“This column is the first of a weekly series in which I intend
to tackle stories and ideas that are near and dear to the Linux
system and network administrator’s heart.”
“In the last few months, I’ve answered an increasing number of
calls from people whose systems have been cracked. Usually they’re
not aware of this, and the call starts out more like: “There seems
to be something wrong with my e-mail. Could you have a look at it?”
I log on, do a quick look around and see his footprints everywhere.
A wily cracker has struck again.”
“Most crackers don’t tend to be innovators. They use the
latest distributed exploits (programs and/or techniques) to
break through a well-known or recently uncovered security hole in
your system. The good news is that you, as a security
administrator, are just as capable of becoming aware of these
exploits. Regular visits to your Linux distribution web site such
as Red Hat or Caldera Systems are a good way to stay on top of the
latest patches…”