File Server Security Question

Spiritmage · n00b Joined: 06 Mar 2005 Posts: 65 Location: Colorado

Hello, I am new to linux server setup. I just had a quick question concerning a machine I will be using as a file/local web server. Once everything is configured, how should I log in for the long run. Do I log in as root (I'm guessing this is bad)? Or should I create a common user and just run the server logged in as that user? Do I not log in at all? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Also, if you have any other security tips for me, I would be glad to hear them.

kmare · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:37 pm Post subject:

Just set the init script for your server app to boot at startup. Eg for apache:

tarpman · Posted: Mon Oct 01, 2007 7:44 pm Post subject:

Don't log in as root if you can avoid it, and only run what you absolutely must as root. When you create a user for yourself, add that user to the wheel group - members of that group are allowed to use su(1) to become root. Becoming root is required for most system administration tasks, including configuring, starting, and stopping network services.
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