Linux – Choices and Security Josh More - blog.starmind.org

The Problem of Linux Linux's success is due to a highly-evolutionary response and wide collection of applications. This makes it very hard to choose a distribution suitable to a business environment. Linux – Choices and SecurityJosh More - blog.starmind.org

The Major Players Hobbiest Ubuntu / Mint OpenSUSE Fedora Enterprise Ubuntu Server SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Red Hat Enterprise Server / CentOS Linux – Choices and Security For those of you that are bored... Josh More - blog.starmind.org

The Minor Players Slackware Gentoo Mandriva Debian MEPIS Puppy Sabayon Arch Kubuntu Xubuntu Damn Small Linux Vector gOS Ultimate Edition Zenwalk Sidux Linux – Choices and Security some animal trivia... Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Live CDs Knoppix Backtrack Helix PCLinuxOS Slax System Rescue CD Elive Kanotix NimbleX GoblinX Ultimate Boot CD m0n0wall LLGP INSERT Feather GeeXboX Linux – Choices and Security Platypuses sense electric currents with their bills. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Confused? There certainly are a lot of options Linux – Choices and Security Squid can see the polarization of light. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Solution – Only two things matter Distribution Lifetime Application Choice Linux – Choices and Security Lizards threatened by fire ants have longer legs. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Distribution Lifetime Distribution(Server)Lifetime (years) Ubuntu1.5 Fedora1 OpenSUSE2 Mandriva5 Ubuntu Server5 Red Hat Enterprise7 SUSE Linux Enterprise9 Linux – Choices and Security Black bears can be white, yellow or brown too. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Application Choice Distributions sorted by number of packages Red Hat Enterprise Mandriva SUSE Linux Enterprise Ubuntu Server Fedora OpenSUSE Ubuntu Linux – Choices and Security The Alaska oil pipeline hampered caribou migration. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Putting it all together Linux – Choices and Security The Pacific Barreleye fish have a transparent cranium. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Specialty Options Security Testing Helix Backtrack INSERT Security Appliance M0n0wall IPCop Astaro User Friendly gOS PC Linux OS Recovery System Rescue CD Ultimate Boot CD GParted Live NAS FreeNAS OpenFiler Lightweight Puppy Damn Small Vector Linux – Choices and Security Some jellyfish can reverse their aging process. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux Security Model Linux – Choices and Security The viper fish has movable teeth. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Male platypuses have venomous spurs on their legs. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Water bears can survive in the vacuum of space. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Desert snails can live for years without food or water. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The kookaburra may sit in trees other than gum. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The tuatara has three eyes. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Parasites shed bits of their DNA to rely upon their hosts. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The song of the katydid changes with the temperature. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Moles bite the heads off worms and store them for later. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Fire ants floating in water rotate so all may breathe. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The slow loris has poisonous elbows. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Mice prefer chocolate to cheese. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Some sea urchins only breed during the full moon. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Pronghorns don't know how to jump over fences. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security Hornbills are one of the few birds to have eyelashes. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Linux – Choices and Security The chalcid wasp lays its eggs in the eggs of others. Josh More - blog.starmind.org

Takeaways Like all OSs, Linux is only potentially secure. You can secure Linux at many levels. Use all the levels you can. It's all about configuration Linux – Choices and Security Sea squirts reabsorb their brains when they settle down. Josh More - blog.starmind.org