Security with Linux - Newbie

[david]

On Tue, 2005-02-08 at 09:30, Lindsay wrote:
> I went to the site and saw where the info below is held.  The rest I
> couldn't follow, for instance you say "open a console."  I dont know how
> or where to do that.
> Once the file is downloaded it must be saved I guess, but I do not know
> how to do that or where it should go.
> Repositories?   In windows where they 'directories' or 'folders?'
> 
> 
> On Tue, 2005-02-08 at 19:25 +1030, squareyes wrote:
> > Hi Lindsay,
> > Its very easy, connect to internet,
> >  open a console,  type sudo apt-get update   and press enter.
> > Give your password and hit enter,
> > its all done for you.
> > 
> > Check out Unofficial Ubuntu 4.10 Starter Guide
> > 
> > http://www.ubuntuguide.org  excellent reference material
> > for newbies like us.

> > On Tue, 2005-02-08 at 21:22 +1300, Lindsay wrote:
> > > Ok, I just subscribed to the secuirty updat list, but I don't have a
> > > clue how to download, save and install in Ubuntu yet.  I'll take one
> > > step at a time over the next few weeks.
> > > Linz
> > > 
> > > On Mon, 2005-02-07 at 16:03 -0500, Joshua Lee wrote:
> > > > On Mon, 2005-02-07 at 20:16 +1300, Lindsay wrote:
> > > > > I have been of the understanding that Linux is relatively virus and
> > > > > intruder safe.  How accurate is my understanding of this?
> > > > 
> > > > Viruses are rare because Linux isn't a hospitable environment for them.
> > > > Spyware is impossible. Some forms of vulnerabilities exist on both
> > > > platforms though. You should always keep your software updated with
> > > > "apt-get update && apt-get upgrade" or using the Synaptic GUI
> > > > application on Ubuntu will take care of that for everything in the core
> > > > distribution. Keep a subscription to the Ubuntu security mailing list
> > > > and keep upgraded accordingly is really easy.
> > > > 
> > > > Even if you don't get something upgraded right away it's safer than
> > > > Windows, none of this "twenty minutes without a firewall and you're
> > > > infected" situation as can happen in Windows.
> > > > 

OK

Never thought I'd say this, but, you're top posting.
If you post replies to posts beneath rather than above what you're
replying to it makes it easier to follow. 

To "open a console" either right click on the desktop and choose "open
new terminal" or find the Terminal menu entry (in System Tools I think).
What KDE calls a console, Gnome calls a terminal and they're both
different words for the same thing - a command line. Sort of like the
MS/DOS prompt in Windows but much much more powerful.

A repositry in this context is an online location where packages/files
are kept together. So, when you point Synaptic or apt-get at a
repositry, it fetches a list of all the available files at that location
so you can easily browse, select and install what you want.
There is no real Windows equivalent because Microsoft sell you the
barebones of a disk operating system (whatever they might call it) and
then want to sell you everything else you need to do what you want to
do.
With Linux you either get a multi cd monster installs (5+ cd's for suse
and mandrake with more or less everything available on them) or one cd
and all the rest online in repositries.
The second method kind of requires a decent (256k minimum) connection or
a lot of patience.

Hope this helps.

David