The Future-Proof Server: Antivirus and Beyond for Linux Admins

Linux servers are a far more dominant force in the industry than people give them credit for. Sure, many personal computers run on Windows, but Linux is the operating system behind roughly 81% of all the websites. One reason for this is that it’s more resilient to the majority of threats that most of their counterparts face.

While Linux is generally more resilient to viruses, these devices and servers almost always exist on the same network as devices using other systems. So, even though they cannot suffer the brunt of the attack, they can spread viruses and malware to other devices in the network.  

This is why Linux admins must learn to protect and future-proof their servers. You can’t just slap an antivirus like a flex tape and hope you’ve solved all the problems. Your approach needs to be far more holistic than that. In this article, I’ll provide tips admins can implement to secure their servers against malware, viruses, and other malicious threats. 

Understanding the Linux Server Security Paradigm

The first thing worth pointing out is that Linux isn’t immune to all sorts of malware. Many people believe this, which is incredibly dangerous, especially when you consider that you’re not taking measures to protect yourself from a threat you don’t know exists.

Ransomware may be less common on Linux than Windows, but it’s not unheard of. The number of Linux ransomware instances has increased dramatically. This is especially problematic for major financial institutions, where changes and updates are much slower than with smaller teams. 

There are also tools known as cryptocurrency miners, which can latch onto your system and drain resources for your use. In this case, you have an OS that’s supposed to be faster, simpler, and more reliable, and it’s anything but that. Moreover, since you’re not even aware of the severity of this threat, this is the last thing that will cross your mind during diagnostics.

Lastly, you need to be aware of rootkits and stealthy malware that require kernel-level access to function. They can manipulate system calls and logs, cloaking their activity and making them incredibly hard to detect. 

Rootkits, which allow unauthorized entry to the kernel level of servers, require a comprehensive approach. Linux admins should employ tools explicitly designed to detect rootkits—such as Chkrootkit or rkhunter—while implementing strict kernel integrity checks to detect unapproved changes promptly. Setting tripwires that notify administrators about changes in crucial files or configurations that could indicate rootkit activity is also an effective strategy.

What Is The Role of Antivirus in Linux Server Security?

Most of the Internet is on Linux servers, which means that the attack surface for malicious third parties is the largest it’s ever been. Every server manager needs an elaborate guide on server antivirus software and the right platform to keep everything secure. 

One of the main reasons you need an antivirus for Linux is to safeguard against reckless user behavior. Think of it as a life vest for someone on a boat. You hope they won’t make a mistake, but if they do, it’s better if they’re in a vest. 

Servers handle a lot of sensitive data, meaning some specific use cases demand extra security on your part. This is especially true when you consider all the regulatory matters organizations face today.  

Advancing Beyond Antivirus: Comprehensive Security Strategies

To secure the data on your server, you need to employ more holistic strategies. This is especially true if it’s company data that we’re talking about. 

One strategy used for this is HIPS (host-based intrusion prevention system), a method for protecting endpoint devices. We’ll discuss it more in the next section.

Another strategy you can use is to install something like fail2ban. This prevents brute-force login attacks. The best part is that it also helps monitor other networking protocols (like HTTP, FTP, etc.). 

Beyond conventional antivirus and rootkit measures, behavioral analysis is a strategy that detects abnormal activities that could indicate an attempt at a breach. This involves employing advanced security systems with machine learning algorithms to understand standard server operation patterns so deviations can be flagged as potential security incidents. Administrators can monitor unusual system calls, log changes, or network traffic spikes to detect threats that traditional antivirus tools might miss.

Secure configurations and regular system updates are essential things you must insist on. The system regularly fixes all the bugs and problems, but it may become outdated. Even worse, when the patch notes come out, you’re virtually broadcasting to the world all the flaws, putting all legacy systems in even greater jeopardy. These updates need to be systemic and scheduled to be reliable.

Implementing Host Intrusion Prevention Systems (HIPS)

Previously, we’ve mentioned HIPS; however, it’s such a monumentally important cybersecurity feature that it deserves a section of its own. This system employs several methods, from resetting the connection and blocking traffic to logging the malicious activity for future investigation. 

HIPS is incredibly accurate at detecting anomalies and deviations in bandwidth, protocols, and ports. Every time an activity varies outside an acceptable range, the system will be alerted. What’s unique about HIPS, however, is that it won’t respond immediately. An anomaly is not always an attack, as not every lump is a tumor. HIPS aims to protect the server without disrupting its regular working order.

Reinforcing Linux Server Security through Best Practices

You must find the right way to harden your Linux server to the best of your abilities. First, you want to enable strong authentication and create an SSH key pair. This way, you will create a more secure means of accessing your servers. 

This will make all brute-force attacks nearly impossible, as it offers much more complex protection than a regular password. Think of it as a cybersecurity equivalent of in-depth defense, a martial concept where you have defensive lines one behind another. 

By removing unnecessary software, you limit third-party software’s access to your servers. In a way, this enables you to plug all the cybersecurity leaks. 

Anticipating Future Threats: The Importance of Proactive Security Measures

The biggest challenge in cybersecurity is that the landscape is constantly shifting. There are always new threats, challenges, exploits, and problems for you to discover. To address this, you must conduct frequent and significantly more effective audits. 

Injection flaws, broken authentication, data exposure, and XSS can all be solved effectively if you notice them in time and have the right tools to solve them. Tools like Burpsuite and SQLmap can quickly fix the problem. However, to solve a problem, you must first know you have one. 

In other words, you need a schedule, a system, and the right toolset. Without all three, you won’t be as quick to adjust to changes. 

Our Final Thoughts on Improving Linux Server Security

A considerable portion of the internet runs on Linux servers, so you must put in extra effort to keep them secure. The art of improving the cybersecurity of Linux servers has massive ramifications for the entirety of the digital world. To enhance server security, you must understand their threats, use the right tools, and ensure you’ve hardened the system enough to become as resilient as possible. Moreover, you must always anticipate and be ready for future threats.