups are listed in AllowGroups%(__suff)s$
             ^<F-NOFAIL>%(__pam_auth)s\(sshd:auth\):\s+authentication failure;</F-NOFAIL>(?:\s+(?:(?:logname|e?uid|tty)=\S*)){0,4}\s+ruser=<F-ALT_USER>\S*</F-ALT_USER>\s+rhost=<HOST>(?:\s+user=<F-USER>\S*</F-USER>)?%(__suff)s$
-            ^maximum authentication attempts exceeded for <F-USER>.*</F-USER> from <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s(?: ssh\d*)?%(__suff)s$
+            ^maximum authentication attempts exceeded for (?:invalid user )?<F-USER>.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s(?: ssh\d*)?%(__suff)s$
             ^User <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> not allowed because account is locked%(__suff)s
             ^<F-MLFFORGET>Disconnecting</F-MLFFORGET>(?: from)?(?: (?:invalid|authenticating)) user <F-USER>\S+</F-USER> <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s:\s*Change of username or service not allowed:\s*.*\[preauth\]\s*$
             ^Disconnecting: Too many authentication failures(?: for <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER>)?%(__suff)s$
@@ -68,24 +68,24 @@ cmnfailed = <cmnfailed-<publickey>>
 
 mdre-normal =
 # used to differentiate "connection closed" with and without `[preauth]` (fail/nofail cases in ddos mode)
-mdre-normal-other = ^<F-NOFAIL><F-MLFFORGET>(Connection (?:closed|reset)|Disconnected)</F-MLFFORGET></F-NOFAIL> (?:by|from)%(__authng_user)s <HOST>(?:%(__suff)s|\s*)$
+mdre-normal-other = ^<F-NOFAIL><F-MLFFORGET>(?:Connection (?:closed|reset)|Disconnect(?:ed|ing))</F-MLFFORGET></F-NOFAIL>%(__authng_user)s <ADDR>%(__on_port_opt)s(?:: (?!Too many authentication failures)[^\[]+)?(?: \[preauth\])?\s*$
 
 mdre-ddos = ^Did not receive identification string from <HOST>
             ^kex_exchange_identification: (?:read: )?(?:[Cc]lient sent invalid protocol identifier|[Cc]onnection (?:closed by remote host|reset by peer))
-            ^Bad protocol version identification '.*' from <HOST>
+            ^Bad protocol version identification '(?:[^']|.*?)' (?:from )?<HOST>%(__suff)s$
             ^<F-NOFAIL>SSH: Server;Ltype:</F-NOFAIL> (?:Authname|Version|Kex);Remote: <HOST>-\d+;[A-Z]\w+:
             ^Read from socket failed: Connection <F-MLFFORGET>reset</F-MLFFORGET> by peer
             ^banner exchange: Connection from <HOST><__on_port_opt>: invalid format
 # same as mdre-normal-other, but as failure (without <F-NOFAIL> with [preauth] and with <F-NOFAIL> on no preauth phase as helper to identify address):
-mdre-ddos-other = ^<F-MLFFORGET>(Connection (?:closed|reset)|Disconnected)</F-MLFFORGET> (?:by|from)%(__authng_user)s <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s\s+\[preauth\]\s*$
-                  ^<F-NOFAIL><F-MLFFORGET>(Connection (?:closed|reset)|Disconnected)</F-MLFFORGET></F-NOFAIL> (?:by|from)%(__authng_user)s <HOST>(?:%(__on_port_opt)s|\s*)$
+mdre-ddos-other = ^<F-MLFFORGET>(?:Connection (?:closed|reset)|Disconnect(?:ed|ing))</F-MLFFORGET>%(__authng_user)s <ADDR>%(__on_port_opt)s(?:: (?!Too many authentication failures)[^\[]+)?\s+\[preauth\]\s*$
+                  ^<F-NOFAIL><F-MLFFORGET>(?:Connection (?:closed|reset)|Disconnect(?:ed|ing))</F-MLFFORGET></F-NOFAIL>%(__authng_user)s <ADDR>(?:%(__on_port_opt)s(?:: (?!Too many authentication failures)[^\[]+)?|\s*)$
 
 mdre-extra = ^Received <F-MLFFORGET>disconnect</F-MLFFORGET> from <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s:\s*14: No(?: supported)? authentication methods available
             ^Unable to negotiate with <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s: no matching <__alg_match> found.
             ^Unable to negotiate a <__alg_match>
             ^no matching <__alg_match> found:
 # part of mdre-ddos-other, but user name is supplied (invalid/authenticating) on [preauth] phase only:
-mdre-extra-other = ^<F-MLFFORGET>Disconnected</F-MLFFORGET>(?: from)?(?: (?:invalid|authenticating)) user <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> <HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s \[preauth\]\s*$
+mdre-extra-other = ^<F-MLFFORGET>Disconnected</F-MLFFORGET>(?: from)?(?: (?:invalid|authenticating)) user <F-USER>\S+|.*?</F-USER> (?:from )?<HOST>%(__on_port_opt)s \[preauth\]\s*$
 
 mdre-aggressive = %(mdre-ddos)s
                   %(mdre-extra)s
diff --git a/fail2ban/tests/files/logs/sshd b/fail2ban/tests/files/logs/sshd
index 99c3756b8..c20485d7a 100644
--- a/fail2ban/tests/files/logs/sshd
+++ b/fail2ban/tests/files/logs/sshd
@@ -223,6 +223,11 @@ Apr 27 13:02:04 host sshd[29116]: Received disconnect from 1.2.3.4: 11: Normal S
 # disable this test-cases block for obsolete multi-line filter (zzz-sshd-obsolete...):
 # filterOptions: [{"test.condition":"name=='sshd'"}]
 
+# failJSON: { "time": "2004-11-23T21:50:38", "match": true , "host": "192.0.2.7", "user": "xxx", "desc": "maximum authentication attempts exceeded for invalid user" }
+Nov 23 21:50:38 myhost sshd[109798]: error: maximum authentication attempts exceeded for invalid user xxx from 192.0.2.7 port 49941 ssh2 [preauth]
+# failJSON: { "time": "2004-11-23T21:50:38", "match": false, "desc": "No failure, helper only (already counted above)" }
+Nov 23 21:50:38 myhost sshd[109798]: Disconnecting invalid user xxx 192.0.2.7 port 49941: Too many authentication failures [preauth]
+
 # 2 methods auth: pam_unix and pam_ldap are used in combination (gh-2070), succeeded after "failure" in first method:
 # failJSON: { "match": false , "desc": "No failure" }
 Mar  7 18:53:20 bar sshd[1556]: pam_unix(sshd:auth): authentication failure; logname= uid=0 euid=0 tty=ssh ruser= rhost=192.0.2.113  user=rda