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08.18.09 Unix Security Reminders Issued  By Doug CaverlyIt's possible that, at some point in the future, a master thief will cut your home's power and phone lines, drill through a wall, and steal everything without leaving a fingerprint. But it's more likely that an idiot will find an unlocked door or window, and since computer security works in a similar manner, a look at some basic Unix-related issues seems prudent. Chad Perrin recently put together a good walkthrough, and he started by talking about the root account. Basically, you shouldn't always be signed into this account; it'd be like walking around with the key to your safe deposit box(es) in your pocket. Stick with a normal user account when possible, instead, so that less will be lost if it's taken over.
Perrin also wrote, "There is a great tool for securing and logging the behavior of users who need to perform limited administrative tasks called sudo. . . . It is best used to allow specific users with specific, well-defined administrative privilege needs to do what they need to do, and only that; it also makes logging the activities of such users a breeze." There are plenty of other things to consider, too, of course, but these tips should help with a couple of the fundamentals. Remember that security isn't always a matter of having everything triple-padlocked and encased in steel; you can often get by with just having a more secure setup than some other houses or companies. About the Author: Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news. |
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