Linux security programs

[wreckedcarzz]

Hiya everyone!
I am converting my Windows XP laptop into a Linux workstation , and I know that there are far less security problems in Linux (and less people using it meaning there aren't many exploiters anyways), but are there any good security programs for Linux ?

P.S.: Is Mobysaurus available in a Linux compatable format?

Thanks,
-Wreckedcarzz

[Edvard]

Depends on what you mean by "Security Program". In Windows, it means firewall, anti-virus, spam filter, spyware/adware filter/detector/remover... ad nauseum. In Linux, it could mean nothing more than a sanely configured group policy. But, if you need (or think you need...) some similar apps, here's a short list from recent memory:

--Firewall--
Firestarter:
http://www.fs-security.com/
Mason:
http://dhp.com/~whisper/mason/
Netfilter/ipTables:
http://www.netfilter.org/

--and some Distros that ARE firewalls--
SmoothWall:
http://www.smoothwall.org/
IPCop:
http://www.ipcop.org/
LEAF:
http://leaf.sourceforge.net/

--Internet Filtering--
Netfilter/ipTables:
http://www.netfilter.org/
Squid:
http://www.squid-cache.org/
DansGuardian:
http://dansguardian.org/

--Anti-Virus--
ClamAV: (there are many well-known AV companies that support Linux, but this is the only Open-Source one...)
http://www.clamav.net/
The Open Antivirus Project: (VERY Alpha, just for education...)
http://www.openantivirus.org/

--Spam Filter--
BogoFilter:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/bogofilter/
SpamAssassin:
http://spamassassin.apache.org/ (mostly for mail servers)
A properly trained Thunderbird:
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/

--Articles and Books--
Hardening Linux- A 10-step Approach:
http://flaviostechnotalk.com/wordpress/index.php/2005/06/16/hardening-linux-a-10-step-approach-to-a-secure-server/
IBM Article on Securing Linux:
http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/linux/library/l-seclnx1.html
Hardening Linux- Book: (haven't read it myself, but I hear nothing but good things about it...)
http://www.amazon.com/Hardening-Linux-James-Turnbull/dp/1590594444
Hack-proofing Linux- Book: (older book, read the reviews, it's up to you whether it will be useful or not...)
http://www.amazon.com/Hack-Proofing-Linux-Source-Security/dp/1928994342

--The Final Word--
Top 100 Security Tools:
http://sectools.org/

Also, your chosen distro probably provides many of the same tools for monitoring and securing as well as some distro-specific security applications and methods. Learn your tools. Read the HowTo's and do not hesitate to inquire at the FAQ's and Forums of your distro site.

One more final word:
--Google Is Your Friend--
http://www.google.com/linux

Hope this helps...

Edit: Netfilter is actually more often used in firewall applications although it works well as a general IP-based Network Filter, so I put it in both categories.

[mouser]

nice post edvard!

[wreckedcarzz]

WOW! Thanks...I'll check em out ASAP!

[Wordzilla]

P.S.: Is Mobysaurus available in a Linux compatable format?

hah! I tried to make one for Linux, only to find *nix's not for simpletons (like me). 

GO ahead and make a linux version for all your fella users!

[Edvard]

Is Mobysaurus available in a Linux compatable format?

Hmm... A brief search turned up Aiksaurus, based on the Moby Thesaurus (different project)
Hmmm... Moby, I wonder if the MobySaurus lexicon could be exported to a format usable by Aiksaurus, m? That'd make half the work already done, eh?
Just a thought...

Also, I posted Sectools.org as a "final word" on security and in the past few days have been digging around that and their parent site, Insecure.org and I must say there are more cans of worms brewing over there than you can shake a stick at.
Apparently, if you want to know ANYTHING about security concerns in software, you'll find them posted, discussed, debunked, rebunked, bent, folded and spindled on their Seclists.org section. Now I'm not talking reviews of the latest anti-virus apps, but in-depth coverage of who can do what to what software with what tools over what kind of network. Capisci? 

[Redhat]

Hiya everyone!
I am converting my Windows XP laptop into a Linux workstation , and I know that there are far less security problems in Linux (and less people using it meaning there aren't many exploiters anyways), but are there any good security programs for Linux ?

P.S.: Is Mobysaurus available in a Linux compatable format?

Thanks,
-Wreckedcarzz

If you mean security as in protection, nothing really needs to be done after installation of a chosen distro. Just make sure you never run as root unless necessary  If you need any further help/advice, feel free to PM me 

Point of interest - which distro? 

[wreckedcarzz]

I am trying to run a live CD onto my HD (yea, I have heard from the person that I got my copy from that you cant run live CDs onto HDs, but it is a work in progress (which is actually making progress!  ). To be specific it is Knoppix 5.0.1, if that makes any since to anyone. If the name sounds familiar, you may remember it from the Windows XP type look, with the multi-button "taskbar" at the bottom of the screen. So far I have gotten the files to the HD and edited the boot.ini file, but that is where I stand (currently I am working on other projects).

[Edvard]

Actually there are many different ways to run a live CD off your hard drive. The most common is to use a boot floppy or USB to kick up the .iso saved on your hard disk, or booting from the CD but passing the "tohd" and "fromhd" cheatcodes to use the .iso instead of the CD.
Try here: http://hacks.oreilly.com/pub/h/2448
and here: http://www.knoppix.net/wiki/Poor_Mans_Install

[wreckedcarzz]

Ok, I have got to be honest with you...
I have no clue what you just said  (I had you up past the .iso, then I lost you after that...)
I am going to check out the sites now, however I have really wierd hardware/software problems (continuously reinstalling Windows XP and partitioning for Linux does that to you after the 12th install) so my USB ports (and CD drive) rarely work (my external HD is no good to me anymore...) and my laptop has no floppy drive  .

[Edvard]

Ok, let me be a little more verbose...

A Poor Man's Install of a Linux Live CD consists of:
1) Saving the .iso file on your hard disk
2) Booting with either -
    A) A floppy disk containing a boot program that will launch your .iso file as if you were running the live CD
    B) The Live CD which you then tell (via "cheatcodes") to launch the .iso file instead of continuing with the CD

About cheatcodes: Usually, a Live CD will give you the option at boot-time whether to continue booting as-is or to enter optional codes to direct the system to do different tricks. Some of these include loading the system entirely into memory (w00t!), loading extra drivers for weird hardware (parallel-port CD burners, etc.), choosing an  alternate graphics mode, etc. Knoppix has cheatcodes that allow you to read the system from a location other than the physical CD. Knoppix has a boot cheatcode called "bootfrom" that does just this. When you see the splash screen with the boot options offered, type after the "boot:" prompt

Code

bootfrom=/dev/hda1/path/to/knoppix.iso

(remember, Linux uses forward slashes...)
if you put your knoppix.iso right on your C:\ drive then it would be:

Code

bootfrom=/dev/hda1/knoppix.iso

Let me know if I can be any more help.

P.S. A while ago, I had quite a bit to say over here on the subject of Linux. Hope it helps.

[Edvard]

Some additions to my first list:

FireHOL:
http://firehol.sourceforge.net/

FireHOL is an iptables firewall generator producing stateful iptables packet filtering firewalls, on Linux hosts and routers with any number of network interfaces, any number of routes, any number of services served, any number of complexity between variations of the services (including positive and negative expressions).

FireHOL is a language to express firewalling rules, not just a script that produces some kind of a firewall.

TinyProxy:
http://tinyproxy.sourceforge.net/

...an ideal solution for sites where a full-featured HTTP proxy is required, but the system resources required to run a more demanding HTTP proxy are unavailable.

[wreckedcarzz]

FINALLY got Linux up onto my 2nd HD...downloaded and am working on installing a couple of the tools from the list you made Edvard. Thanks so much!