I recently set up Apache2 on a spare disk to serve web pages to friends and family. Server is Debian Etch install to which I've added ssh and vsftpd, it's on my LAN behind a hardware firewall with port 80 forwarded.
No critical/private data on the disk. Questions:

One of the other operating systems on this machine is a Debian Etch desktop that I use for backing up data,
running torrents, and as a print server. Would it be unwise to run the Apache2 software on this OS so I can have these features available on a server I'm considering running 24/7? And is this any more risky than running an "isolated" server on a multi-boot machine.

I figure there is some risk involved regardless, just wondering what others with more server experience than I have to say.

Sorry, could a mod move this into the server sub-forum?

As long a Apache is kept up to date and port 80 is directed directly to this machine I would say pretty safe. Also I would run firewall on all lan machines and open the only needed ports. One thing you can do is from the router connect to the server machine. Then from that router you could add a second router where all lan machines will be. This will isolate the lan machines from the first router.

1st router port1> Server
1st router port2> 2nd router> lan machines

Brian

At a minimum, you're going to want to run a file monitoring program like Aide or Samhain. They won't prevent a break-in, but they will let you know what has changed if a break-in occurs. In addition to keeping your system fully patched, you're also going to want to keep any applications your serving through Apache patched. Usually applications are the security problems, not Apache itself.

That's nice, but you know what? Crackers don't care. It is the machine they are usually after, not any data.

Head over to the security forum and start reading the articles stickied at the top. unSpawn has done a fantastic job of collecting relevant info on keeping your system safe.

Moved: This thread is more suitable in Linux Security and has been moved accordingly to help your thread/question get the exposure it deserves.