Stay Ahead With Linux Security Features
security advisory attack A Linux server gets cleaned up after an intrusion. The suspicious process is terminated, credentials are rotated, and the system is rebooted during maintenance. Everything seems secure. A few hours later, the same outbound connection appears again. . Situations like that point to persistence . The attacker no longer needs the original exploit because something on the host continues restoring access behind the scenes. Finding that mechanism is often more important than understanding how the...
Jun 08, 2026
threat detection scalability Building a SIEM is easier than scaling one. Most open-source deployments start as a simple "all-in-one" server. It is easy to set up, but that design rarely survives the transition from a lab to a production workload. . A SIEM watching 20 endpoints is not doing the same job as one watching 500. More endpoints mean more logs; more logs require more storage; more storage makes search heavier. Eventually, the very architecture that made your lab easy to deploy becomes the reason your production...
Jun 04, 2026
security advisory apache A newly disclosed attack technique called HTTP/2 Bomb is drawing attention because it targets the software that sits at the front of much of the Linux internet. Apache HTTP Server, NGINX, Envoy, and the ingress layers that many Kubernetes environments depend on can be forced into consuming disproportionate amounts of memory using relatively small amounts of attacker traffic. . For Linux administrators, the concern is not the HTTP/2 protocol itself. It is the possibility that a single...
Jun 04, 2026
security advisory important The compromise of Nx Console shows how much infrastructure now sits behind a single developer account. GitHub repositories, CI/CD pipelines, container build systems, Terraform projects, Kubernetes deployments. None of those systems was the initial target. The workstation was. . Attackers did not need a Linux privilege escalation bug or a remote code execution chain. They needed developers to trust a tool they were already using. For many organizations, that was enough. What Happened? Federal...
Jun 03, 2026
security advisory open-source You remove the malware. You rotate the compromised credentials. You patch the original vulnerability and close the ticket. Two weeks later, the attacker is back. . What happened? You didn't lose the battle at the exploit; you lost it at the cleanup. In many modern Linux intrusions, the malware you found wasn't the main problem—it was the fallback mechanisms left behind. These hooks quietly restore attacker access the moment you look away. If you clean a host but miss these persistence layers,...
Jun 02, 2026
Refine features
X Clear Filters
Get the latest News and Insights
Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.
Community Poll
What got you started with Linux?
Loading...
Explore Latest Linux Security features
We found 2 articles for you...
102
network securitylinux toolssecurity assessmentHow Linux Pentesting Improves Network Security
When setting up network security systems, it is critical to ensure they work correctly and do not have flaws waiting to be exploited. . The best way to improve network security and prevent attacks is to conduct vulnerability scanning and continuously test the system for weak points. Penetration testing, or pentesting, is an incredibly helpful tool to protect your company from potential cyberattacks. This article will introduce Linux pentesting and its benefits, explain the basic methodology, and explore some of the penetration testing tools available to Linux users. What Is Pentesting? How Are Tests Executed? Pentesting is the practice of staging attacks in network security that mimic actual security incidents. This is a form of ethical hacking that helps identify the exploits that cybercriminals could use to attack. Pentests can vary greatly depending on the threat being tested, the information the ethical hacker can obtain beforehand, the types of penetration testing tools they use, and the limitations imposed by an employer. The majority of pentests fall into one or multiple of the following categories: Insider pentests simulate an insider attack, where a malicious hacker poses as a legitimate employee to gain access to the company’s internal network. This type of pentest relies on vulnerability scanning for internal network security issues, such as access privilege and network monitoring flaws, rather than external cybersecurity vulnerabilities, like firewall, antivirus, and endpoint protection problems. Outsider pentests don’t give hackers access to the company’s internal network or employees, forcing them to get in through external means, such as public websites or open communication ports. This type of pentest can overlap with social engineering pentests, in which a hacker evades external protection by tricking an employee into granting them access to the company’s internal network. Data-driven pentests provide the hacker with security information aboutthe target to simulate an attack by a former employee or someone who obtained leaked security data. Blind pentests give the hacker no information about the target other than their name and publicly available information. This leaves the employee entirely on their own in figuring out how to find the holes in network security websites and systems that have been implemented. Double-blind pentests test security and IT staff along with digital security measures. No one in the company is aware of the simulated attack, forcing them to react as they would in the event of a real cloud security breach. Double-blind pentests provide valuable information regarding how to improve the security posture for an entire company, such as staff readiness. Linux Pentesting Methodology Just like malicious cyberattacks, pentests require careful planning to be successful. They follow a sequence of clearly defined steps to yield the data and insights sought by the pentester. Let’s examine the basic pentesting methodology: Gather Information & Plan: The ethical hacker starts by collecting details on the target. Systems, users, exposed services, anything that shapes the attack surface. From there, they sketch out a plan. Not rigid, but enough to guide where to probe first and what paths might actually go somewhere. Vulnerability Evaluation: Scanning comes next. Vulnerability scanning tools flag weak spots, but the real work is sorting signal from noise. Small tests get run against those findings, just to see how the system reacts under pressure and which issues are worth pushing further. Vulnerability Exploitation: Once an entry point looks viable, they move in. Known flaws get tested in a controlled way, trying to turn access from theoretical to real. Some attempts fail outright. Others open just enough of a door to keep going. Maintaining Covert Access: Getting in isn’t the end of it. Staying in without tripping alarms is where things usually get messy. If access holds, the testerworks toward the goal of the engagement, maybe pulling data, maybe moving laterally, sometimes just proving it can be done without being seen. Reporting, Analyzing, & Repairing: Everything gets documented at the end. What worked, what didn’t, and what defenses actually caught. Security teams dig through that data, line it up with their own logs, and start making fixes where things clearly broke or never fired at all. Rinse & Repeat: Companies will often test the improvements they make to their security system by staging another pentest. How Can Linux Pentesting Be Used to Improve Security Posture & Verify Network Security Safety? As you can see, pentesting is an important piece of a successful network security toolkit. Linux pentesting identifies weak points (or a lack thereof) in a company’s system, providing professionals with valuable data. This vulnerability scanning allows administrators to anticipate threats and modify their network security system before malicious hackers exploit the gaps. Pentesting is also an excellent method of testing security changes, verifying that their systems can prevent malicious attacks on network security. Penetration Testing Tools for Linux Below, we list some of the best free and open-source tools to assist ethical hackers with Linux pentesting. Kali Linux Kali Linux is one of the most popular Linux distros among pentesters and security researchers, as it is flexible, customizable, and full-featured. It also protects sensitive data with LUKS full-disk encryption. You can download Kali Linux here. Parrot Security OS Parrot Security OS is a free Linux-based OS designed for pentesting, reverse engineering, and digital forensics. It is lightweight, user-friendly, and supportive of a wide selection of open-source pentesting and software development tools and utilities. Parrot Security OS is known for the impressive security and control it provides users. It is frequently updated and offers various hardening and privacy sandboxingoptions. You can download Parrot Security OS here . Nmap Nmap (“Network Mapper”) is an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) network monitoring tool that collects and analyzes data about a device’s hosts and servers. The widespread utility is flexible, powerful, and user-friendly, earning it numerous awards, including "Information Security Product of the Year" by Linux Journal, InfoWorld, and Codetalker Digest. You can download Nmap here. WebShag WebShag is an OSINT system auditing tool that scans HTTPS and HTTP protocols, collecting relevant data. It is used by ethical hackers performing outsider pentests through public websites. Final Thoughts on Linux Pentesting Staging cyberattacks that mimic legitimate security incidents can help improve company security by allowing administrators to identify and remediate vulnerabilities in network security systems and websites. Pentesting verifies that the modifications a business makes work as they should to prevent future attacks. There are many excellent penetration testing tools to assist Linux users in this process, but it's not something you can wing. Linux pentesting takes planning and a clear method. It should sit inside a broader defense-in-depth strategy, not run as a one-off exercise. Are you using pentesting to assess, validate, and actually improve your network security posture over time? We want to hear how that’s working in practice, not just on paper, so connect with us on social media: Twitter | Facebook . Explore the domain of Linux cybersecurity and uncover techniques and tools to enhance system protection in this enlightening article.. Linux Pentesting, Network Security Tools, Ethical Hacking, Cybersecurity Strategies. . Andrew Kowal
Apr 25, 2026
•
102
network securityLinux securitysecurity assessmentEthical Hacking: Essential Skills for Strengthening Linux Defenses
Ethical hacking, or analyzing a system without permission to try and discover vulnerabilities that hackers can use, is an essential part of maintaining robust Linux security. Ethical hacking helps prevent cyberattacks before they happen by identifying vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious actor. . Hacking has a poor reputation and is generally thought of as having malicious intent, but ethical hacking is essential and helps organizations and the open-source community maintain a robust cybersecurity posture. To help you better understand the importance of ethical hacking, let's examine its role in network security, how it differs from malicious hacking, how it is carried out, and more in this comprehensive guide. What Is Hacking? While a hacker was once defined as someone skilled in information technology who uses their technical knowledge to achieve a goal or overcome an obstacle, hacking has evolved over the years. Today, hacking compromises digital devices and networks through unauthorized access to an account or computer system. Although hacking is not always malicious, people commonly associate it with illegal activity and data theft. Malicious and ethical hackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods, tactics, and techniques to obtain sensitive information, often enabling them to go completely unnoticed. Modern hacking is a multibillion-dollar industry and is critical in finding and fixing vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them. What Types of Hacking Exist? There are many types of hacking, but all involve breaking into a computer to extract or damage information. Here are the most common types of hacking: Physical hacking involves physically accessing a computer, such as breaking the machine through its casing. System hacking involves penetrating a computer's security measures to steal data or gain control over the system. Wireless hacking refers to exploiting vulnerabilities in wireless networks, which canallow unauthorized access to networks and systems. Cyber espionage is stealing confidential information from another organization for economic gain or political purposes. Cyberterrorism refers to any terrorist activity conducted through cyber means, such as hacking computer systems or releasing malicious software. What is Ethical Hacking? Ethical hacking is the term for testing computer security to identify and exploit vulnerabilities. It aims not to damage or disrupt systems but to identify and fix potential vulnerabilities . There are many different types of ethical hacking, including penetration testing, vulnerability assessment, and red teaming. Penetration testing is the most common type of ethical hacking. It involves trying to breach security measures on a system using various techniques such as social engineering and password cracking . Vulnerability assessment is often used to find existing vulnerabilities in a system, while red teaming tests how well a company's security measures defend against attacks from outsiders. You can learn all the skills of an ethical hacker by enrolling in the ethical hacking certification course. Although ethical hacking can be fun and exciting, taking precautions is essential. Always use caution when entering any system you do not have access to, and remember that cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. What Is the Difference Between Ethical and Malicious Hackers? Ethical hackers are individuals who use their technical skills to identify and examine issues in computer systems. Malicious hackers, on the other hand, engage in attacks against other people or organizations with the intent of causing harm. Businesses typically hire ethical hackers to help them identify network and system vulnerabilities. On the other hand, malicious hackers often work for criminal organizations or governments who use their hacking abilities for illegal purposes, such as stealing information or disrupting operations. What Is The Role of anEthical Hacker? Ethical hackers use their hacking skills to help companies and organizations improve the security of their systems. They work independently or as part of a team and usually have a background in computer science or information technology. Ethical hackers use various techniques to identify systems' weaknesses and protect data. In addition to penetration testing, they may attempt to trick employees into revealing sensitive data, test whether laptops and mobile devices are properly stored and protected, and explore all possible ways a malicious hacker may exploit an organization. An ethical hacker’s job is to approach and replicate a malicious hacker's methods, tactics, and techniques but stop short of following through on an attack. Ethical hackers may employ some or all of the following strategies to find vulnerabilities: Port scanning using tools like Nmap to scan an organization’s systems and locate open ports Examining security patch installations to check that they cannot be exploited Using social engineering techniques to manipulate psychology, such as dumpster diving (rummaging through trash cans for passwords or other sensitive information that can be used to launch an attack), shoulder surfing to gain access to critical information, or employing kindness to trick employees into sharing their passwords Attempting to evade IDS (Intrusion Detection systems), IPS (Intrusion Prevention systems), honeypots , and firewalls Sniffing networks, bypassing and cracking wireless encryption, and hijacking web servers and web applications Investigating issues related to laptop theft and employee fraud Ethical hackers report any vulnerabilities or concerns and work with a company or organization to fix any security vulnerabilities or address any issues they have identified. They may also provide advice on how to improve system security overall. Ethical hackers are legally required to report any issues they find since this is privileged information that couldbe used for illegal purposes. It should be noted that even the most sophisticated ethical hacking skills are wasted if the organization fails to respond adequately to any problems or weaknesses found and reported. Ethical Hacks and Ethics in Hacking Ethical hacking is the practice of testing a system for vulnerabilities and exploits. The goal is to assess the security of an information system, network, or computer system. Ethical hacking can be used to find and exploit system vulnerabilities for purposes such as unauthorized access, data theft or destruction, or reconnaissance. The ethical hacker must adhere to a set of principles called the Ethical Hacking Principles of Practice (EHP). These principles are designed to help the ethical hacker abide by the laws and regulations governing their activity, protect the privacy of individuals involved, respect intellectual property rights, and avoid causing harm. There are several ways to do ethical hacking. One way is to use penetration testing tools. These tools allow you to scan for system vulnerabilities and test their protection. Another way to do ethical hacking is to use manual methods such as scanning networks for open ports or checking whether users have proper permissions. You can also use social engineering attacks to get users to reveal sensitive information. Finally, you can use spoofing techniques to make it look like someone else is trying to attack a system. While ethical hacking is often rewarding, there is also a risk of contracting malicious hackers who may want to harm your system. To protect yourself, it would be best always to take precautions, such as using a firewall and updating your software. How Do Hackers Establish a Connection to the Network? There are many ways a hacker can establish a connection to the network. Some of the most common ways that hackers sneak past security to infiltrate business networks include: Weak IP Addresses By rapidly scanning through billions of IP combinations, hackers search fora weakly secured IP address and then make a connection once one is found. This allows them to invade an organization’s network using the digital address of one of their machines. Exploiting weak IP addresses is perhaps the easiest way for hackers to identify weakly secured networks to hack quickly. Phishing scams Email phishing scams typically masquerade as legitimate mass emails from a trusted authority or organization. The email asks readers to click a malicious link and verify account data, such as login credentials. Once the data has been handed over, hackers can access the account information they need to infiltrate the network further. Sub-par Software While downloading an unreputable free software solution or using a cheap and unknown option might sound like a good idea, you’re putting your network at serious risk. These sub-par solutions could enable backers to access your network to obtain sensitive information or install viruses. Vulnerable Software Hackers frequently exploit vulnerable, unpatched software to infiltrate the target network. This is why delaying patching or failing to patch software is so dangerous. Admins and IT teams must track security advisories and apply patches as soon as they are released. Password Hacking People too often rely on default passwords that are easy to look up or easy to guess options like password123. These weakly designed passwords make it easier for hackers to access accounts. What Tools Are Used for Ethical Hacking? Various ethical hacking tools can be used for penetration tests and debugging systems. Some popular tools include: Nmap: Nmap , short for “Network Mapper,” is an open-sourced tool for network discovery and auditing. It is now one of the most widely used tools by system administrators for network mapping. Nmap searches for hosts and services on a network. Netcat: Netcat is a simple network utility for sending data between computers using the TCP/IP protocol. Wireshark: Wireshark isa free software application that captures and analyzes network packets. Angry IP Scanner: Angry IP Scanner is a lightweight program that can scan ports and IP addresses of any range. It uses a multi-threaded approach for fast scanning, creating a separate thread for each IP address. Metasploit: Metasploit is a powerful tool that can probe systematic vulnerabilities on networks and servers. These are just a few ethical hacking tools that can be used for penetration testing and security research. Each tool has its strengths and weaknesses, so it is vital to choose one that will fit the specific needs of the investigation. Ethical Hacking FAQs How can I be an ethical hacker? Hackers who perform ethical hacking are responsible for protecting and improving organizations' technology. Detecting vulnerabilities that could lead to a security breach is one of the most critical services they provide to these organizations. Identifying vulnerabilities and reporting them to an organization is the job of an ethical hacker. Is ethical hacking easy? Even if you already have a background in cyber security, it is hard to stay up to date even if you are an ethical hacker. There are many resources online, but many are wrong and outdated. How long will it take to become a hacker? It may take anywhere between 18 months and six years for a person to be fully proficient in ethical hacking. It will probably take you longer to learn hacking and coding if you have no prior experience in hacking or programming. If you are looking to obtain your Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) qualification, you must have two years of relevant information security work experience and pass a four-hour exam consisting of 125 multiple-choice questions. This certificate remains valid for three years. Is becoming a hacker hard? This question can be answered briefly: almost anyone can learn how to hack a computer. As a result, there is a longer answer to this question. To summarize, it is a good choicefor people who are energetic and enthusiastic about challenging activities and have particular backgrounds and personality types. These learning environments would be most suitable for people familiar with programming languages and have a baseline vocabulary upon which they can base their material. Our Final Thoughts on the Importance of Ethical Hacking in the Realm of Linux Security Ethical hacking is the process of testing a network or system for vulnerabilities. Although it can be gratifying, it can also be quite challenging. You must understand computer security and malicious behavior to do ethical hacking effectively. This article provides the basics to start practicing ethical hacking responsibly. The next step is to take an ethical hacking certification course to help you quickly learn the essential tools and hacking skills required. Best of luck on your journey! . Hacking has a poor reputation and is generally thought of as having malicious intent, but ethical ha. ethical, hacking, analyzing a, system, without, permission, discover, vulnerabilities. . Brittany Day
Jun 13, 2024
•
102
open sourcesoftware developmentsecurity testingBenefits and Operations of Bug Bounty Programs for Open Source Security
Ethical hacking might sound contradictory, but leveraging the skills of the ‘white hat’ hacker community has done a great deal for safety and security on the internet. Nowhere does this show more than through so-called bug bounty programs created to tackle different issues within the code. Many bug bounty programs focus on identifying issues within software or applications. However, others focus on server or website vulnerabilities . . The Benefits of Open Source (and Its Primary Challenge) With the rapid development and sustainable iterations, open-source software (OSS) libraries and frameworks have been in massive demand. There are few traditional proprietary software that can match the fast-track development cycle using OSS. Additionally, it helps to pull down costs and reduce the time-to-market cycle by cutting down on time needed for custom coding. Instead, it mines existing OSS, which can be quickly shared, modified, and copied. While proprietary coding is far from dead, OSS now plays a huge role in the market. According to statistics: Both LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP) and MEAN (MongoDB, Express.js, AngularJS, and Node.js) development stacks have become hugely popular, Android, one of the most popular Linux kernel operating systems on the market, runs on 85% of the world’s smartphones, Linux also powered three quarters of the public cloud workload over the pandemic. Statistics on the use of OpenSource suggest up to 70% of the world’s code databases are drawing on OpenSource. That’s impressive, but that means any risk related to OSS use has become critical to tackle. Open source has never been more important in the software community. The time when a vulnerability could come to light a few years later and be tackled then is long past. A fast, responsive debugging is our critical priority. What Are Bug Bounties & How Do They Work? So, how do we incentivize an unpaid, sharing space that brings the coders no revenue to produce results quickly? Cybercriminals are not going to come forward, after all. While many Linux and Open-Source developers take pride in their development and offer fixes as soon as possible, we can’t expect miracles from a product offered for free and often created in the developer’s spare time. How Do Bug Bounties Work? Bug bounty programs have stepped into this role. You’ll find them throughout the ‘Big Tech’ space, including those from Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Apple, as well as smaller firms. Bug bounties are programs which pay out to interested parties who find and fix vulnerabilities in open-source code before impacting the platforms using them, adding an additional layer of security to software developed with OSS. Types of Bug Bounty Programs Bug Bounties fall into two categories - Private and Public. Public programs allow anyone who is interested to participate. While some may have specific restrictions based on the participants existing track rec ord or skill level, mostly anyone can report a potential exploit (and fix) to them within the bounty’s guidelines. Some are even offered off of the specific platform, focusing instead on the general body of OS code. Private programs work differently. They’re invite-only programs, choosing hand-picked ethical hackers based on their skill level and existing stats. Typically, invitees have already demonstrated great skill in testing the kind of applications the program is focusing on. While some will evolve to a public-style bug bounty later on, some remain private for their entire lifecycle. Many private programs are also specifically focused on critical coding sections of the platform, intending to boost security and limit vulnerabilities in their product offerings. What Are the Benefits of Bug Bounties? So, the primary benefit of bug bounties is easy to see. They offer a way to financially incentivize researchers to analyze code, report vulnerabilities, and close them before they become an issue. Critically, they also don’t ‘break’the primary value of OSS code - it stays free, shareable, and accessible to any party who needs it. What else do they do? Public Disclosure A more hidden side of the business is incentivizing these white-hat hackers to not publicly disclose what they find until the matter is fixed. This means cybercriminals don’t get an advanced warning of the issue until it’s too late to do anything with that information. Pay for Results Bug bounty programs only pay out when a specific chain of reporting and fixing has been followed. This means they don’t incentivize the wrong people to ‘milk the market’ by creating these issues, nor reward bad behavior - only the ethical hacker who closes, rather than exploits, the vulnerability. Discretion In some private bug bounty programs, you can even hand-pick who you want to invite to ‘hack’ your product, providing greater control and discretion to the market. Of course, a public program can get results faster, but it can also be overwhelmingly difficult to manage for smaller security teams. Continual Testing We’ve emphasized this already, but it bears repeating. Use of a bug bounty program allows programmers and software companies to keep a fresh and vigilant taskforce on the job, meaning that bug loopholes don’t only get identified in Beta, but continuously come to light. This becomes especially helpful as updates and new innovations to older software go live. Vast Body of Testers Even the largest companies cannot employ thousands of testers in-house. They can, however, access them through bug bounty programs. They give access to a huge body of willing testers, continually working to better the software and close dangerous loopholes. Diversity Working in tandem with our previous point, you also remove almost all bias when you run a bug bounty program. Testers come from wildly different backgrounds, skill sets, and walks of life, across all geographical boundaries. This allows a phenomenal testing pool. Scalability Bug bounty programscan be scaled up or down to suit the company. Smaller entities can start gently, but expand their testing if their product gains marketplace traction. You can onboard more expertise at critical times, such as during new updates or product launches, and scale it back when there’s less demand. Expense Despite the need to pay out on successful presentation of a solution, bug bounties typically work out cheaper in the long run than in-house testing. They certainly are cheaper than the loss to reputation and customer trust that can come when a critical vulnerability remains live, too. Skilled Labor It’s worth mentioning that you’re not paying for unskilled eyes, either. Private bug bounty programs get to hand-pick who they’re working with. Even public programs are working with skilled testers who have to demonstrate that they can close, not just identify, loopholes. So you’re always using the right people for the job. Control This also places a great deal of control in the hands of the company running a bug bounty. You set the rules, and the ethical hackers engaging with your product come to you with the solutions. You can choose how long the program runs, what sort of bugs are being tested for, what you pay out for, and a lot more. One single bug bounty program- the Internet Bug Bounty- has managed to uncover over a thousand defects in existing open-source programs, paying out a combined total of $750,000 to the hackers that came forward. On average, each bounty netted $500-$750, although some high-end bounties have capped at $25,000 for particularly lucrative loopholes. They’ve even used a ‘bragging rights’ billboard as extra incentive. Closing the Door on Open Source Loopholes with Bug Bounties Fortunately, Open Source software has the support of a very robust and engaged programming community. They’re already engag ed in making open source solutions faster, more effective, efficient, and secure. Bug bounties, however, offer an additional bonus for achieving results fast.They’re also a great way for an app, API, or other software to ensure it’s offering its customers only the best security in robustly examined and policed software, eliminating one of the biggest concerns with using OSS in the first place. What Are Some Notable Vulnerabilities that Were Fixed as a Result of a Bug Bounty? Part of the allure of an effective bug bounty program is that we never hear exactly what was fixed. Or, if we do, we only hear about it years after the exploit was live. While the results of ethical hackers’ hard work go live almost daily, part of the idea is that we never know quite what the original exploit was. However, one key bug bounty-created solution was the recent vulnerability patch released by Microsoft surrounding the CVE-2022-26904, which was uncovered as part of joint information shared by CrowdStrike and the US National Security Agency. This particular fix tackled a privilege escalation issue that allowed a ‘win a race condition to fall over into exploitation. In fact, a high number of the fixes now being released by Microsoft as part of their ‘Patch Tuesdays’ updates have been found through Microsoft-specific bug bounty programs. Multiply that by the many software and API updates going live daily, and you have a great idea of how important a solid bug bounty program can be to both companies and their end users. What Is Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure? Coordinated vulnerability disclosure (CVD), formerly known as responsible disclosure, is a system for disclosure of vulnerabilities or flaws to the public after patches or remedies have been issued. This coordination distinguishes the CVD model from the "full disclosure" model. Because software developers often require time and resources to repair their mistakes, ethical hackers find these vulnerabilities. Hackers and cybersecurity experts consider it their social responsibility to make vulnerabilities public knowledge as hiding problems could cause a feeling of false security. To avoid this, thoseinvolved arrange a specific amount of time to repair the vulnerability. The time needed for an emergency fix or workaround depends on the potential impact of the vulnerability, ranging from a few days to several months. The market for bug bounties has developed over recent years, sparking heavy debate over the ethics of monetizing vulnerability reports. Some security experts have the expectation of compensation while others view this as extortion. How Do I Get Started with a Bug Bounty? What Skills Do I Need? Wondering how to get started with bug bounties? Obviously, participating in a bug bounty program needs a wealth of specialist knowledge. Participants need a solid grounding in computer networking, web technologies and protocol, and security mechanisms. This includes a solid grounding in security practices (and their hacking bypasses), common vulnerabilities in applications and the web, and how to find them. You will also need the skill set to patch and prevent these vulnerabilities, so most bug bounty program participants are either coders themselves, or the so-called ‘ethical hackers’ who test their coding boundaries with the aim to help resolve, rather than exploit, them. Remember that these are ever-evolving skill sets, and you will need to stay up-to-date on current industry trends and changes. If you’re starting from scratch, there are bug bounties for beginners resources you can use to start honing your skills. From there, most potential program participants will start in public bug bounty programs to build and polish their skills. Bug bounties lists are pretty easy to find. There’s even a bug bounties Reddit sub to explore! So it’s less a case of where to find bug bounties, and more. Focus on companies with bug bounties for software you feel most confident in. Earning a reputation in public programs is often the key first step to being invited to private programs. Is There Training on How to Get Into Bug Bounties? Yes, there are! If you’re brand new to the idea,but keen to get started, there are some quality resources you can use to help you get going. Books & e-Books Believe it or not, there’s a wealth of traditional book and e-book resources that can break you into the basics of ethical hacking. Kevin Mitnick’s Ghost In The Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker, The Web Application Hacker’s Handbook: Finding and Exploiting Security Flaws, and Peter Yarworski’s Web Hacking 101: How to Make Money Hacking Ethically are three great places to get started if you like this learning format. There’s plenty more. Training Courses Many sites also offer training on ethical hacking, especially now that bug bounties have taken off. Of course, you’ll want to do your due diligence and make sure you aren’t forking over cash without vetting the true credentials of the learning portal. Here’s some tuition providers with the experience to back their claims: Bug Bounty Hunting on YouTube 100 Bug Bounty Training Lessons Portswigger’s Web Security Academy SANS Cybersecurity Roadmap from the SANS Institute [Would you like to be listed here? Send us a note at
May 26, 2022
•
102
open source softwarelinux distributionsecurity toolsExplore Predator-OS 20.04 LTS: A Secure Linux Distro for Pentesters
Predator-OS - "the OS that naturally preys on others"- is a free and open-source security-centric project for penetration testing and ethical hacking that can also be used as a privacy-focued, hardened Linux distro. LinuxSecurity researchers spoke with Founder and lead developer Hossein Seilany to get insight into the unique features and benefits that newly released Predator-OS 20.04 LTS offers hackers, pentesters and privacy-conscious Linux users. . Predator-OS was established in 2021 and is maintained by Hossein Seilany. It is a free open-source community project, Free (as in freedom). The project just recently announced the release of Predator-OS 20.04 LTS. Predator-OS is well-suited for penetration testing and ethical hacking and also provides a secure, anonymized Linux OS. Predator Linux is based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Mini, kernel 5.10 LTS, and uses a fully customized xfce4 lightweight desktop with a special menu of tools. Predator Linux has around 1300 pre-installed tools which are split into 40 categories. These tools are imported from both Debian and Ubuntu repositories and the GitHub page. Most kernel and user configs are customized by default to prevent hacking, non-privileged access, and to reduce the attack surface. A wide array of built-in firewalls and defensive tools provide end-users with granular control over the OS. The distro can be run as Live-CD or from a USB Drive and installation mode. Operates in 9 Different Modes Predator-OS has nine different modes and operates in the following modes for easy and faster access to all tools: defensive, offensive, privacy, hardened, secured, settings, and pentesting modes. Users can switch between these modes quickly and easily. The Predator-OS distribution has its own unique features and benefits including: Easy installation and extensive hardware support Lightweight with a user-friendly interface Includes all features and tools of popular secure Linux distros - and more! Offers the ability to run Windows tools onLinux Users have the option of either booting live or installing You can view a full list of the distro’s features predator-os downloads. Predator-OS At-A-Glance OS Type: Linux Based on: Ubuntu Mini 20.04 LTS Kernel: 5.10 LTS Architecture: armhf, i686, PowerPC, ppc64el, s390x, x86_64 Desktop: Xfce Other Desktop: as soon as possible: KDE plasma, mate Category: penetration testing, security, privacy, Forensics, Live Medium, hardened, anonymized Click> predator-os downloads to download Predator-OS on your system. Are you using Predator-OS? If so, we'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback! Please share your experience in the Comments section below. . Unveil the capabilities of Viper-OS 20.04 LTS, an innovative Linux distribution tailored for security testing and safeguarding personal privacy. Explore further.. Predator-OS, Ethical Hacking Tools, Open-Source Pen Testing, Privacy Focused Linux. . Brittany Day
Jan 05, 2022
•
102
penetration testingethical hackingprivacy enhancementPredator-OS: A Lightweight Secure Distro for Ethical Hacking and Privacy
Predator-OS is a free and open-source secure Linux distro that is ideal for penetration testing, ethical hacking and digital forensics, but is also a great option for any user looking to improve his or her privacy and anonymity online with a security-centric, hardened OS. . Recently established in 2021, Predator-OS is based on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Mini, and uses the 5.10 LTS kernel. The distro features a fully customized xfce4 lightweight desktop and around 1300 pre-installed tools, including built-in firewalls and defensive tools that provide end-users with granular control over the OS. These tools are imported from both Debian and Ubuntu repositories. Most kernel and user configs are customized by default to reduce the attack surface and prevent hacking and non-privileged access. Predator-OS has nine different modes for quick and easy access to all tools, and can be switched to pentesting mode or a defensive, offensive, privacy, hardened, or secured setting at any time. Predator-OS can be run as a Live-CD or from a USB Drive. Key features of Predator-OS include: Easy installation and extensive hardware support Lightweight distro with a user-friendly interface Includes all features and tools offered by popular secure Linux distros - and more! Provides the ability to run Windows tools on Linux Offers the option of either booting live and or installing You can view a full list of the distro’s features index. Click Predator OS Downloads to download Predator-OS on your system. Have a security-focused open-source project that you think would be of interest to our audience and would like us to cover in a future Security Spotlight feature article? Connect with us on Twitter - we’d love to hear the details! . Guardian-Linux integrates Debian 11 with 1500 utilities to enhance safety and individual privacy in a streamlined Linux environment.. Predator-OS, Secure Linux Distro, Privacy Tools, Ethical Hacking, Open Source Software. . Brittany Day
Aug 15, 2021
•
102
open source softwaresecurity insightscyber defenseDefcon 26 Highlights on Cyber Defense And Open-Source Security
Defcon 26 provided individuals and organizations with valuable tips and insight on security and the latest and most effective defenses. Here are some security-related highlights from the event.. Defcon 26, a high-profile hacking conference that recently took place in Las Vegas, offered a multitude of predictions and implications regarding changes and trends in the field of cyber security. Although Defcon is an event that is mainly attended by ethical hackers who are aiming to learn how to better protect the systems they are responsible for, everyone can gain knowledge from the experts who spoke and the activities and contests that took place at Defcon 26. With cyber threats becoming increasingly prevalent and dangerous, cyber security is an issue that affects all individuals and organizations. According to CSO, cyber crime damage costs are expected to hit $6 trillion annually by 2021 (CSO Online). Email is an extremely popular attack vector used by cyber criminals, so effectively securing email accounts is becoming increasingly important. Here are two highlights from Defcon 26 and a summary of what they suggest in the context of today’s cyber threat landscape: 1. NSA Brings Nation-State Details to Defcon: “Spot the Fed” has been a longstanding tradition at Defcon, but the task was extremely easy this year. Rob Joyce, senior advisor for cybersecurity strategy at the NSA, discussed the latest details on nation-state hacking and defense. He suggested that there are four actors that are most concerning in regard to nation-state hacking: Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. In terms of defense strategies, Joyce emphasized that the transparency provided by public hacking is critical in finding and fixing flaws that nation-state hackers could exploit. He also referred to cybersecurity as a “team sport”, suggesting that the government and private enterprises should share information on vulnerabilities and attacks. Finally, Joyce reminded the audience that basic security measures, such as software patchingand multifactor authentication, should not be overlooked. (DarkReading) 2. Tesla Plans to Open-source Security Software: Following Defcon 26, CEO of Tesla Elon Musk announced that Tesla is planning to open-source its security software to other automakers for free. Musk feels that doing this will decrease the risk of cyber criminals hacking self-driving vehicles. Tesla has a good relationship with security researchers and whitehat hackers, whose work has led to the rapid fixing of various vulnerabilities in the past. Open-sourcing security software will likely encourage more security researchers to search for and identify vulnerabilities, making Tesla cars even more secure. (Electric) These are just two of many security-related highlights of Defcon 26. The schedule was packed with speeches from experts in the field of security, hacking-related activities and contests and Q & A sessions. As expected, Defcon 26 proved to be a hub for innovation in the field cyber security and advancement in the practice of ethical hacking. With the evolution of cyber crime and email-related threats, it is crucial that businesses and individuals stay informed and implement the latest and most advanced defenses and protection strategies. . Defcon 26, a high-profile hacking conference that recently took place in Las Vegas, offered a multit. defcon, provided, individuals, organizations, valuable, insight, security. . Brittany Day
Sep 06, 2018
•
102
cyber threatscyber crimesecurity issuesExploring Teenage Hackers: Culture, Ethics, And Cybersecurity Challenges
Dan Verton, the author of The Hacker Diaries: Confessions of Teenage Hackers is a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps who currently writes for Computerworld and CNN.com , covering national cyber-security issues and critical infrastructure protection. . ...With every technology there are unintended consequences. And in the case of computer technology, the unintended consequence was that inherently bad people could use the new technology to do bad things." - Dan Verton, author of The Hacker Diaries Hacker headliners over the years Hackers deface Air Force Web site, Computer World Teenager admits $100,000 credit card rip-off, Associated Press Ontario boy, 14, charged as hacker for breaking into more than 500 sites in less than a year, Vancouver Sun Thousands of passwords accessed by cyber prowler, Associated Press FBI mounts big crackdown on small-town teens, ZDNet News FBI on offensive in "cyber war," raiding hackers' homes, CNN Five arrested for hacking into high school system, Flagler Palm Coast News Tribune Fed ID hacker who allegedly stole more than 485K credit card numbers, Computer World Hackers, not terrorists, major concern, InternetWeek Internet survives massive DDoS attack, eWeek Who are they? They make international headlines for all the wrong reasons and everyday we read about the increasingly large-scale havoc they cause: the hacking into corporate computer systems, the theft of credit card numbers, and the defacement of Web sites with vulgar, disturbing and sometimes hate-filled messages. But still - teenage hackers - who are they? Social misfits? Loners? Pimpled face geeks? Dangerous and deceptive brainiac-villains? That is in fact the public's perception and how the media stereotype them. Yet real teenage hacker culture is a patchwork of different personalities, backgrounds, motivations and experiences. In other words, there is no one picture of the average teenage hacker. Dan Verton, the author of The HackerDiaries: Confessions of Teenage Hackers is a former intelligence officer in the U.S. Marine Corps who currently writes for Computerworld and CNN.com , covering national cyber-security issues and critical infrastructure protection. For his Hacker Diaries , he interviewed well over a dozen real life hackers and explored beyond the myths and stereotypes surrounding these teenagers. He describes many of them as being the kids bagging your groceries at the supermarket; working in the community service on the weekends; playing in the school orchestra or singing in the choir; struggling with their grades in math, science and English; getting good grades and planning for a bright future; hanging out with their friends after school and sometimes getting into trouble; and almost always feeding their obsession with computers and the Internet late at night. A far contrast to the monsters we read about. How did they originate? What's their purpose? The hacking scene today consistently seems to becoming more about mischief, crime, status, money, media attention...and destruction. . Trends that are at odds with the essence of the hacking culture; the original role that hackers saw themselves play. In the beginning, according to Verton, hacker explorers were rarely prosecuted because nobody had any idea about what was legal and what wasn't. At the same time, most hackers back then were into hacking as a means to explore and discover, and enable information sharing. "The first hackers were the pioneers of the computer revolution and the Internet," explains Verton. "They were in it for one thing: pursuit of legitimate scientific knowledge and the betterment of mankind through science, knowledge etc.... The programming shortcuts that they invented to make large mainframe computers run faster and more efficiently became known as "hacks" and the programmers of those shortcuts as "hackers." But with every technology there are unintended consequences. And in the case of computer technology, the unintendedconsequence was that inherently bad people could use the new technology to do bad things." The massive distributed-denial-of-service attacks against Yahoo! , ZDNet , EBay , CNN and Amazon are of the many examples that assert this. The series of attacks occurred early 2000; the first victim - Yahoo! , one of the Web's biggest information portals and e-commerce sites, was crippled enough to go offline. It involved their network (or precisely their main routers) being flooded with massive amounts of data at speeds higher than 1 gigabit per second, the equivalent of more than 3.5 million average e-mail messages every minute. Recently, a similar assault was launch against the Internet's root DNS servers. These root DNS servers perhaps can be considered the heart of the Internet. Another story involved Creditcards.com , which was hacked, and 55,000 card numbers were held hostage for $100,000. When the extortion attempt failed, the hacker posted the card numbers on the Web... "Today," says Verton, "many who use the title hacker are into stopping information flow or worse, destroying information as a way to demonstrate their technological prowess and discovery ." But many hackers' motives and actions are not limited to those alone. As in the case of Creditcard.com , Verton agrees their major objective can be simply money. Credit card data is cash. What is being done? At the opposite end are the law enforcement agencies and Verton, who frequently converses with the top heads, believes that in recent times they - particularly the FBI - are becoming much more organized and prepared to combat and suppress these cyber criminals. "Director Robert Mueller has ordered a massive overhaul of the FBI structure and mission focus," says Verton, "so that not only are there more resources being dedicated to cyber-crime and cyber-terrorism, but those two areas are now within the top 3 priorities for the entire Bureau as set forth by Director Mueller. That's a significant change." Yet recently,President Bush's cyber-security adviser stated a fact when he declared that cyber-crime is costing the world economy billions of dollars and is on the increase. Why is cyber-crime not being effectively controlled? What is fuelling the rampancy? Parental apathy & the public education system - Kids are not being taught responsibility and responsible use of computer resources in the school and at home. To begin with, parents and teachers may not be computer literate and au courant enough to understand the frightening dangers and consequences involved with computer hacking. The increased ease of hacking - Now, not only hackers who have taken years in garnering and honing their skills can hack. Take for example the assault on Yahoo! , ZDNet , EBay , CNN and Amazon . This was done by a 14 year old Canadian boy; an unskilled hacker according to the FBI's conclusive reports. Freely distributed, easy-to-use yet malicious toolkits (published throughout the Internet by programmers / expert hackers) fall into the hands of unsophisticated / novice hackers who - as a CanWest Interactive report described - " ...are unaware of the capabilities of the hacker tools they use, unaware of the implications of their hacking or unconcerned about the consequences of their actions. " The private-sector cooperation yet to make cyber-crime a top priority - Companies are not investing enough to train their administrators or seek expert assistance, resulting in poorly configured environments. Administrators do not keep up with updates and patches released by their software vendors. The " 2002 Computer Crime and Security Survey " by the FBI and the San Francisco-based Computer Security Institute shows that only 34% of companies said they reported cyber-crime incidents to law enforcement agencies. Most said they didn't report incidents out of fear of negative publicity and the potential for competitors to use the information against them. According to FBI Director,Robert Mueller, it is a serious hindrance in the fight against cyber-crime if companies don't come forward. Verton adds to this. "Well, one other reason that maybe I didn't focus on in my book would be corporate complacency. I recently sat in an invitation-only dinner meeting of Wall Street executives in New York, where the discussion was off the record so that everybody would speak candidly. One CEO actually said that his company was so small that nobody would be interested in hacking his network, so why should he spend so much time and money worrying about staying on top of the changes in vulnerabilities and security technologies. "Well, we know now that everybody is potentially somebody else's weakest link. It's no longer enough to worry about only your networks. Today you have to worry about everybody you do business with, everybody you give access to (physical and cyber access). The push toward corporate transparency has a fatal drawback: it allows bad people to more easily identify and see undiscovered vulnerabilities." Ethics in hacking? Though, not all "illegal" hacking is bad, according to Verton. "Sure, it's illegal, but Web site defacements that are specifically targeted and focused on critical social or political issues could be seen, and in fact are by many people, as a legitimate form of peaceful dissent." In Verton's book, he mentions the EHAP , Ethical Hackers Against Pedophiles , a group that helps law enforcement officials to track down adults who exploit children online. Over the last several years they have helped rid the Internet of those who traffic and profit in child pornography. Such ethical hacking is commonly termed as hacktivism. Verton goes on to give another example of this. "If a company is known to be an environmental offender, for example, hacking their Web site and placing the truth about that company in front of the world may actually do some good. I'm not necessarily against minor infractions of the law for critically important social causes.People do that all the time when they picket without a license, or try to block entry into a courthouse while not resisting arrest. Hacking or hacktivism has a place in that respect." . Elaine Driscoll explores the world of young programmers, revealing their diverse inspirations and the complexities of navigating online security.. Hacker Culture, Cyber Threats, Ethical Hacking, Teenage Hackers, Cybersecurity Challenges. . Brittany Day
Sep 19, 2003
•
Get the latest News and Insights
Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.
Community Poll
What got you started with Linux?
Search Topics
Powered By
Linux Security - Your source for Top Linux News, Advisories, HOWTOs and Feature Releases
QUICK LINKS
subscribe to newsletters!
Like staying secure? So do we.
Sign up for updates, tips, and alerts!
Discover faster search, smarter navigation, and deeper Linux security insights. Read More