networking advice

[k.murphy]

Hi all,
I don't know that much about networking but I'll tell you all what I want to do and maybe someone out there can give me some advice.
I have a stand alone suse linux pc in my office at work. In the basement we have a newly purchased linux cluster. I would like to send processing jobs from my stand alone pc to the cluster. The cluster can be connected through a network connection on a windows pc, I've seen the IT guys do it. However the IT guys refuse to put my stand alone pc on the network they support. All of the other computers on the network run windows. They say putting the linux box on the network creates all kinds of security issues, without really going into much details. They mentioned something about wiping their master boot image whatever that means !! Can anyone out there tell me what the security isues may be? and how I can make my linux pc on the network as secure as any windows based pc?

Thanks

Kevin

[Vergil83]

Sorry to say but your IT guys are stupid and know nothing about non-windows OS. Linux is much more secure than any windows pc and if they are worried about you messing up something than THEY need a more secure network in place.

The best analogy I could come up with is building a house. If everyone else is using a hammer, but you come and use a nail gun. The forman comes up an says you can't use it because it is so strong it might knock the house over. Is the problem with the nail gun or the weak house construction?

Or they may just be yanking your chain.

[k.murphy]

I don't think the IT guys are yanking my chain. I think your right and they know nothing about non-windows OS. It's OK you saying linux systems are secure, I beleive you, I love my linux box I need proof. Do you know of any articles or techical info, preferably available on line that I can hit the IT guys with the next time they claim they can't securely network my pc? I've had a look myself but I'm not really sure what to look for. Is there an idiots guide to securely networking a linux pc? the IT guys at work may need one

[Juan Pablo]

Just compare iptables to something like ZoneAlarm.
Google uses Linux for their servers.
Just take unix-style permissions like an example.
There are no Linux viruses, spywares, etc

[Vergil83]

For securing your linux box, just don't run as root and run a firewall.
There are millions of articles about linux vs windows, but they might look at
http://news.com.com/2100-1001-985221.html
http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/188
Also, huge companies support and use linux
http://www-1.ibm.com/linux/
http://www.sun.com/software/linux/
http://www.novell.com/linux/
http://www.ebizq.net/news/7655.html?rss
http://www.wired.com/news/technology...,54504,00.html
As well as governments
http://www.usatoday.com/money/indust...x-munich_x.htm
http://www.internetnews.com/bus-news...le.php/2244921
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/3960025.stm
http://lwn.net/Articles/41738/
http://www.crn.com/sections/breaking...leId=192201386
It is used for super computers
http://www.top500.org/stats/28/osfam/

on and on and on....

[k.murphy]

Thanks for the info. IT department have now suggested I install a windows OS and use cygwin. I give up

[likwid]

Unix style permissions are not a strong point of unix security.

They can't control your linux box through group policy or anything so theoretically someone can do anything they want on your network from that machine and go unnoticed. If someone was root on your linux box they could run a sniffer and get a bunch of your CIFS passwords, and then they'll have access to all your accounting info, or whatever sensitive data is stored on your win network. They could just run anything to cause problems for you, but on the windows boxes your people are probably regular users who can't install programs, and with group policy you can lock them down tight as hell to only having access to a program or two.