Linux Security Essentials
Fundamentals of Securing Linux Systems, Users, and Services
What's Included:
Key Highlights
- Beginner-friendly Linux security fundamentals
- User management, permissions, and authentication
- Firewalling, SELinux, and AppArmor basics
- Logging, auditing, and intrusion detection concepts
- Includes checklists, labs, and real-world examples
Overview
Learn essential Linux security fundamentals. Secure users, permissions, authentication, services, firewalls, SELinux, logging, intrusion detection, updates, backups, and containers with practical examples.
The Problem
Many Linux systems are vulnerable due to weak permissions, misconfigured services, lack of monitoring, and missing updates. Without understanding core Linux security fundamentals, systems remain exposed.
The Solution
This book provides a clear, practical introduction to Linux security fundamentals, covering users, permissions, authentication, services, firewalls, monitoring, and essential hardening practices.
About This Book
Build a Strong Security Foundation for Linux Systems
Linux Security Essentials is a practical introduction to securing Linux systems, users, and services. It provides the foundational knowledge needed to protect Linux environments before moving into advanced hardening and production security.
Linux powers servers, cloud platforms, containers, and embedded systems worldwide. While Linux offers powerful security features, misconfiguration and lack of security awareness remain the most common causes of compromise.
Why Linux Security Essentials Matters
This book bridges the gap between basic Linux administration and advanced security practices. Instead of overwhelming readers with complex frameworks, it focuses on essential security principles that every Linux user, administrator, and DevOps engineer must understand.
You will learn how Linux security works at a practical level—users, permissions, authentication, services, networks, and monitoring—building confidence to manage secure systems.
What You Will Learn
- Core Linux security principles and threat models
- User and group management for secure access control
- File and directory permissions and ownership
- Linux authentication mechanisms
- Securing network services
- Firewall configuration basics
- SELinux and AppArmor fundamentals
- Intrusion detection and prevention concepts
- Logging and auditing for security visibility
- Safe system update and patch management
- Boot and physical security considerations
- Backup and disaster recovery fundamentals
- Application and container security basics
- Best practices and security checklists
Hands-On, Practical Learning
Each chapter includes real-world examples, command references, configuration samples, and troubleshooting scenarios. The appendices provide cheat sheets, audit rule examples, fail2ban configurations, CVE explanations, and hands-on lab scenarios.
Your First Step into Linux Security
This book is the ideal starting point for anyone serious about Linux security. It prepares you for advanced topics such as system hardening, production security, DevSecOps, and incident response.
Build secure Linux systems from the ground up.
Miles Everhart
Who Is This Book For?
- Linux users learning security fundamentals
- System administrators starting with Linux security
- DevOps engineers and students
- IT professionals responsible for Linux systems
- Anyone preparing for advanced Linux security topics
Who Is This Book NOT For?
- Advanced security engineers seeking deep hardening only
- Readers looking for penetration testing content
- Users with no interest in Linux security concepts
Table of Contents
- Introduction to Linux Security
- User and Group Management
- File and Directory Permissions
- Linux Authentication Mechanisms
- Securing Network Services
- Firewall Configuration
- SELinux and AppArmor Basics
- Intrusion Detection and Prevention
- Logging and Audit Tools
- Keeping the System Updated
- Securing Physical and Boot Access
- Backups and Disaster Recovery
- Application and Container Security
- Best Practices and Hardening Checklist
Requirements
- Basic Linux command-line familiarity
- Interest in securing Linux systems
- A Linux system or VM for practice
