EditedPages

Revision 4 as of 2007-09-28 20:15:26

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1. Introduction

This page serves as a list of pages edited by me for various categories. This serves as documentation of contributions, as well as a list of topics I feel comfortable providing advice and assistance for.

Security is a major area of interest of mine. I hold a firm belief that any system which is not secure by default is not properly done. I hold an equally firm belief that securing a system should be easy and intuitive, and should not prevent the user from being productive. I also believe that security should be as transparent as possible to the end user.

2.1. Automatic Security Updates

The [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AutomaticSecurityUpdates Automatic Security Updates] page gives a quick tutorial on creating a script to automatically retrieve and install security updates for the current Ubuntu version. This script, thanks to lsb_release, does not need to be edited after upgrading to a new version of Ubuntu.

  • General clarification and cleanup
  • Using graphical tools as much as possible

2.2. IPTables HowTo

The [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/IptablesHowTo IPTables HowTo] page provides basic directions for configuring an IPTables firewall. It is not intended to be an advanced reference or a guide to all the capabilities of IPTables. It is merely a brief introduction to give an end user the knowledge to quickly secure their system.

It's worth noting that Ubuntu has no external services after an installation of the desktop system, and I'm not aware of any remote exploits for a default desktop installation that a firewall would prevent (no, a DoS doesn't count) so getting a full-blown firewall up isn't as critical for Ubuntu as for certain other commercial operating systems.

  • Edited commands to encourage the use of sudo rather than opening a root shell

  • Moved explanations of all options used into a single section to allow for a quick reference and also for easier adding/editing of options in the future

  • Added a script which allows NetworkManager to automatically save IPTables rules when an interface is disabled, and to restore IPTables rules when an interface is enabled.

2.3. Unsafe Defaults

The [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UnsafeDefaults Unsafe Defaults] page gives a brief overview of certain default settings that could pose a potential security risk. Recommended changes to these settings are given, with the goal of maximizing security without sacrificing usability.

  • General cleanup
  • Updating with more accurate information