Ask Me Help Desk - Linux - Security Tips?

Linux - Security Tips?

Hi all,

I've decided to try and completely switch from Windows to Linux. One of the main things I will be doing on the PC is some web development and using the PC as a web server. I may also host some game servers on the PC occasionally. Now all this will mean that my PC will have to be accessible to the outside world and this means that my security will have to be good.

Does anyone have any general security tips for Linux that'll help me make sure I don't leave myself open for anything? I'm sure I remember a well respected lecturer of mine telling a class last year that "... Windows was more secure than Linux out of the box but Linux had the ability to become much, much more secure."

Thanks for any input,
Lee

P.S. If someone feels this should be in security not OS, feel free to move it.

Hmm, okay:

A few basic things you can do:

1) _never_ run a program as root when it is not necessary.
2) Disable any unnecessary services. If you don't need a DNS server, don't turn it on.
3) If possible, get the machine behind a hardware firewall.
4) Be sure to patch your software...
5) Disable root login for ssh, if you choose to run ssh.
6) Run rkhunter regularly. You might also want to run tripwire. And snort, if you have the time to go through the logs. :)
7) Pick good passwords.

Quote:

I'm sure I remember a well respected lecturer of mine telling a class last year that "... Windows was more secure than Linux out of the box but Linux had the ability to become much, much more secure."

Without knowing the context of that quote, I'm not going to pass any judgment, but "out of the box" security is largely distribution-dependent...

http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Security-HOWTO/

Anyway, good luck with your switch. It's worth it.

Here is my clunky webserver, if you're interested: http://www.himring.homelinux.org

Cheers PSI. Linux here I come!

Good your making the switch, linux is by far more stable as well, you can run a server for months without restarting on it. But its good to have hardware and good software protection like psi said