What a few things you would do to boost the security of your VPS? So far I have securing/restricting SSH access, installing chkrootkit and putting up a firewall. Any other things I should do?
Just noticed I put VPS Server Hardening, should be VPS Hardening
So I did something terribly dumb early this AM...go me...and I had to reinstall. Yes, it was that bad. Kernel panics, a hoarked up bootloader, nothing in the execution path, etc. Let's just say that between the 2.6.18-128.el5 kernel (I've been reading that there are a lot of reports of file corruption after this update, something I saw as well...) and yum doing something it wasn't supposed to, I'm having to start over. Thank goodness for backups. Anyways, to my questions:
CentOS 5.3 64-bit, clean install, no CP yet. I'm trying to get the base OS clean, simple and hardened before I put DA on there again and restore my websites but I have a few questions since I'm a network dork and normally pay for people to do the extended server hardening for me.
There are many people who sell server hardening for windows and linux and all the packages are pretty much the same. I don't want to give anyone outside access to my server no matter how much they claim to be good, fact is once it's out, it's out.
Is there an online resource with some sort of check list and links for a quality server hardening for windows and linux servers?
I.E. install this, install that, configure this?
Seems that do it yourself is worth the training and $100
1. I don't use nor will I EVER use cPanel (royal POS in my opinion). I might, however, have DirectAdmin installed (not sure yet)
2. CentOS 5, 64-bit edition
3. Apache 2.2 latest, MYSQL 5.1 latest, PHP 5.2 latest
I usually use appears to be super busy and just not able to get the job done. No slight on him, he has a busy work schedule. So I'm looking to go outside of my comfort zone and see other companies to use. I don't think I can use Platinum as I outright refuse to even discuss cPanel as an option. If I want an underperforming, unsecure and incompatible web and database server, I'll run Windows.
So I'm looking for the usual end-to-end hardening package. I'm too lazy to do it myself and I'll forget to do something. Any recommendations out there in WHT land?
We have a linux server running cPanel/WHM and using Exim for mail, we're also using SpamAssassin to label messages as spam. I have made a few modifications to settings and installed things like DomainKeys, but am wondering if I am doing enough.
My objectives are to:
1) Prevent mail users on the server from being inundated with spam, and/or be able to effectively manage any spam that does come through.
2) Ensure that messages that my mail users send out remains as highly deliverable as possible.
3) Make it difficult for third parties to exploit my mail server for their own spamming needs.
Are there any good tutorials out there on this stuff that should at least cover some of my bases? Where should I begin? The only thing preventing me from hiring out the work to someone else is that I'd like to learn how to do it myself.
We have discussed all the basic methods of securing and hardening the server. Lets leave all the basic and general server securing and hardening I have started this to get advance knowledge in securing and hardening of the server so that it will usefull for all the person So i request all to provide all the vaulable tips and suggestions in advance securing and hardening of linux servers I welcome all the comments related to advance securing and hardening of linux servers.
while the ELS script looks pretty sexy on paper, it appears that the hardening of the /tmp and /shm is fairly problematic on CentOS 5 systems. Apparently the entire process is mucking up /etc/fstab and yes, I know, I'm being 100% lazy by using a script...so sue me.
Wanted to see if anyone had any success or complete disaster stories running ELS on a CentOS 5, preferrably 64-bit, system in the past few months and would be willing to share their experience. There's more than just the filesystem hardening in it and I'm looking for some of the other aspects but that seems to be the reoccuring nightmare scenario people are having.
For those wondering what ELS is, here's a good (and bad) discussion about it on the DirectAdmin forums. I'm sure there's others but this is where my search started.
Since this got lost (google cache of thread discussion so far) [url] im reposting because i think it was an interesting discussion.
I'm setting up a cpanel server for the first time. I was wondering if i could harden the default cpanel permissions for the user folders in /home The idea is to prevent users viewing each others files. Please don't suggest the php open_basedir option as its not secure and doesn't work with cgi based file browsers.
Note I'm using suexec/suphp.
currently new cpanel users folders are created with group and user ownership and the permissions 755
I was thinking if i changed this to 711 would this break anything?
Could i lock this down even more by changing the group ownership to "nobody" and thus have permissions 710.
I am compiling a list of security hardening procedures which should be performed to a server, with the goal of coming up with a comprehensive list of hardening procedures which should be implemented.
The following lists the details I have compiled so far. Please feel free to contribute additional hardening tips so we may come up with a full and thorough list:
Install mod_security Install mod_evasive Install mod_limitipconn Install APF Install BFD Install PRM Install SIM Install portsentry Install chkrootkit and configure reporting cronjob Install rkhunder and configure reporting cronjob Install snort Install tripwire Install libsafe Install mail header patch to identify cause of spam sent through nobody Limit compiler and fetch utilities access to root only Correct folder permissions to prevent directory transversal Remove unneeded OS packages Upgrade kernal to latest OS release Ensure MySQL password is set Ensure OpenSSH protocol is only using protocol 2 Ensure cannot SSH directly to root. Must SSH to admin first. Enforce noexec & nosuid on temporary directories /tmp and /var/tmp Disable used services Disable DNS recursion Disable IP source routing Disable IMCP redirect acceptance Disable certain php functions (system, exec, shell_exec) Enable IP spoofing protection Enable Spoofing protection Enable syncookie protection Enable misc. sysctl settings Harden host.conf
I've just ordered my new Windows 2003 server with 49Pence.com and will be taking "delivery" of it once they have commissioned it.
Anyway, I would appreciate some advice on how to secure it. I have been used to the luxury of a hardware firewall, but budgetary constraints mean I will have to rely upon a software firewall (something that scares me a little). It will be running our company websites, MSSQL and MDaemon mailserver.
I am not sure exactly how the server will be delivered, but I assume it will arrive fully patched with Remote Desktop access, and Windows Firewall installed.
First question: Is Windows Firewall sufficent? I am more used to configuring firewalls with Ports/Protocols/IP's rather than "applications". I also understand that Windows Firewall cannot restrict access to specific IP's.
I read that IPSec / TCP Filtering should also be used. I've looked at various links and have an idea how to do this, but I do not want to make a mistake and get "locked out". I saw a post saying that during testing they set up a scheduled job to reset the IPSec policies every x minutes so that they can log back in if they do make a mistake. How would this be done (in terms of IPSec) .. or is this a matter of stopping a service?
If I go with another software firewall, is there an easy way to install remotely without getting locked out of the Remote Desktop? KVM over IP is a charged by the hour.
It is "safe" to leave Port 3389 open and rely upon passwords (and potentially IPSEC IP policies), or should I administer by VPN?
If so, it seems that in order to create a VPN connection on the server, it requires that the Windows Firewall is shut down (at least on my test server here). Obviously this is something I don't want to do!
[mysqld] datadir=/var/lib/mysql socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock # Default to using old password format for compatibility with mysql 3.x # clients (those using the mysqlclient10 compatibility package). old_passwords=1
I have Plesk 11.5 (service provider mode) on a Windows 2008 server IIS7.Most of my sites are developed in .asp and therefore i use a custom 500-100.asp error page that check s the IP of the visitor then displays either a friendly error, or if its my IP a full error of what has happened (it also emails me the error). This allows me to debug pages easily whilst developing and to keep an eye on anyone trying SQL Injection hacks on my sites (as the error and email also have session variables and IP address).I dont have root access to the server as it is a Webfusion dedicated server.I have following the Plesk documentation -
1) Switch on custom errors for the subscription 2) Look in virtual directories and navigate to error documents 3) Find the error in question (500:100) and change it to point at either a file or URL
FILE - I had the data centre add in the 500-100.asp error page in to the virtual template so that my page is available in the list of virtual files - this didn't work but that maybe because its not a static page??
URL - when i add the path it says its incorrect, if i add a fully qualified address, it accepts it but it doesn't work.give me a specific example of the URL that can be entered relative to the root as the format in the documentation isn't accepted. The last step is to restart IIS which is also an issue as i cant seem to do this from the Plesk panel..It is as if it isn't catching the 500:100 error, and only catching the general 500 error??
I am currently running Google Analytics/Urchin 5 (v5.7.02), on a server, the server has started to act up, (on its last legs etc) and now I am trying to transfer the Urchin Software to a new server, where it would work effectively.
However upon installing the urchin software on the new server and running it (localhost:9999), I am presented with An Action Items Page, and these following choices
This is the scenario, domain.com are setup on server1, however server2 also has the same profile of domain.com as we use ns3 and ns4 using domain.com. This works fine with the nameserver setup on server2.
However I encounter problems as the emails from server2 won't reach server1 as there are duplicate profile on server2.
My question is how do I setup the DNS in cpanel/whm from server2 so the emails from server2 will reach server1?
I just want to use a server for file sharing, it will have nginx and that's it. I'm looking at centos, or freebsd, but I been using centos forever now and I'm not sure how to use freebsd, should I just stay with centos?
Do I tell my hosting provider to just install the OS and give me ssh action and that's it? Don't install any control panels or any other stuff? I want one domain and one subdomain on it though and ftp action.
I'm wondering whether it is possible to perform a full server migration to a new Plesk server with the same hostname or will Plesk give an error about the hostname being the same?
The new server would not be accessible by hostname (only via IP) until DNS and glue records were changed after the migration.
I've been developing a small 2D MMORPG lately. I bought a VPS to run the server on a few days ago and sadly it doesn't work so well. Sometimes the loads go pretty high (afaik not caused by me) and MySQL freezes, causing the server to just wait for MySQL to unlock, hanging all the players around on the map. Not a good thing.
Anyway, the game is very small scale, and I'm not planning to have more than maybe 30-50 players online. It does not suck up much CPU, I had ~10 guys online and loads stayed down at 0.00 on the VPS box.
Problem with getting a dedicated is our very low budget. As I'm still underage and living at home hammering my pc and don't have any real incomes, we're talking numbers like $ 30 - $ 50 USD per month - it's really hard to find for that price in Europe.
Requirements: Monthly payment, $ 30 - $ 50 / month, no setup (or very small setup, like $ 20) 10Mbit/s or faster connection, 100GB traffic should do 500MHz CPU is all cool 512MB or more RAM 5GB diskspace is enough Has to be in Europe due to ping times (< 100ms) Linux, Debian 4.0 prefered
If anyone knows where I could get something like this for a low price, $ 30 to $ 50 USD, it'd be great.
I have been searching everywhere trying to find a tutorial but It is not going anywhere. Basically I need to create 2 nameservers for Godaddy and pretty much so when i type http://mysite.com it goes to my site. I can access everything from http://myip and everything works. Now is there a step by step on how to actually do it in the DNS Manager? I need help like what IP address do I use is it the router ip? The external IP?