Let’s face it; Linux isn’t the most popular operating system globally. Linux has one of the smallest user bases for operating systems with just a handful of users. Experts say that one of the biggest reasons behind Linux’s security is the very fact that it isn’t so popular.

With Windows leading the way, followed closely by Mac, Linux has fewer cybercriminals targeting it. Now, even though almost all security experts agree that Linux is the most secure operating system, lately there have been some very valid concerns with Linux that seem to be popping up—and to make matters worse, these concerns seem to be attracting cybercriminals.

Though more secure, it turns out that even Linux isn’t entirely safe from inevitable cyberattacks. With the cyber threat landscape evolving rapidly, Linux users need to be aware of these security vulnerabilities and ways to counter them and make their systems more secure.

If that is what you’ve been looking for, you’re at the right place. In this blog, we will discuss how users can improve their Linux security, like FDE, and get to buy VPN to avoid different cyberattacks like brute force and malware.

Always choose full-disk encryption (FDE)

As an overall security best practice, this tip doesn’t only apply to Linux. In fact, no matter what operating system you’re using, we recommend opting for full-disk encryption for your entire hard disk.

This helps immensely in cases of stolen or lost laptops. A simple password isn’t considered the best form of protection—cybercriminals can boot the Linus OS using a USB, easily reading all of your data.

Encrypting your hard drive will ensure that your data is safe because any third party will not be able to access anything without your FDE password. One of the advantages of encrypting your hard drive instead of just your home folder and all the files in it is that things like temporary files and swap files are no longer a cause of concern.

That being said, many people assume that FDE is going to slow your PC down. In all honestly; FDE does affect your operating speed. However, this change is so minute that most users won’t even tell or measure the slow-down on a modern device.

Take advantage of keyring

Even though most users find this step annoying, this feature helps encrypt sensitive passwords, ensuring that your system is more secure and harder to crack.

Many people disable this feature by giving it a white password, but this is not the best security practice as you’re transmitting unencrypted data over the network, which leaves you susceptible to cyberattacks.

Make sure that your software is always up to date

Use best windows mail server, most software you install will eventually require an update because online security gets outdated quickly. That—and hackers and cybercriminals keep discovering and inventing brand-new methods to get into new systems, which means that security vulnerabilities keep developing.

These new vulnerabilities to the software are fixed regularly by development teams in the form of security patches and updates—which is why it is recommended to make sure that all your software and applications are always up to date.

These security patches make your software more robust and harder to crack, keeping your systems and data safe and secure.

If you’re worrying about the additional step for each application you have installed, though, don’t.

Most Linux distros make this a super easy process. On your Ubuntu, any releasing security updates are installed automatically, without requiring any additional effort on your part.

You can also double-check if the updates are being automatically installed by opening your System Settings, clicking at Software & Updates, and then hitting Updates. Once you’re there, make sure that your Important security updates are turned on, and you’re good to go!

Do not disable SELinux

SELinux, or Security-Enhanced Linux, provides users with an access control mechanism to better manage application security. Even though SELinux hasn’t been receiving many great reviews in terms of functionality, there are ways to handle the issues users encounter when using it.

There’s always the option of changing the SELinux policy to fit your security needs better or using a GUI tool to make sure operations are smooth.

It’s worth learning how to use Linux’s firewall

One of the reasons Linux is considered one of the safest operating systems is its built-in firewall component called ‘iptables’. This component empowers users to manage their network traffic safely and avoid falling victim to any cyberattacks.

If you’re a Ubuntu user, your device will also have an additional application installed, called ‘Uncomplicated Firewall’ or ‘UFW’ for short. This is a simple front-end program that makes it a breeze to set up ‘iptables’

UFW is disabled by default, but you can always run the following command prompt to enable it.

$ sudo ufw enable

Password:

Firewall is active and enabled on system startup

$

You can also learn more about iptables and everything it can do by using a graphical configuration tool, for example, UFW Frontends, or GUFW.

If you’re a Fedora user, you can use FirewallD, an alternative firewall management package. The good thing about this one, though is that it is already enabled, and you don’t have to make any additional efforts to enable it.

If you’re going to use FirewallD, you can install a graphical user interface called firewall-config for it using this command prompt:

$ yum install firewall-config

Use a VPN

A VPN is a one-step universal cybersecurity tool and makes you more secure online by letting you surf anonymously—restricting your data to whom it belongs; you.

Always buy VPN when using Linux, as VPNs help you connect to the internet indirectly, using a remote and secure server to route your traffic through as well as encrypting your communication with the internet.

This process hides your original IP address, temporarily replacing it with your server, making you completely anonymous and safe online.