Lets take a look at the security features of Firefox 3. Since its release, I have been testing it out to see how the new security enhancements work and help in increase user browsing security. One of the exciting improvements for me was how Firefox handles SSL secured web sites while browsing the Internet. There are also many other security features that this article will look at. For example, improved plugin and addon security. . Introduction Bill Keys Features Warning users of potential harmful websites while surfing the Internet is an important security feature of a web browser. Being able to clearly warn the user without being a computer expert is one of the problems Firefox tried to solve with Firefox 3.0. They have two features that do this: Google-powered Malware Protection and a feature called . Firefox 3 elevates user security with enhanced SSL support for safer browsing, ensuring sensitive data is encrypted and protected from threats while browsing. Firefox 3 Security, User Protection, Browser Security Features. . Anthony Pell
Do you have scripts that contain sensitive information like passwords and you pretty much depend on file permissions to keep it secure? If so, then that type of security is good provided you keep your system secure and some user doesn't have a "ps -ef" loop running in an attempt to capture that sensitive info (though some applications mask passwords in "ps" output). There is a program called "shc" that can be used to add an extra layer of security to those shell scripts. SHC will encrypt shell scripts using RC4 and make an executable binary out of the shell script and run it as a normal shell script. This utility is great for programs that require a password to either encrypt, decrypt, or require a password that can be passed to a command line argument. . Download shc ( http://www.datsi.fi.upm.es/~frosal/ ) and untar it: tar -xzvf shc-X.X.tgz cd shc-X.X/ make make install A binary named " shc " will be created along with some test programs. Let's give it a try. Create a file called: " script.sh " and add the following contents: ############################### script.sh ############################## #!/bin/sh echo "I love Duane's articles and will send him a donation via PayPal." ############################### script.sh ############################## Now run the command: shc -f script.sh The switch " -f " specifies the source script to encrypt. The above command will create two files: script.sh.x.c and script.sh.x . The program " shc " creates C source code out of your shell script then encrypts it ( script.sh.x.c ). The encrypted shell script is: script.sh.x . Run that binary and see the output: ./script.sh.x I love Duane's articles and will send him a donation via PayPal. Now copy the original " script.sh " file to a floppy disk or some other system for backup or in case you need to edit it in the future. Then, delete it from the server and delete the " script.sh.x.c " file itcreates. Neat feature You can also specify a time limit on the shell script so that it will no longer execute after a certain date and you can specify a custom message to echo back to the user. Run this command on the " script.sh " file we created earlier in this tut: shc -e 09/10/2004 -m "Dude it is too late to run this script." -f script.sh ./script.sh.x ./script.sh.x has expired! Dude it is too late to run this script. In the above command the date October 9, 2004 is set as the expiration date ( -e 09/10/2004 ) and the custom message was set to display to the user ( -m "Dude it is too late to run this script." ) when the binary is executed. Note the date format is dd/mm/yyyy. Check out the man pages for more info on " shc ". Remember that the binary is only encrypted on the local system. If you encrypt a script that transmits sensitive information in clear text across a network, you will need some other encrypted communication channel to transmit that information. Duane Dunston received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from Pfeiffer University and he has his GSEC certification from SANS. Hey,Ann Curry! . Discover the method of securing your shell scripts by employing shc, which provides an extra layer of protection against the potential leakage of confidential data.. Shell Script Encryption, SHC Utility, Secure Scripts, Data Protection. . Duane Dunston
Secure By Design: How Guardian Digital Secures EnGarde Secure Linux ABSTRACT What is EnGarde Secure Linux? EnGarde Secure Linux is not just another "repackaged" Linux distribution, but a modern open source system built from the ground up to provide secure services in the threatening world of the modern Internet. EnGarde Secure Linux is the creation of Guardian Digital, Inc. a pioneer in open source security since 1999, and has been developed since then in collaboration with the worldwide community of open source security enthusiasts and professionals. Guardian Digital provides a secure and consistent environment for EnGarde Secure Linux through the Guardian Digital WebTool and the Guardian Digital Secure Network. A server-only system, EnGarde Secure Linux is administered securely and remotely using the WebTool, a custom interface that both simplifies server administration and guides the system user in maintaining a secure configurations for all of the services that comprise EnGarde. The Guardian Digital Secure Network maintains the consistency and security of EnGarde by providing system upgrades and security patches that have been constructed by Guardian Digital's engineering team to relieve the user of the burden of maintaining the system in a consistent and secure state. Defense In Depth In EnGarde Secure Linux Security is the primary consideration in designing every element of EnGarde Secure Linux. Guardian Digital applies basic security principles like "least privilege", "no unnecessary services" and "default-deny" rules to every level of EnGarde from access to kernel itself to defense of the network perimeter. Security begins with the selection of the best available open source packages, chosen and tailored for maximum security and following software security best-practices. The next level of protection comes from a complete re-engineering of the standard Linux security modelusing Security Enhanced Linux (SELinux). SELinux implements the principle of "Mandatory Access Control" which places each program and process under the control of its own SELinux policy, limiting its access to files and resources and effectively containing any intrusions or compromises. EnGarde Secure Linux builds on this secure foundation by placing all administration of EnGarde and its services under the control of the Guardian Digital WebTool. The Guardian Digital WebTool is a secure, remote graphical administration interface that is carefully tailored, not just to simplify administration, but to help maintain secure practices and configurations. For example, EnGarde, through the WebTool, limits user and IP access by default for most services like FTP file transfers and POP/IMAP mail retrieval. For services that must be publicly accessible like Web service and mail transport, the WebTool offers simple setup of SSL-enabled encrypted services. The WebTool also mandates secure practices like encrypted passwords and prevents hazardous configurations like open mail relays. EnGarde Secure Linux extends its secure environment through the use of a carefully integrated selection of the best open source security tools for detecting compromises and intrusions at all levels. EnGarde generates special security-focused system logs to help the administrator identify potential compromises, and adds to this host-based intrusion detection tools. EnGarde monitors the system for potential network compromises and intrusions using the open source Snort intrusion detection system, adding its own NetDiff port status monitoring software. Summary Linux and open source systems have long been renowned for their stability, versatility and scalability. EnGarde Secure Linux adds the feature crucial to providing services on the modern Internet -- security. Guardian Digital builds security into every element of EnGarde by selecting thebest available open source tools and services available and configuring them with security as the top priority. Recognizing that security can only be maintained in a consistent and stable environment, Guardian Digital relieves the user of the burden of "hardening" the system and following secure practices by designing secure administration into its WebTool and by updating and securing the system through the Guardian Digital Secure Network. For an in-depth exploration of the EnGarde Secure Linux security environment, see the full version of this document at "Secure By Design" full text . . Guardian Digital implements a strong framework for EnGarde Secure Linux, emphasizing security through minimalism, secure coding practices, and auditing tools. EnGarde Secure Linux, Secure Administration, SELinux, Open Source Security. . Brittany Day
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