Help proposing Highschool Indepentdent study

can you guys give me some ideas on what i could focus a highschool independent study on if i want it to be tied in with linux and perhaps security.
Any Ideas welcomed
Thanks
David

how about a comparison in tools between Linux and windows. For instance traceroute in linux has capability of using ICMP to ge through firewalls where as windows doens't even know of the -I (icmp) attribute. try comparing ifconfig with winipcfg or ipconfig. Obviously one tool is not enough for independent study but you could compare many tools.

Here's another one, Why doens't linux get as many viruses as windows?
Or what about they dangers of snmp? research snmpget.

Critter
http://www.chrisstokes.com

hmm Critter gave some good questions... You should take a look at the OSI model just for starters...Learn how to protect a Linux box with iptables..Learn how to navigate through a nix box..Learn how some exploits work.. Build your own LAN..Learn different network topologies.. Run Nessus on your systems...Learn how to install software on a linux box..Learn how to compile the software from source... Just my 2 cents

thanks for the ideas this is exactly the kind of things i need people to sugest. It will only take like two seconds to fire off a response thanks

It would probably be useful to know a little about the linux kernel as well.


good luck,
berg

to know what for example. just the basics. I dont really know how to code

How about...

Sociology:
-A study of Hackers. Their ethics - hackers versus crackers. You could talk about the tools they use to protect the networks they are entrusted with. Show some screen shots of the applications, some commands they would use to trace an IP address, and monitor network activity etc.

History/Biography:
-The brilliant Linus Torvalds. How, as a young man, he managed to kick-start a revolution from his small apartment in Finland. That would be inspiring :) You could have time-line charts etc. and visuals. You could also include screen shots of source-code.[?]

Tools:
-An indepth report on NMAP. There is a lengthy interview with Fyodor on Slashdot: the source-code is also available at insecure.org, and you could include that. You could also include the Man page.[?]

http://interviews.slashdot.org/artic...tid=172&tid=95


Viruses/law:
You could dissect a common virus. You can sometimes find virus dissections through the bugtrack mailing list. Discuss virus writers' motives. The different ways that viruses spread. Laws and penalties if a virus writter is caught.

Nice ideas. Are there any others that people want to contribute

Broad area to take in. Here are some I use with my students (they are required to do 1,000 words or more for these):

1. Is having anti-virus software on Linux a good idea? Why or why not in your own words (with articles/facts to back up your points)

2. Do a report on ONE of the following tools:
-- Achilles
-- nmap
-- Nessus
-- Proximotron

What is it and how does it work? Describe, in your own words, how an attacker would use it and why. And how an admin would use it and why. Is there a way to defend against this kind of tool?

3. Honeypots: Should they be allowed? Do the violate privacy issues? Do they violate entrapment issues? Are they legal?

4. How legal is it to attack back? Should companies be allowed to strike back at attackers and "software pirates"? Senator Hatch in the US has recently proposed that downloaders should have their machines destroyed. What do you think?

5. What will the impact of the "SuperDMCA" laws have on Canadian security? What about ISO17799?

6. Do you agree with the CyberInsecurity: The Cost of Monopoly report? Why or why not? (Note: use facts to back up your arguement)

Another neat idea would be writing about Gigabyte, the famed female virii writer/kickboxer (so leet). Or talking about what the GNU license is, Open source foundation, etc... good luck with your class!