Linux – Choices and Security

Linux – Choices and Security Josh More - blog.starmind.org

The Problem of Linux

Linux's success is due to a highly-evolutionary response and wide collection of applications.

This makes it very hard to choose a distribution suitable to a business environment.

Linux – Choices and Security Josh More - blog.starmind.org

The Major Players

Hobbiest Ubuntu / Mint OpenSUSE Fedora

Enterprise Ubuntu Server SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Red Hat Enterprise Server / CentOS

Linux – Choices and Security For those of you that are bored... Josh More - blog.starmind.org

The Minor Players

Slackware Gentoo Mandriva Debian MEPIS Puppy Sabayon Arch

Kubuntu Xubuntu Damn Small Linux Vector gOS Ultimate Edition Zenwalk Sidux

Linux – Choices and Security some animal trivia... Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Live CDs

Knoppix Backtrack Helix PCLinuxOS Slax System Rescue CD Elive Kanotix

NimbleX GoblinX Ultimate Boot CD m0n0wall LLGP INSERT Feather GeeXboX

Linux – Choices and Security Platypuses sense electric currents with their bills. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Confused?

There certainly are a lot of options

Linux – Choices and Security Squid can see the polarization of light. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Solution – Only two things matter

Distribution Lifetime

Application Choice

Linux – Choices and Security Lizards threatened by fire ants have longer legs. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Distribution Lifetime

Distribution(Server) Lifetime (years)

Ubuntu 1.5

Fedora 1

OpenSUSE 2

Mandriva 5

Ubuntu Server 5

Red Hat Enterprise 7

SUSE Linux Enterprise 9

Linux – Choices and Security Black bears can be white, yellow or brown too. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Application Choice

Distributions sorted by number of packages

Red Hat EnterpriseMandriva

SUSE Linux EnterpriseUbuntu Server

FedoraOpenSUSE

Ubuntu

Linux – Choices and Security The Alaska oil pipeline hampered caribou migration. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Putting it all together

Linux – Choices and Security The Pacific Barreleye fish have a transparent cranium. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Specialty Options

Security Testing Helix Backtrack INSERT

Security Appliance M0n0wall IPCop Astaro

User Friendly gOS PC Linux OS

Recovery System Rescue CD Ultimate Boot CD GParted Live

NAS FreeNAS OpenFiler

Lightweight Puppy Damn Small Vector

Linux – Choices and Security Some jellyfish can reverse their aging process. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux Security Model

Linux – Choices and Security The viper fish has movable teeth. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Male platypuses have venomous spurs on their legs. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Water bears can survive in the vacuum of space. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Desert snails can live for years without food or water. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The kookaburra may sit in trees other than gum. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The tuatara has three eyes. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Parasites shed bits of their DNA to rely upon their hosts. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The song of the katydid changes with the temperature. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Moles bite the heads off worms and store them for later. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Fire ants floating in water rotate so all may breathe. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The slow loris has poisonous elbows. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Mice prefer chocolate to cheese. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Some sea urchins only breed during the full moon. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Pronghorns don't know how to jump over fences. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Hornbills are one of the few birds to have eyelashes. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The chalcid wasp lays its eggs in the eggs of others. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Takeaways

Like all OSs, Linux is only potentially secure. You can secure Linux at many levels. Use all the levels you can. It's all about configuration

Linux – Choices and Security Sea squirts reabsorb their brains when they settle down. Josh More - blog.starmind.org