learning security (new to linux)

[knoledgesponge]

Try google!!! CyberArmy also has millions of linux tuts. Mandrake though...wow...why do you want to hack? Find a good reason or else your going to get yorself in lots of trouble lol, read the hackers manifesto and dont make the real "hackers" look bad!!

By the way, dont do much with mandrake, I mean thats what I have, and its a good linux beginner sys not to mention lightyears better than redhat (although thats debateable hehe), but if you want to get into linux security, like deep in get something like BSD or something a tad bit more advanced Good Luck!

[catch]

If your goal is to learn security, I fear Linux will just have you develop a bunch of bad habits and misconceptions. Linux security books tell you about unneeded services, buffer overflows, chroot, and IDS software but really this is not security. these are things people need to learn when using an insecure system out of hopes to either deal with specific symptoms or to just add extra crap in hopes of slowing down an attacker.

If you really want to learn security and are poor, check out SE-Linux (found here http://www.nsa.gov/selinux/index.html ). It is merely a research project and is not intended as a secure production system, but it will teach you about real security. About more sophistocated access controls, about system admins and operators (none of this root crap), it'll teach you about roles. (which can be dumped into more advanced concepts like role rotation)

Once you understand SE-Linux you will not yet be comprehensively educated, but you will have a far deeper understanding of computer security architectures and mechanisms.

If Linux is your ceiling, of course it looks secure... but once you go beyond it and understand what techniques exist beyond you can truely evaluate systems below accurately.

catch