Howdy,

I have got my Slack 10 install on the net, running fine on dial-up right now, and am using Firestarter as a firewall front end. I am also using chkrootkit as the second leg in my security stance.

My question is: Do I actually need to use an intrusion detection utility like snort, or a file integrity checker like tripwire, in addition to these first steps??

I want to have a fairly secure system, but I am not overly paranoid unless someone here convinces me to be otherwise.

If I have have any obvious misperceptions please correct me, I am a Linux newcomer, and don't really know much of what I am talking about here.

Thank you, Head

it depends on what the box or network is doing and how valuable the data on it is... for the average joe using linux on the desktop, tools like tripwire and snort are nothing but optional security enhancements... on the other hand, for a system administrator at the local hospital (for example), they might be required tools... and depending on their level of paranoia they might even use an application gateway:

http://www.balabit.com/products/zorp_gpl/

=)


oh, by the way, check-out rootkit hunter, i think it's got some edge over chkrootkit:

http://www.rootkit.nl


and it's also a good idea to subscribe to the slackware security mailing list:

http://www.slackware.com/lists/