Linux Security Books/PDF/Whitepapers? (newbie here)

**UbuNoob001** · July 2nd, 2010

Hi, I am new to Linux, and am interested in learning about security/network security/pentesting, not sure where to start. Can anyone point me in the direction of some good reading? Preferably free/pdf etc.
For example there is a great Linux Security HOWTO on the Linux Documentation site, but it is from 2001. Are things like that still good/valid?

Anyhow, any advice on what to read or how to narrow down my learning quest would be appreciated.
Thanks

**Rubi1200** · July 2nd, 2010

Hi,
well, since you are using Ubuntu, this might be a good place to start:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=510812

I have also used the following resources and found them to be quite useful:

http://www.cyberciti.biz/tips/top-li...ing-tools.html

http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/doc...art-HOWTO.html

**movieman** · July 2nd, 2010

The NSA have a very thorough guide to Linux hardening on their site: it's primarily aimed at Red Hat, but the theory is almost entirely applicable to Ubuntu and so is much of the practice.

I don't have the URL handy but it shouldn't be hard to find either on their site or through Google.

**UbuNoob001** · July 2nd, 2010

I am also looking for a good project to help me learn.

A. Would setting up a home web server be a good option for learning security procedures?

Basically I would like to learn about penetration detection, intrusion prevention, firewall logging etc. I am new to linux.

**jocampo** · July 3rd, 2010

Originally Posted by UbuNoob001

I am also looking for a good project to help me learn.

A. Would setting up a home web server be a good option for learning security procedures?

Basically I would like to learn about penetration detection, intrusion prevention, firewall logging etc. I am new to linux.

Security is a really broad topic: network, operating system, software (apache, mysql, php) you name it... it would be nice to reduce or limit your learning spectrum and start from the very beginning.

And a good start is just knowing your Ubuntu System, the basics, like how the security at Os level works, default Ubuntu firewall, etc. Ubuntu is really safe out of the box but try to learn about basic Linux security 1st and then jump into network.

http://www.psychocats.net/ubuntu/security
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Security