Kyle Rankin

The official Ubuntu server book

In an age of massive global surveillance, when last year's most advanced cyberwarfare weapons quickly migrate into every hacker's toolkit, you can no longer afford to rely on outdated security methods. If you care about privacy and security today, you need to step up your game -- especially if you're a sysadmin responsible for Internet-facing services. That means you need to master and use advanced security technologies like the TLS communications security protocol, PGP encryption, and the Tor anonymity network. Tools like these have often been viewed as too complex or mysterious for mainstream use. In Security Under Surveillance, Kyle Rankin completely demystifies them, and offers practical, accessible guidance on protecting yourself and your users with them. Rankin begins with a user-oriented guide to safeguarding your own personal data with PGP, Off-the-Record Messaging (OTR), Tor, and the Tails "amnesic incognito" live Linux distribution. Next, he guides you through setting up secured versions of the services you manage every day, including web, email, and database servers that communicate over TLS; locked-down DNS servers with DNSSEC; Tor servers, and hidden services. Each category of solution is presented in its own chapter, with techniques organized based on difficulty level, time commitment, and overall threat. In each case, Rankin begins with techniques any system administrator can quickly implement to protect against entry-level hackers. Next, he moves on to intermediate and advanced techniques intended to safeguard against sophisticated and knowledgeable attackers. An accompanying DVD contains a full, pre-configured copy of the Tails live Linux distribution, making it simple for any sysadmin to bootstrap a highly-secure, privacy-protecting environment in minutes."

Server Security from Tls to Surveillance

Linux Hardening in Hostile Networks

Jonathan Oxer

Bill Childers

Provides information on getting the most out of Ubuntu Linux, covering the installation, configuration, and customization of the operating system.

Tips & Tools for Exploring, Using, and Tuning Linux

Ubuntu Hacks

Benjamin Mako Hill

Ubuntu Server is a complete, free server operating system that just works, with the extra Ubuntu polish, innovation, and simplicity that administrators love. Now, there’s a definitive, authoritative guide to getting up-and-running quickly with the newest, most powerful versions of Ubuntu Server. Written by leading members of the Ubuntu community, The Official Ubuntu Server Book, Second Edition, covers all you need to know to make the most of Ubuntu Server, whether you’re a beginner or a battle-hardened senior system administrator. The authors cover Ubuntu Server from start to finish: installation, basic administration and monitoring, security, backup, troubleshooting, system rescue, and much more. They walk through deploying each of the most common server applications, from file and print services to state-of-the-art, cost-saving virtualization and cloud computing. In addition, you’ll learn how to Make the most of Ubuntu Server’s latest, most powerful technologies Discover easy, fast ways to perform key administration tasks Automate Ubuntu installs, no matter how many servers you’re installing Quickly set up low-cost Web servers and e-mail Protect your server with Ubuntu’s built-in and optional security tools Minimize downtime with fault tolerance and clustering Master proven, step-by-step server and network troubleshooting techniques Walk through rescuing an Ubuntu server that won’t boot Create your own private cloud computing infrastructure

The Official Ubuntu Server Book

Ubuntu Linux--the most popular Linux distribution on the planet--preserves the spirit embodied in the ancient African word ubuntu, which means both "humanity to others" and "I am what I am because of who we all are." Ubuntu won the Linux Journal Reader's Choice Award for best Linux distribution and is consistently the top-ranked Linux variant on DistroWatch.com. The reason this distribution is so widely popular is that Ubuntu is designed to be useful, usable, customizable, and always available for free worldwide. Ubuntu Hacks is your one-stop source for all of the community knowledge you need to get the most out of Ubuntu: a collection of 100 tips and tools to help new and experienced Linux users install, configure, and customize Ubuntu. With this set of hacks, you can get Ubuntu Linux working exactly the way you need it to. Learn how to: Install and test-drive Ubuntu Linux. Keep your system running smoothly Turn Ubuntu into a multimedia powerhouse: rip and burn discs, watch videos, listen to music, and more Take Ubuntu on the road with Wi-Fi wireless networking, Bluetooth, etc. Hook up multiple displays and enable your video card's 3-D acceleration Run Ubuntu with virtualization technology such as Xen and VMware Tighten your system's security Set up an Ubuntu-powered server Ubuntu Hacks will not only show you how to get everything working just right, you will also have a great time doing it as you explore the powerful features lurking within Ubuntu. "Put in a nutshell, this book is a collection of around 100 tips and tricks which the authors choose to call hacks, which explain how to accomplish various tasks in Ubuntu Linux. The so called hacks range from down right ordinary to the other end of the spectrum of doing specialised things...More over, each and every tip in this book has been tested by the authors on the latest version of Ubuntu (Dapper Drake) and is guaranteed to work. In writing this book, it is clear that the authors have put in a lot of hard work in covering all facets of configuring this popular Linux distribution which makes this book a worth while buy." -- Ravi Kumar, Slashdot.org

Provides instructions for a variety of multimedia projects that can be done with Linux, including creating DVDs and VCDs, streaming audio and video over the Internet, and building a MythTV digital media hub.

Tips & Tools for Taming Images, Audio, and Video

Linux Multimedia Hacks

Implement Industrial-Strength Security on Any Linux Server In an age of mass surveillance, when advanced cyberwarfare weapons rapidly migrate into every hacker’s toolkit, you can’t rely on outdated security methods–especially if you’re responsible for Internet-facing services. In Linux® Hardening in Hostile Networks, Kyle Rankin helps you to implement modern safeguards that provide maximum impact with minimum effort and to strip away old techniques that are no longer worth your time. Rankin provides clear, concise guidance on modern workstation, server, and network hardening, and explains how to harden specific services, such as web servers, email, DNS, and databases. Along the way, he demystifies technologies once viewed as too complex or mysterious but now essential to mainstream Linux security. He also includes a full chapter on effective incident response that both DevOps and SecOps can use to write their own incident response plan. Each chapter begins with techniques any sysadmin can use quickly to protect against entry-level hackers and presents intermediate and advanced techniques to safeguard against sophisticated and knowledgeable attackers, perhaps even state actors. Throughout, you learn what each technique does, how it works, what it does and doesn’t protect against, and whether it would be useful in your environment. Apply core security techniques including 2FA and strong passwords Protect admin workstations via lock screens, disk encryption, BIOS passwords, and other methods Use the security-focused Tails distribution as a quick path to a hardened workstation Compartmentalize workstation tasks into VMs with varying levels of trust Harden servers with SSH, use apparmor and sudo to limit the damage attackers can do, and set up remote syslog servers to track their actions Establish secure VPNs with OpenVPN, and leverage SSH to tunnel traffic when VPNs can’t be used Configure a software load balancer to terminate SSL/TLS connections and initiate new ones downstream Set up standalone Tor services and hidden Tor services and relays Secure Apache and Nginx web servers, and take full advantage of HTTPS Perform advanced web server hardening with HTTPS forward secrecy and ModSecurity web application firewalls Strengthen email security with SMTP relay authentication, SMTPS, SPF records, DKIM, and DMARC Harden DNS servers, deter their use in DDoS attacks, and fully implement DNSSEC Systematically protect databases via network access control, TLS traffic encryption, and encrypted data storage Respond to a compromised server, collect evidence, and prevent future attacks Register your product at informit.com/register for convenient access to downloads, updates, and corrections as they become available.

Server Security from TLS to Tor

The fact that Linux has more multimedia application choices than Mac OS X and Windows combined may come as a surprise to many, but not to those who know Linux well. In Linux Multimedia Hacks, author Kyle Rankin showcases the best available multimedia tools so you can maximize the entertainment capabilities of your favorite OS. Included are tips and tricks for connecting to iPods, creating MP3s and Oggs, watching and making DVDs, turning your Linux box into a Tivo ala MythTV, and much more. You don't have to be a Linux server guru to make use of this book. Linux Multimedia Hacks takes the best of Linux's multimedia tools and with step-by-step instructions shows even novice users how to do cool and useful things with images, audio, and video. It includes entry level hacks that nearly all Linux users will want, such as installing codecs for audio and video playback and managing thousands of photographs. Later, you'll find hacks that cover a variety of advanced projects, from ripping and organizing media files with metatags, to editing video and audio tracks, to creating your own DVDs. Basic or advanced, each hack stands on its own, so you can feel free to jump around to only the sections that interest you. The book is divided into five easy-to-understand chapters: Images: tips range from basic image edits to automated image manipulation Audio: hacks include audio format conversion and tweaking metadata within audio files Video: learn how to covert between video formats, plus how to create your own VCDs and DVDs Broadcast Media: tips include how to access and create you own web broadcasts as well as watch and record TV Web: learn how to make your multimedia creations available to the world As one of the most powerful multimedia platforms around, Linux has far more capabilities and features than meets the eye. This latest Hacks book gives you the technical chops to enjoy them all.

Knoppix is a portable Linux distribution replete with hundreds of valuable programs and utilities -- a veritable Swiss Army knife in bootable CD form. It includes Linux software and desktop environments, automatic hardware detection and hundreds of other quality open source programs. Whether you're a system administrator or power user, you can use Knoppix for many different purposes. Knoppix boots and runs completely from a single CD so you don't need to install anything to your hard drive. Due to on-the-fly decompression, the CD can have up to 2 GB of executable software installed on it. What you do need, however, is a comprehensive reference guide so you can benefit from all that Knoppix has to offer. The Knoppix Pocket Reference from O'Reilly fits the bill. This handy book shows you how to use Knoppix to troubleshoot and repair your computer, how to customize the Knoppix CD, running RAM memory checks, recovering data from a damaged hard drive, cloning hard drives, using Knoppix as a Terminal Server, using Knoppix as a kiosk OS, scanning for viruses on a Windows system, editing the Registry of a Windows system, and much more. If you want more information than the average Knoppix user, Knoppix Pocket Reference is an absolutely essential addition to your personal library.

Knoppix Pocket Reference

Provides information on using Knoppix with a Linux operating system.

Knoppix Hacks

Ubuntu Server is a complete, free server operating system that just works, with the extra Ubuntu polish, innovation, and simplicity that administrators love. Now, there’s a definitive, authoritative guide to getting up-and-running quickly with the newest, most powerful versions of Ubuntu Server. Written by leading members of the Ubuntu community, The Official Ubuntu Server Book covers all you need to know to make the most of Ubuntu Server, whether you’re a beginner or a battle-hardened senior system administrator. The authors cover Ubuntu Server from start to finish: installation, basic administration and monitoring, security, backup, troubleshooting, system rescue, and much more. They walk through deploying each of the most common server applications, from file and print services to state-of-the-art, cost-saving virtualization. In addition, you’ll learn how to Make the most of Ubuntu Server’s latest, most powerful technologies Discover easy, fast ways to perform key administration tasks Automate Ubuntu installs, no matter how many servers you’re installing Quickly set up low-cost web servers and email Protect your server with Ubuntu’s built-in and optional security tools Minimize downtime with fault tolerance and clustering Master proven, step-by-step server and network troubleshooting techniques Walk through rescuing an Ubuntu server that won’t boot

“If you’re a developer trying to figure out why your application is not responding at 3 am, you need this book! This is now my go-to book when diagnosing production issues. It has saved me hours in troubleshooting complicated operations problems.” –Trotter Cashion, cofounder, Mashion DevOps can help developers, QAs, and admins work together to solve Linux server problems far more rapidly, significantly improving IT performance, availability, and efficiency. To gain these benefits, however, team members need common troubleshooting skills and practices. In DevOps Troubleshooting: Linux Server Best Practices , award-winning Linux expert Kyle Rankin brings together all the standardized, repeatable techniques your team needs to stop finger-pointing, collaborate effectively, and quickly solve virtually any Linux server problem. Rankin walks you through using DevOps techniques to troubleshoot everything from boot failures and corrupt disks to lost email and downed websites. You’ll master indispensable skills for diagnosing high-load systems and network problems in production environments. Rankin shows how to Master DevOps’ approach to troubleshooting and proven Linux server problem-solving principles Diagnose slow servers and applications by identifying CPU, RAM, and Disk I/O bottlenecks Understand healthy boots, so you can identify failure points and fix them Solve full or corrupt disk issues that prevent disk writes Track down the sources of network problems Troubleshoot DNS, email, and other network services Isolate and diagnose Apache and Nginx Web server failures and slowdowns Solve problems with MySQL and Postgres database servers and queries Identify hardware failures–even notoriously elusive intermittent failures

Kyle Rankin

About

Books

Join the club