Linux Security Books

[laserspeeddemon]

I recently applied at the SANS institute as a Linux admin. Part of the application process was taking the GCUX cert test. Now I have been a Linux Admin for about 2 years. I've been in the IT field for over 11 years. Where I work the environment is 100% development on an isolated network in a secure facility so security was not really exercised. I failed the GCUX test miserably. I borrowed a book from a friend on Linux Security. About Chapter 2, I noticed that some of the material seemed out dated. I flipped to the publishers pages and found the book published in 2000. So I set up to find a more recent book on Linux Security, but for the most part they are around 2000-2003. With a few "hackers guide" books in 2008. What is the most current Linux Security Book that one can pickup?

Cliff notes.
- I suck an Linux Security, what is the most current book that I can buy on Linux Security?

[oz]

Hello and welcome to the forums!

Most hardcopy books on Linux do become outdated fairly quickly, but you could search at Amazon's book section for "Linux Security" for a good selection of security oriented books and they do list the published dates, along with reviewer scores on some of them. I'm not sure what the "latest" security book available would be, but they might list it.

[laserspeeddemon]

Thanks for replying,

Amazon was the first place I hit up to look for a linux security book and again I had the same problem; they're old.

[laserspeeddemon]

Found one:
Security Strategies in Linux Platforms and Applications

Circa 2010 bought it on ebay for $12.

[Freston]

An unlikely source perhaps, but the "NSA Guide to the Secure Configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux" is very readable and emphasises on the practical side of security. You can find it in pdf on the internet quite easily without apparently infringing copyright (although IANAL), as they offer it for download on their own site.

And if you prefer hardcopy, you can print it at work when your boss is out and the receptionist will bind it for you if you ask nice enough

[elija]

Freston that's an awsome find which I am thoroughly enjoying reading.

[jayd512]

Outstanding!
The 'Table of Contents' alone caught my eye!
Good find, Freston!

[oz]

An unlikely source perhaps, but the "NSA Guide to the Secure Configuration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux" is very readable and emphasises on the practical side of security. You can find it in pdf on the internet quite easily without apparently infringing copyright (although IANAL), as they offer it for download on their own site.

It looks like a good read, and at the very least, it appears that they are keeping it somewhat updated according to the published date (Feb 28, 2011) on the pdf file itself.