Linux Essentials for Cybersecurity

Linux Essentials for Cybersecurity

by William Rothwell, Denise Kinsey
Released July 2018
Publisher(s): Pearson IT Certification
ISBN: 9780134853017

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Book description

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW TO SECURE LINUX SYSTEMS, NETWORKS, APPLICATIONS, AND DATA–IN ONE BOOK

From the basics to advanced techniques: no Linux security experience necessary

Realistic examples & step-by-step activities: practice hands-on without costly equipment

The perfect introduction to Linux-based security for all students and IT professionals

Linux distributions are widely used to support mission-critical applications and manage crucial data. But safeguarding modern Linux systems is complex, and many Linux books have inadequate or outdated security coverage.

Linux Essentials for Cybersecurity is your complete solution. Leading Linux certification and security experts William “Bo” Rothwell and Dr. Denise Kinsey introduce Linux with the primary goal of enforcing and troubleshooting security. Their practical approach will help you protect systems, even if one or more layers are penetrated.

First, you’ll learn how to install Linux to achieve optimal security upfront, even if you have no Linux experience. Next, you’ll master best practices for securely administering accounts, devices, services, processes, data, and networks. Then, you’ll master powerful tools and automated scripting techniques for footprinting, penetration testing, threat detection, logging, auditing, software management, and more.

To help you earn certification and demonstrate skills, this guide covers many key topics on CompTIA Linux+ and LPIC-1 exams. Everything is organized clearly and logically for easy understanding, effective classroom use, and rapid on-the-job training.

LEARN HOW TO:

  • Review Linux operating system components from the standpoint of security

  • Master key commands, tools, and skills for securing Linux systems

  • Troubleshoot common Linux security problems, one step at a time

  • Protect user and group accounts with Pluggable Authentication

  • Modules (PAM), SELinux, passwords, and policies

  • Safeguard files and directories with permissions and attributes

  • Create, manage, and protect storage devices: both local and networked

  • Automate system security 24/7 by writing and scheduling scripts

  • Maintain network services, encrypt network connections, and secure network-accessible processes

  • Examine which processes are running–and which may represent a threat

  • Use system logs to pinpoint potential vulnerabilities

  • Keep Linux up-to-date with Red Hat or Debian software management tools

  • Modify boot processes to harden security

  • Master advanced techniques for gathering system information

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. About This E-Book
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Contents at a Glance
  6. Table of Contents
  7. About the Authors
  8. Dedications
  9. Acknowledgments
  10. About the Technical Reviewers
  11. We Want to Hear from You!
  12. Reader Services
  13. Introduction
    1. Who Should Read This Book?
    2. How This Book Is Organized
  14. Part I: Introducing Linux
    1. Chapter 1 Distributions and Key Components
      1. Introducing Linux
      2. Linux Distributions
      3. Installing Linux
      4. Summary
    2. Chapter 2 Working on the Command Line
      1. File Management
      2. Shell Features
      3. Advanced Commands
      4. Summary
    3. Chapter 3 Getting Help
      1. Man Pages
      2. Command Help Options
      3. The help Command
      4. The info Command
      5. The /usr/share/doc Directory
      6. Internet Resources
      7. Summary
    4. Chapter 4 Editing Files
      1. The vi Editor
      2. Additional Editors
      3. Summary
    5. Chapter 5 When Things Go Wrong
      1. The Science of Troubleshooting
      2. Notifying Users
      3. Summary
  15. Part II: User and Group Accounts
    1. Chapter 6 Managing Group Accounts
      1. What Are Groups Used For?
      2. Managing Groups
      3. Summary
    2. Chapter 7 Managing User Accounts
      1. The Importance of User Accounts
      2. Managing Users
      3. Network-Based User Accounts
      4. Using su and sudo
      5. Restricting User Accounts
      6. Summary
    3. Chapter 8 Develop an Account Security Policy
      1. Introducing Kali Linux
      2. Security Principles
      3. Creating a Security Policy
      4. Securing Accounts
      5. Security Tools
      6. Summary
  16. Part III: File and Data Storage
    1. Chapter 9 File Permissions
      1. Standard Permissions
      2. Default Permissions
      3. Special Permissions
      4. Access Control Lists (ACLs)
      5. Changing Ownership
      6. File Attributes
      7. Introduction to SELinux
      8. Summary
    2. Chapter 10 Manage Local Storage: Essentials
      1. Filesystem Essentials
      2. Filesystem Types
      3. Additional Filesystem Tools
      4. Mounting Filesystems
      5. Summary
    3. Chapter 11 Manage Local Storage: Advanced Features
      1. Encrypted Filesystems
      2. Managing autofs
      3. Logical Volume Manager
      4. Disk Quotas
      5. Hard and Soft Links
      6. Summary
    4. Chapter 12 Manage Network Storage
      1. Samba
      2. Network File System
      3. Summary
    5. Chapter 13 Develop a Storage Security Policy
      1. Developing the Plan
      2. Backing Up Data
      3. Summary
  17. Part IV: Automation
    1. Chapter 14 crontab and at
      1. Using crontab
      2. Using at
      3. Summary
    2. Chapter 15 Scripting
      1. Linux Programming
      2. Basics of BASH Scripting
      3. Flow Control Statements
      4. User Interaction
      5. Using Command Substitution
      6. Additional Information
      7. Summary
    3. Chapter 16 Common Automation Tasks
      1. Exploring Scripts that Already Exist on Your System
      2. Creating Your Own Automation Scripts
      3. Summary
    4. Chapter 17 Develop an Automation Security Policy
      1. Securing crontab and at
      2. Securing BASH Scripts
      3. Summary
  18. Part V: Networking
    1. Chapter 18 Networking Basics
      1. Network Terminology
      2. IPv4 Versus IPv6
      3. IPv4 Addresses
      4. Common Protocol Suites
      5. Network Ports
      6. Summary
    2. Chapter 19 Network Configuration
      1. Ethernet Network Interfaces
      2. Persistent Network Configurations
      3. Network Troubleshooting Commands
      4. Access to Wireless Networks
      5. Summary
    3. Chapter 20 Network Service Configuration: Essential Services
      1. DNS Servers
      2. Zone Files
      3. Securing BIND
      4. DHCP Server
      5. Email Servers
      6. Managing Local Email Delivery
      7. Remote Email Delivery
      8. Summary
    4. Chapter 21 Network Service Configuration: Web Services
      1. Apache Web Server
      2. Basic Apache Web Server Configuration
      3. Apache Web Server Security
      4. Virtual Hosts
      5. HTTPS
      6. SSL and Apache
      7. Proxy Servers
      8. Summary
    5. Chapter 22 Connecting to Remote Systems
      1. LDAP
      2. FTP Servers
      3. Secure Shell
      4. Summary
    6. Chapter 23 Develop a Network Security Policy
      1. Kernel Parameters
      2. TCP Wrappers
      3. Network Time Protocol
      4. Summary
  19. Part VI: Process and Log Administration
    1. Chapter 24 Process Control
      1. Viewing Processes
      2. Running Processes
      3. Killing Processes
      4. The nohup Command
      5. Process Priority
      6. Summary
    2. Chapter 25 System Logging
      1. Syslog
      2. The logrotate Command
      3. The journalctl Command
      4. Summary
  20. Part VII: Software Management
    1. Chapter 26 Red Hat–Based Software Management
      1. Red Hat Packages
      2. Using the rpm Command
      3. The yum Command
      4. Additional Tools
      5. Summary
    2. Chapter 27 Debian-Based Software Management
      1. Managing Packages with dpkg
      2. Managing Packages with APT
      3. Listing Package Information with APT Commands
      4. Summary
    3. Chapter 28 System Booting
      1. Phases of the Boot Process
      2. GRUB
      3. Kernel Components
      4. The init Phase
      5. Summary
    4. Chapter 29 Develop a Software Management Security Policy
      1. Ensuring Software Security
      2. xinetd
      3. Summary
  21. Part VIII: Security Tasks
    1. Chapter 30 Footprinting
      1. Understanding Footprinting
      2. Common Footprinting Tools
      3. Kali Linux Utilities
      4. Summary
    2. Chapter 31 Firewalls
      1. Introduction to Firewalls
      2. Essentials of the iptables Command
      3. Using iptables to Filter Incoming Packets
      4. Using iptables to Filter Outgoing Packets
      5. Implementing NAT
      6. Summary
    3. Chapter 32 Intrusion Detection
      1. Introduction to Intrusion Detection Tools
      2. Intrusion Detection Network Tools
      3. Intrusion Detection File Tools
      4. Additional Intrusion Detection Tools
      5. Summary
    4. Chapter 33 Additional Security Tasks
      1. The fail2ban Service
      2. OpenVPN
      3. gpg
      4. Security Alert Services
      5. Summary
  22. Appendix A Answers to Review Questions
  23. Appendix B Resource Guide
  24. Glossary
  25. Index
  26. Code Snippets

Product information

  • Title: Linux Essentials for Cybersecurity
  • Author(s): William Rothwell, Denise Kinsey
  • Release date: July 2018
  • Publisher(s): Pearson IT Certification
  • ISBN: 9780134853017