knowledge required to pass *nix wargames

[th3 X-cution3r]

hi guys
i just wanna ask what's the required knowledge to pass a wargame!!!
i dont mean basic commands
but somethiung like descovering backdoors , vuln and security hole in a nix box!
any resources to read?
i would like to read simplified tutorials on the security in nix system
p.s:
i mean by simplified with out useless blah blah blah
just practical tuts

peace out

[Striek]

i just wanna ask what's the required knowledge to pass a wargame!!!

Sounds an awful lot to me like "Please please please teach me how to hack!!!"

I'll answer anyway...

i would like to read simplified tutorials on the security in nix system.

There are no simplified tutorials on *nix systems. At least none that actually teach you anything worthwhile. You could start by visiting cve.mitre.org and reading up on all the vulerabilities in the last 2 years. That would give you a basic idea of what's out there. Then review the source code for the current linux kernel to give you an idea of how data moves through a system. Looking at source code for common services like apache, sendmail, or proftp would be a good idea too. You might also want to review bugtraq's mailing list archives for the past few years to see what's been discovered recently.

That at least would give you a starting point, anyway.

sdrhsdthsrthsrjhsr

[th3 X-cution3r]

streik
i meant by simplified tuts ,in depth tuts with out useless stuff
i need a book or tutorials talking about practical things , i dont want a tut where someone is trying to show his powers and historical knowledge of what's linux
i want up to date tuts

second re read my post
i dont ask u to teach me how to hack
iam sking how to know and learn about security
underline the word security,ok?
im a linux user already
but i wanna know how to secure my own box and how to hack linux
HOW TO HACK NOT HOW TO CRACK INTO LINUX,ok?
anyway thank u for replying
by the way i have loads of e-books about linux but none of them gave me what i want!
especially security in open systems
bye bye amigo

[MrLinus]

the3 X-cution3r,

What do you mean "with out useless stuff"? What do you classify as "useless stuff"? If it's security text/books take a look at one or all of the following:

Linux System Security, 2nd Edition
Practical Unix and Internet Security, 3rd Edition
Real World Linux Security: Intrusion Prevention, Detection and Recovery, 2nd Edition
Hacking Exposed Linux, 2nd Edition
Maximum Linux Security (2nd Edition)
Building Secure Servers with Linux

Visit Linux Security for tutorials on all sorts of specifics of *nix security. Go and download Thymus' Guide to Securing Slackware (found at the GIAC Reading Room). While specifically on Slackware it should give you an idea.

The best way to learn how to secure a linux box, IMHO, is to setup a live box and protect it. Nothing beats learning like experience.

Lastly, striek was trying to help. We do get a lot of people who do attempt to social engineer others into a) giving them the easy answer and b) telling them how to do something illegal. It's hard to seperate those from individuals like yourself who are trying to learn legitimate tasks. So don't take it too personal what striek did.

[Striek]

I wasn't trying to be rude... sarcastic maybe, and I guess that's a very fine line.

What I was trying to explain is that there is no simple way to learn this. The background knowledge required to understand the principle behind attacks to beat even the simplest wargames take years to learn. Nobody will ever understand computer security until they've completely disassembled a system and rebuilt it from the ground up. Simple tutorials will give you a basic idea of how more common exploits work, but you will still be left with no clue when it comes time to apply that newfound knowledge.

Take a car, for example. I could spend all of next month explaining to you how an engine works, but until you've actually disassembled one, seen all the little holes in there and figured out what they all do, you will have no idea how they work together to make your car move. Nobody would ever expect to read a 'simplified tutorial' on automotive mechanics and then expect to be able to repair their car if it ever broke. The same holds true for computer security.

If you want to learn this, I would suggest downloading the simplest Linux distrubution you can find, the kind that fit on a floppy. Get your computer booting from that and then build a system around it with networking and printing and sound and all those goodies. Then when you're done you will be able to say you understand how a linux system operates. In other words, don't install someone else's distro and try to understand that. Do all the hard work yourself. It won't be easy, but you will learn more than you ever will just by reading tutorials.

There are no easy solutions. There are no easy questions, either.