Gripes with the title aside ('hacking' used to refer
'cracking'), this review says "Hacking Linux Exposed" is a good
overall beginner's guide to Linux security, offering useful tips on
securing essential services and shutting down the non-essentials,
and much more.
"I have one big gripe with this book: the misuse of the
term "hacker." For people who should know better to use the term
"hacker" when describing those who attack systems is very
disappointing. The proper term is "cracker," which may seem like
nitpicking, but to many people, it's like calling an arsonist a
"fireman." I've learned to tolerate this mistake and not grit my
teeth when it is made by marketing folks or reporters who don't
usually cover computer stories--but from security experts, I expect
better.
However, overall, I like this book. It's a great beginner's book
to Linux security, and doesn't assume that you have a mastery of
the system. The book does have some flaws that keep it from being a
great book, which I imagine are due to the fast pace of technical
publishing and the fact that it's a product of a team of authors
instead one or two authors. Other than the hacker faux pas, I also
noticed a number of small errors throughout the book. For instance,
in the discussion of package managers for Linux, they refer to
"TuxTops" as a distribution. This isn't critical, but it is sloppy.
(For those who aren't familiar, TuxTops was a company that
manufactured Linux laptops, and also made a go at customizing
distros for laptops. They don't, however, make a distinct Linux
distro.)
On the plus side, I'm glad to see a book that discusses Linux
security without glossing over the basics or assuming that everyone
in the world knows what a buffer overflow is. Sure, if you've been
using Linux for a while, you already know how to turn off services
and install packages, and if you follow security, you've heard of
buffer overflows. However, the Linux community is growing at a
rapid pace with newbies who want to learn. This book will be of
great help to them, despite its small flaws."
