Hello,
I want to learn linux\unix security, I want to understand how hacking on unix systems is done to know how to protect from it. And I just want to learn something new .
I would appriciate any shared information. Everything is welcome links, documents, files and anything else that could be usefull .
To be honest I don't know linux well, so documents for any level (from newbie to pro) is welcome

Best Regards,
Alex.

The quickest way to learn the Unix, or more likely Linux, would be to dive in head first. First off, try to install a Linux distro from scratch (preferably without a GUI). Once it is running, customize and explore. Before you can learn anything too in depth about security, you have to learn more about the structure, file system, and processes connected with the OS. Some of the better flavors of *nix are Gentoo, Debian, Slackware, and my personal favorite, *BSD (OpenBSD, FreeBSD, NetBSD). FreeBSD has a GREAT handbook for it that is available all over such as here. It is in virtually every language and seems to be the best maintained documentation of the *nix flavors. In addition, the BSD's are the closest thing to unix you will get running on an x86 machine.

http://linuxiso.org/ is a great place to find all the *.iso images needed for installing a linux distro, as well as the *nix's homepage.

I forgot one other flavor. I hate it, but others seem to like it a lot. Its called Knoppix STD or something like that. It is a single CD that boots from the CD, no installing necessary. You just lose some functionality.

I'd reccomend the level-wise wargames at hackerslab.org ..a nice way to learn a lot about *nix and *nix security specifically.Also install any flavour of linux ..preferably redhat or mandrake if you are a newbie. Also Live-CD distributions like PHLAK(http://www.phlak.org/) and knoppix(http://www.knoppix.org/) can come handy.

Thank you for your help I am going to install Linux today I think it will be FreeBSD.
And will try to learn something
Also I got one question: What about SuSE linux? Is it any good? I had some expirience on it, but ONLY on it so I can't compare it with anything...

Alex.

I´m working with SuSE Linux (ver. 9.0) and everything works fine.

To look around it´s good to install KDE or Gnome Windowmanager.
Later, when you understand the structure, file-system and so on, install it without an GUI.

Try it and have fun with Linux/Unix

Bye - sysadmin

I strongly suggest reading a intro to unix scripting. Like lean bash in 21 days or whatever is pretty good. As long as you read the intro that talks about pipeing and useful programs like awk, sed, grep, gcc, locate, less, nano/pico. I read a learn bash in 21 days it was really similar to my unix class.
Good reference:
http://blacksun.box.sk/books/unix.htm

I suggest knoppix most defiantly, REALLY easy to install if you choose to do so. I suggest for hacking www.knoppix-std.org the next version is going to rock, but the current one in my opinion is the beset hacking live cd.

I suggest fluxbox, low resource and really fast if and versatile. KDE and gone look nicer, and they are probably easer to use. The current version of knoppix-std uses kde, if you install it it comes with fluxbox.

FreeBSD is awesome, SUPPER easy to install software, not so easy to install. Well its not hard but getting X working is a trick if it is your first unix distro. http://www.freesbie.org/ I suggest if you are interested in freebsd, simple to install if you choose to do so.

for info on linux security, i've learned a lot from the guys over at RootHack. they have wargames where teams of people go against each other all the time and after it's done, they submit white papers about what they did to defend and attack. i found this information very very enlightening. another good place to learn is Phrack. they have a semi-annual hacking magazine that comes out and it has awesome articles in it. their whole archive of texts is available for download. i highly recommend it.