Linux Newbie Wishlist
Here is a list of features/utilities that we would like to have in our
Linux newbie-administrated home computer, but which are not included on
RedHat or Mandrake distribution CDs. If you know how to setup/perform these
tasks (newbie way), let us know. Write to us if you have other important
and simple project idea.
Linux security watchdog (for a newbies workstation)
The idea is to give a newbie Linux user (who uses a short-duration network
connections) an immediate feedback when somebody from the outside shows
an interest in her local machine. A GUI window would pop up when (configurable,
defaults to all conditions) somobody else than the user herself tries (warning)
or succeeds (alarm) in one of:
- telnet login
- ftp connection
- execution of a program by a remote user
- accessing local web server
- port scan
- ping (even "rejected" ping)
- etc.
A dream utility would beep (once on warning, three times on alarm)
and raise the utility window whenever a new message scrolls in the window.
It would log all the warnings and alarms into a file, and automatically
show/log all the relevant (and possibly perishable) information: time,
remote user ip address, traceroute output, etc. A button "SHUT DOWN
ALL NETWORK CONNECTIONS NOW" could be considered as a part of the window.
Please don't advice that Linux newbies should not allow any network
services. We already know that, but running without network is not fun.
Send a pointer to a "watchdog" code instead :))
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 15:02:15 -0400
From: Kenny Drobnack <kenny@jumpline.com>
Hi! Not sure how up-to-date you keep your web site, but I actually
kind of like the Linux security watchdog idea. I think most of it
could be accomplished if you packed pmfirewall with a decent default config
file and made it so it would be enabled on boot up. Then use the
gnome logview program or something similar to make sure nothing bad happens.
This would do everything except the beeping and the "SHUT DOWN THE NETWORK
NOW" button. Check on freshmeat, I'd actually be surprised if someone
hasn't written, or at least started writing something like this.
Nothing found so far.