Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

baslinux - [BL] network security concerns (only root user) with BL3

baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Baslinux mailing list

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: James Miller <jamtat AT mailsnare.net>
  • To: baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [BL] network security concerns (only root user) with BL3
  • Date: Mon, 15 May 2006 16:47:01 +0000 (UTC)

I recall that during the support cycle for BL2 we had some discussions about security while on the network (i.e., on the internet, for most of us). It was advised at that time to create a non-root user for things like browsing the web. Under BL3, however, the possibility of creating non-root users has been removed. First question regarding BL3, then, is whether there are justifiable security concerns with being on the web while running as root? Do you have any solutions for this, if there are, Steven? Have you looked at sudo and considered whether it might offer any solution?

The question has occurred to me as I've fiddled around with BL3. Now, however, I'm faced with a situation of needing to set up a computer at the U library where I'll work over the summer (in a study carrel assigned to me). I could of course install BL3 on a machine and put it there. It would be on the U LAN, having a real internet IP among the range of those owned by the U and could, of course, remain on continuously. Even if web browsing as root were relatively safe, I don't think I'd want a machine with a public IP and root user logged in to be running unattended for long periods. Also, I might want to set up an ssh server or maybe even try out FreeNX on the machine in question, which could introduce further security risks. Is BL3 the wrong OS to put on this machine?

Finally, I've succeeded in installing Win98 under BL3 qemu. I'll post in more detail on that in a subsequent message, and provide a link to screenshots. My report on naim--which I was also able to (mostly unsuccessfully) try out--will likely follow that.

James




Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page