hello,

i want to install Imap on my redhat 8.0 server and i have to remove a # in the file /etc/inetd.conf, i have xinet.conf but it's almost empty this is whats in the file

#
# Simple configuration file for xinetd
#
# Some defaults, and include /etc/xinetd.d/

defaults
{
instances = 60
log_type = SYSLOG authpriv
log_on_success = HOST PID
log_on_failure = HOST
cps = 25 30
}

includedir /etc/xinetd.d

What can i do about it normaly a the services like pop3 and so are listed in this file
~

maybe you should actually *read* the contents of the file.... look in /etc/xinetd.d

Hello, Ive been running linux for a while now, but never took much interest in security because it all seemed so complex. It does seem confusing to me but I am working through the basic unix security checklist v2.0. - recommended by as basic reading in this forums faq.

I found that the first file to check is the defaults for attributes set in xinetd.conf. My present file is the same as wimpie22 noted above. Before i change it i just wanted some guidance please.

Basically no remote user ever (as far as i understand) has any business logging onto any of the network services. I dont need to allow multiple instances etc. ( but I do use my machine as a sniffer to run tcpdump from time to time over ethernet).

I want to lock my system down so nothing remote can make requests to start services. im only concerned about getting a basic understanding of the defaults section & getting xinetd.conf configured sensibly at the moment.

I got a sample default file from an article by Frederik Raynal (www.xinetd.org) :

"Here is an example of defaults :

defaults
{
instances = 15
log_type = FILE /var/log/servicelog
log_on_success = HOST PID USERID DURATION EXIT
log_on_failure = HOST USERID RECORD
only_from =
per_source = 5
disabled = shell login exec comsat
disabled = telnet ftp
disabled = name uucp tftp
disabled = finger systat netstat

#INTERNAL
disabled = time daytime chargen servers services xadmin

#RPC
disabled = rstatd rquotad rusersd sprayd walld
}
"

My questions:

1. Instances & per_source. I am the only one using my system, is it safe to set instances & per_source attributes to 1? Could I set cps to 01 01 - to limit incoming connections?

2. Disabling services - ive noticed that in my distribution, the services disabled are not listed in the defaults - each server seems to have a attribute 'disable' that is either set to yes or no. This is a silly question but do i need to list the services to disable as in the example above?? -im running mandrake 9.1

The servers under the RPC heading dont seem to be installed or running on my system.

3. Can anyone please recommend any additional services in the example given above - that should be explicitly disabled??

Even if you cant help with the specific questions, i would welcome any comments from users about general experiences with configuiring the defaults of xinetd.conf

thanks in advance.