Newbie question about Linux security

[jacatone]

I'm running two computers with Linux. One with Ubuntu 8.10 and another older machine running Xubuntu 8.10. I'm running both Linux boxes off a wireless router with a WEP key. What more should I be doing to keep them secure? Thanks.

[Dr Small]

Hello there.
Have you read the Security Sticky at the top of this forum?
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=510812

Also, please check out the Intrusion Detection sticky:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=919472

Best regards,
Dr Small

[lisati]

If you can, make the key WPA instead of WEP, because it's harder to break.
If you have control of the router, you might also want to restrict access to it by MAC address as well.

There's an interesting discussion about security in Ubuntu at http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=510812

EDIT: Rats! Dr Small beat me with the link.

[HermanAB]

Howdy,

The main thing is to use looooooong passwords for all acounts. Common cracker dictionaries have up to 8 character words in them, so I use 16 char semi-pronounceable passwords for my machines.