SP2014 - CS764 – Homework Week 11
Durga Charan Panda
Linux Hardening
Introduction
Linux is one of the most population open source operating system used widely for File server, Web Servers, Application Servers, Network Servers and Database Server. Is Linux the most secure, it depends on how the operating system is configured and used in a network. Many Linux distributions are available free to download and have pre configured system library applications installed. These configurations have to be modified and updated to best suit the requirements. For example a distribution may already have Apache HTTP server running on port 80 and configuration may be required to enable SSL port by default.
To make Linux more secure, a step by step process with proven methodologies have to be applied to the Linux servers. These steps could involve updating security drivers, disabling application port and enabling kernel level firewall like iptables. These step by step process is called hardening the Linux system. Linux Security practice only comes from experience, but sometime the system administrators may not have enough experience. It’s important to have a simple to follow guidelines and procedures that any Linux administration can follow to secure the Linux server or Hardening it.
Overview of Linux Hardening process
One of the most common misconceptions that exist with Linux Hardening process is that once done, the servers are secure and there is no need to monitor to update the hardening process. Linux hardening is a continues process and starts with a new server setup.
The following is a high level flow of Linux Hardening process
A hardening in general will have the following practices on all types of Linux Distros.
1. Only have application...
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...unications, use OpenVPN and similar SSL based services.
15. Do not combine Network Services on the same box.e.g Web Server and Database Server on the same Linux Server is not a good practice.
User Account 16. Display legal and security warning message as part of User login welcome page.
17. Ensure users have proper groups.
18. Make a policy to have a strong password
19. Expire Passwords frequently and restrict use of old passwords.
20. Lock user accounts if unsuccessful access was detected.
21. Remove old user accounts and groups are not used.
22. Enable sudo access and disable root user account if possible.
Kernel and Hardware 23. Disable CD-ROM, USB, DVD Drive access for all. Secure system BIOS and Linux GRUB with proper password different than the root admin.
24. Use IPTable based Firewall.
25. Enable Security Enhanced Linux to increase the Kernel level security.
Implement the same security policies as would be implemented on any networked system, where possible. In particular, printers should be denied access to the Internet through a firewall, intrusion prevention system, intrusion detection system or other inline filtering device. Accounts should also be secured and default passwords replaced with a strong, complex password containing letters, numbers, and special characters.
“Ubuntu is probably the most well-known Linux distribution. Ubuntu is based on Debian, but it has its own software repositories. Much of the software in these repositories is synced from Debian’s repositories. The Ubuntu project has a focus on providing a solid desktop (and server) experience, and it isn’t afraid to build its own custom technology to do it. Ubuntu used to use the GNOME 2 desktop environment, but it now uses its own Unity desktop environment. Ubuntu is even building its own Mir graphical server while other distributions are working on the Wayland. Ubuntu is modern without being too bleeding edge. It offers releases every six months, with a more stable LTS (long term support) release every two years. Ubuntu is currently working on expanding the Ubuntu distribution to run on smartphones and tablets (hottogeek).” Ubuntu has a reputation for ease of use, which is why it’s popular on many desktops and servers. Ubuntu also helps users keep up with the latest software versions by releasing updates on a regular schedule. The drawback of frequent updates is that it's harder to keep bugs from slipping into the mix. To this end Ubuntu releases an LTS version periodically, which stands for "Long-Term Support". The LTS version uses package versions that are considered more stable than cutting-edge, making it more suitable for use on a production server than the interim Ubuntu releases. If you're completely lost as to which distribution to run Ubuntu LTS is a safe place to start. Its widespread adoption means there are several forums and sites on the Internet that provide help resources for Ubuntu
The usage of computer is not that hard to have incorporated into your daily living and needs.It does require some basic skills that user must have some general knowledge about features,once the device is up and running.But, the device from the manufacturer does come with a preload password manager.The device comes with some other device that you have like a mouse keyboard and hard drive as well as a monitor.The device has a wealth of possibilities that the owner could incorporate the device to be used for. The computer is so huge in the information technology and system division it requires that each user has some sought of protection in order to provide some sought of blockage barrier against criminal activity.
The Linux operating system is the catchall term for the dozens of software stacks built around the free and open source Linux kernel. Clumped into distribution...
Privacy and security issues have become one of the top concerns among computer users in today’s market. It has become a game of survival of the fittest in protection of your security. The only true way to defend yourself is knowledge. You should prepare your self against hackers, spammers and potential system crashing viruses and web bugs. Lets focus on how you can protect yourselves from the would be thieves.
Please read the article “Security Controls for Computer Systems” at the following URL. http://www.rand.org/pubs/reports/R609-1/index2.html 1.
Maintenance may be corrective, adaptive, perfective or preventive maintenance, depending on the situation and software. The maintenance may be a routine maintenance to address an error or it could be larger scale maintenance to keep the software up-to date. Operating systems upgrade over time and hardware keeps changing. At the same time software needs to be upgraded to keep it functional. However, sometimes the structure of the software does not allow these maintenances to be done. Different maintenances done to software may also decay the software structure. More and more maintenances are done which may decrease the software structure. At some point this will become too complicated and uneconomic to maintain and it is better to replace the system. (Tutorialspoint 2015; Carl
Nowadays, most of the web, email, database and fileservers are Linux servers. Linux is a UNIX system which implies that it has solid compatibility, stability and security features. Linux is used for the mentioned environments because these services require high security. Further, an increase of attacks on these servers can be observed. Additionally, the methods to prevent intrusions on Linux machines are insufficient. Further, the analysis of incidents on Linux systems are not considered appropriately (Choi, Savoldi, Gubian, Lee, & Lee, 2008). It can also be observed that a lot of investigators do not have experience with Linux forensics (Altheide, 2004).
As the internet is becoming faster and faster, an operating system (OS) is needed to manage the data in computers. An Operating system can be considered to be a set of programed codes that are created to control hardware such as computers. In 1985 Windows was established as an operating system and a year earlier Mac OS was established, and they have dominated the market of the computer programs since that time. Although, many companies have provided other operating systems, most users still prefer Mac as the most secured system and windows as it provides more multiple functions. This essay will demonstrate the differences between windows
All maintenance tasks need to be isolated to avoid system operation while there is ongoing maintenance.
It all began in 1991, during the time of monumental computing development. DOS had been bought from a Seattle hacker by Bill Gates, for a sum of $50,000 – a small price for an operating system that had managed sneak its way across the globe due to a clever marketing strategy. Apple’s OS and UNIX were both available, though the cost of running either was far greater than that of running DOS. Enter MINIX, an operating system developed from the ground up by Andrew S. Tanenbaum, a college professor. MINIX was part of a lesson plan used to teach students the inner-workings of an operating system. Tanenbaum had written a book on MINIX called “Operating System” and anyone who had picked up a copy would find the 12,000 lines of code that comprised MINIX itself. This was a big issue; due to the fact that all know (well published) operating systems to that point had been well guarded by software developers, thus making it difficult for people to truly expand on operating system mechanics.
The eighth way to stop identity theft is to install a way to block hackers such as a firewall. A firewall will stop hackers from hacking into your computer and steeling your personal information from your hard drive. Also, before you give your computer to another person or dispose of it, it is a good idea to use a strong wipe. This will help with getting all of your information deleted safely. If you just delete it, people can still get that information off of the hard drive.
Virtualization technologies provide isolation of operating systems from hardware. This separation enables hardware resource sharing. With virtualization, a system pretends to be two or more of the same system [23]. Most modern operating systems contain a simplified system of virtualization. Each running process is able to act as if it is the only thing running. The CPUs and memory are virtualized. If a process tries to consume all of the CPU, a modern operating system will pre-empt it and allow others their fair share. Similarly, a running process typically has its own virtual address space that the operating system maps to physical memory to give the process the illusion that it is the only user of RAM.
In fact, according to several studies, more than half of all network attacks are committed internally. To determine the best ways to protect against attacks, we should understand the many types of attacks that can be instigated and the damage that these attacks can cause to data. The most common types of attacks include Denial of Service (DoS), password, and root access attacks.... ... middle of paper ... ...
Implement a system Intrusion Detection/Prevention System (IDS/IPS): - Make the investment in an IDS/IPS to distinguish and prevent potential system dangers. sensors ought to be circulated all through the system, with a specific focus on general society untrusted section. Take alerts very seriously.