[CLUE-Tech] October talk.

[Todd Williams]

Kevin Cullis wrote:
> David,
> 
> Might I make a suggestion?  When I was talking with some security
> experts regarding networking and computers, I asked them one simple
> question: If I, as a "simple" Linux user, could do three or four things
> that would keep me mostly out of hot water, what would they be?  Of
> course they stated: keep almost up to date with patches and turn off
> unnecessary services.

That is a whole 'nother talk right there.  Sounds like a good one though.

> So, if you could come from that angle it might help those that have bad
> habits become better and those with good habits to know they're doing
> good.  Finally, it would provide a basis for getting good Linux habits
> started in new people to Linux, much like Lynn told me the very first
> time I met him that I didn't need to do a CNT-ALT-DELETE anytime Linux
> had a "problem."  Was that really 4 years ago Lynn next month? :-)  My,
> how Linux time flies.

There is a lot of good information available on good security practices,
but most of it is geared towards the experienced unix admins.  Here is
an example (SANS/FBI Top 20 vulnerabilities):
http://www.sans.org/top20.htm

Since I am researching security documents for beginners anyway, I will
volunteer to do a presentation on security, with a focus on what should
be done on a "standard" linux system.

So - what should be included in such a presentation?
ipchains/iptables config?
How to determine what services are running, and how to turn off 
non-essential ones?
How to configure logging?
How to read a log?
"Extra" security tools not in most standard distros?
How to use the tools that are included?

Todd Williams