Security on a Server

[Steve Hasz]

Dear PLUG Members,

Hello to the people I know on the list.  I attended a couple of meetings,
although I'm not in Phoenix as often as I was.

I'm doing a volunteer project with some guys using an Open Source mapserver
tool to show changing environmental conditions in Central America.

We have a brand spanking new server and install of Redhat, including an IP
to the machine and a domain set up in DNS.  It's setting at a University and
will be used as the server for the mapserver app which will be served up on
the web to those interested. It will be a dual use machine to get people in
the department interested in Linux as a workstation as well, but won't see
too much use in that regard.  I'm able to SFTP and SSH in to look around.
I'm about 5,000 miles away, but there is a set of hands there with the
server.

I'm somewhat familiar with FreeBSD, since I run a VPS at Verio, so
understand the basics of using the command line and Apache and config files.
My question is about security.  We want to get the server secure before we
open it up as a webserver.  Is there a pointer where I can get a detailed
walkthrough about disabling services, which to disable, what to lock down
and how?

Best,
Steve
www.roatanet.com - Visitors Guide to Roatan and the Bay Islands
www.travel-to-honduras.com - Your Travel Guide to Honduras