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Thread: Secure Linux Server Distrobution

  1. #1
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    Secure Linux Server Distrobution

    What is the most secure (yet easy - to - use) linux server distrobution that has the highest compatibility among multiple operating systems.

    Also, I would like links to the documentation for you suggestions. I'm really interested in (RTFM).

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    http://www.nsa.gov/selinux/

    Actually, I don't know if it is the most secure for your purposes...do you intend to use it as a server, or do you just want a linux operating system? (just clarifying...sometimes people don't say what they mean)


    I still don't know the answer to your question though...I suppose hardware considerations will play into your decision...along with necessary apps... depends on your needs. You will have to do a little research on your own...what is best for one is not necessarily best for another...

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    I use Ice Pack & Red Hat as my home distros. However, I also have systems running XP Pro & Win 2K at home and would like to network the house together and also set up a linux web server. I would like a known secure OS and I will learn more about securing it further as I go.

  4. #4
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    Well, acctually, SELinux is only the kernel. It is based on the main offical Linux Kernel, but it majorly modified for security. I would say, any distro is as secure as you make it. Any distro can be either really secure, or really insecure, depending on how you treat it. ;-)

    Peace

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    Great, am I looking for too much by asking which one would work well on a network of systems running (XP, 2K, RH9, Ice Pack)? I was thinking of having it work as a storage server making files easily accessable from all of my system. Maybe inserting 2 hard drives one for the linux partition and the other FAT so I can read it with both my nix and MS boxes. Could this system also run my web server or is that pushing it?

    Also, what type of security would I get from a *nix server? I have managed both NT & 2K servers and familiar with the added security I can get by creating the domain and adding priviledges over the users on the domain level.

  6. #6
    Just Another Geek
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    I would stick in another redhat server since you're already familiar with it.

    Set it up with Apache as your webserver and install and configure Samba so you can use it as storage for your windows boxes (no need to create a FAT partition). You can also use NFS to export the same directories to make them easily accessable from your other un*x boxes.
    Oliver's Law:
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    That sounds great, is there any place I can download a great PDF version of the Red Hat Server guide/documentation?

    What type of added security would I get from running a Red Hat Server?

    Will this have any added effect over my MS boxes?

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    I was able to find these resources Network Install HOWTO which covers SuSE Server Setup, Redhat Server Setup, and Debian Server Setup. Are all three of these servers free of charge for home use and where can I get the ISO's. Unless these are provided in with the original software ISOs as I believe Red Hat is.

  9. #9
    I would like to give my opinions on a few OSes I've used that are almost unparallel to the others in terms of security. Please know that I'm not saying other OSes are any worse, nor that any OS is more secure in the end than any other one. Any OS can be made just as secure as any other OS, because it is all admin based. How much the admin knows depends on how secure the OS is. I hope you find this somewhat helpful!


    OpenBSD: =- http://www.openbsd.org
    Not only is this secure by default, but the entire source of the system went through an Audit by the maintainers to eleminate tons of buffer overflows, tons of remote exploits, etc etc, all by themselves. Even new code that is released gets reaudited by the team to a streamlined ability. It's a killer, killer server distro of BSD that no other OS can touch in terms of *default* and *hardcoded* security. Warning, although it can be used as a desktop system, if you are a hardcore gamer stay away. On the other hand, only one remote exploit in 7 years. Hands down the best server OS in terms of security and stability.

    NetBSD: =- http://www.netbsd.org

    It's very similar to OpenBSD, but it's focus is more on compatibility than security. While maintaining a good amount of security, we all keep in mind the compatability motto of NetBSD: "If it runs, then it can run NetBSD."

    Gentoo Linux: =- http://www.gentoo.org
    Gentoo is a linux distro in it's own world. It is more secure by default than OpenBSD in terms of open ports and prerunning services. While installing it takes a bit of reading and learning of the linux command line, the amount you learn is priceless. After the installation procedure, upgrading and installign packages is as simple as : emerge gnome emerge xmms emerge kde, etc etc... which would act just like the OpenBSD portage tree! It searches the Gentoo portage tree ( a list of applications that have been ported just for gentoo and proven to be stable on it) for the needed dependencies, files, and configurations. It auto downloads it for you, configures it all for you, then compiles and installs. That simple. In terms of security it is top notch in the upgrade area. emerge -UD world upgrades your entire system from the ground up with any new packages and upgrades. So, it's a very decent, easy, and secure server to setup... while also being a very fast desktop since everything is configurable.


    EDIT: I can not stress enough how important it is that the final aspects of security all come down to the admin. XP, linux, BSD, 2k... all can be just as secure as the rest if the admin has studied each equally.

  10. #10
    Just Another Geek
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    pst: You're forgetting the most populair BSD, FreeBSD. If you have an Intel (or compatible) machine FBSD would be the most obvious choice. More info at http://www.freebsd.org
    Oliver's Law:
    Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

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