Thursday, October 11, 2012

Tips To Maintain Linux Server Security

By Sharlene Fleming


In order to protect data and ensure that your operating system will work as expected, you need to maintain your linux server security. While its multi user interface can help with limiting access and privileges, the system still needs to be strengthened to regulate incoming and outgoing data. The following are some basics on how you can keep your system secure.

If you love installing applications to try out the latest software and features, think again. The more you add in these applications, the more unsecure your system will be. Take a look at the applications that you have installed and decide which ones are needed and which ones are not. Disable any unused or unneeded application.

Look out for the latest upgrades as these may involve security patches that can fix glitches in your system. This kind of operating system usually put out frequent small upgrades and it is best if you install these upgrades as soon as you can. These upgrades often limit programs or networks to regulate access and deal with errors in applications.

Passwords are an important part of securing your system. It is imperative that passwords consist of a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters which can either be in upper or lower case. As an administrator, you need to make sure that all the users follow such rules when making their passwords. There are tools that can assess the strength of these combinations.

Passwords should be easy to remember and constantly updated. Each user should be required to change their password when a certain period has passed to lessen security risks. Familiarize yourself with the commands to enforce this routine.

If you have tried using the account, then you will have an idea of the extent of its access. However, since it is the known administrator account for the system, it is also the one that is most likely to be targeted. As a precaution, you should never login as the root user. Just use the standard user account and the available tools to regulate use.

When you are connected to a network, information you send over this group can be obtained by a third party. That is why it is important that the data be encrypted through the use of passwords or keys. Do use a password when you are about to enter the network to protect the information in transit.

A good intrusion detection system can assess your system and determine if there has been any questionable activities, like gaining access through hacking. A scan from this software will yield notifications to inform the user of any such activities. Note that this kind of applications can only determine what occurs but cannot do anything to prevent it.

Firewalls are an important part of your linux server security. When planning for firewalls, administrators will either grant access by default and then set specific restrictions or they will deny everything and set exceptions for access later on. The first option is easier to use and more users typically use this. The latter is difficult but can give better protection.




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