Re: ideal OS distro for network scanning?

From: wrhaynes@gmail.com
Date: Sun Jan 15 2006 - 13:37:47 EST

('binary' encoding is not supported, stored as-is) Well the most secure OS is going to be the one that you patch and update, not necessarily OpenBSD. I used to be an OpenBSD fan but no longer because I've been using FreeBSD for over 4 years now with 0 regret. FreeBSD is much more useable and actually remendously easier to upgrade/patch because of the great ports system. And for the most part, it's the applications that are vulnerable not the OS so which distro is more of a specific questiong that you need to dial in on. BSD in general is probably a small notch above the rest and using a 'server-install' of something like Ubuntu which maintains and distributes rigorous updates instantly, you'll also probably find exactly what you're looking for.
-Securing it would be best to just do the most minimal installation possible and install ONLY what you need.
-Optimize the kernel
-Install Firewall with strict rules,
-Keep the box up to date...

All of these things can be done best with FreeBSD or Ubuntu for example. I choose Ubuntu over Debian because they sync and stabalize code from Debian's "Unstable" tree which means the apps are WAY more current.

I choose FreeBSD over OpenBSD/NetBSD/Dragonfly because of cvsup and portupgrade. Portupgrade let's the you build EVERY installed app from new patched/updated source from the cvs servers. Which with a good kernel setup, gives you a killer performance machine WITH all of the latest patches. Kernel config is much easier in BSD IMHO, but no too difficult wherever you go.

--Bill

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