Since the arrival of the Web, cyber threats have become a commonplace. By
applying certain security mechanisms, we aim to improve data protection against
illicit access, use, disclosure, modification or destruction. Fraudsters aim to appropriate
classified information for financial gain. The only way we can protect
our data is by familiarising ourselves with these security risks and the tools needed
to protect ourselves from them.
This thesis presents a description of the security settings and the use of tools
for inspecting and hardening the Ubuntu Linux operating system. We assessed
the vulnerabilities of this system and examined its security flaws and shortcomings.
Although Ubuntu Linux is relatively secure when installed by default, we
improved it by changing its system settings to restrict foreign users from gaining
access to the system. We installed tools that provide protection from external
networks and tools to help us scan for potential system infections if these were
to occur.
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