Linux Security Administrator Course

The Linux Security Administrator Course focuses on securing Linux systems against unauthorized access, threats, and vulnerabilities. It covers topics like user permissions, firewall configuration, SELinux, SSH hardening, and intrusion detection tools. Ideal for system administrators who want to enhance the security of Linux servers and networks.

Duration: 5 weeks
Mode: Online
Level: Advanced
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Linux Security Administrator Course

What You Will Learn

🌐 This Linux Security Administrator course is designed to prepare students with practical and theoretical knowledge to secure Linux-based systems. The course walks learners through the layered security model, from physical hardware protection to logical access controls and network encryption protocols.

Course Curriculum

1. Physical vs Logical Security:
   - Understand the differences and overlap between physical security (data center access, boot locks) and logical security (user permissions, firewalls).

2. BIOS and UEFI Hardening:
   - Secure boot process, disable USB boot, set up passwords in BIOS/UEFI settings to prevent unauthorized changes.

3. Protecting Critical Linux Files:
   - Understand and secure key files like /etc/passwd, /etc/shadow, /etc/sudoers using file permissions and access control.

4. PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules):
   - Learn how PAM works, configure modules for enforcing strong authentication, session rules, and account lockouts.

5. Filesystem and Directory-Level Security:
   - Use `chmod`, `chown`, sticky bits, and ACLs to implement fine-grained file/directory security.

6. Encryption Techniques:
   - Encrypt filesystems using LUKS, encrypt data in transit using OpenSSL, GPG, and local file encryption tools.

7. TLS and Secure Communication:
   - Implement HTTPS, manage TLS certificates, and use secure protocols like SSH/SCP for system administration.

8. Security Best Practices:
   - Disable unnecessary services, set up firewalls (UFW/iptables), configure audit logs, and perform regular security updates.

This course bridges foundational security with modern practices, helping learners become job-ready for roles in system hardening, Linux security auditing, and compliance enforcement.

Linux Security Administrator Course Curriculum

1. Introduction to Linux Security

·       - Security goals: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability

·       - Threat landscape for Linux systems

·       - Security models and principles

2. Physical vs Logical Security

·       - Server room access control

·       - BIOS/UEFI passwords

·       - Login authentication and logical layers

3. Understanding the Linux Boot Process

·       - Stages: BIOS/UEFI → Bootloader → Kernel → init/systemd

·       - GRUB2 security and password protection

·       - Boot parameter hardening

4. Securing BIOS and UEFI

·       - Disabling external boot media

·       - Setting admin passwords in BIOS/UEFI

·       - Secure Boot and Linux support

5. User and Group Security Management

·       - useradd, usermod, passwd, chage

·       - Managing group-based access

·       - Restricting root login and sudo security

6. File and Directory Permissions

·       - Understanding chmod, chown, umask

·       - Sticky bit, SUID, SGID usage

·       - Access Control Lists (ACLs)

7. Protecting Critical System Files

·       - /etc/shadow, /etc/passwd, /etc/sudoers

·       - Immutable bit with chattr

·       - Audit file changes using auditd

8. PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules)

·       - How PAM works

·       - Common PAM modules: pam_unix, pam_tally2

·       - Enforcing password complexity and account locking

9. Secure Shell (SSH) Configuration

·       - Disabling root login

·       - Using SSH keys

·       - Fail2ban for brute-force protection

10. Filesystem Encryption with LUKS

·       - Creating LUKS encrypted partitions

·       - Mounting and unlocking secure drives

·       - Encrypting swap space

11. GPG and File Encryption

·       - Using GPG for email and file encryption

·       - Public/private key management

·       - Encrypting scripts and backups

12. TLS and Certificate Management

·       - Understanding TLS vs SSL

·       - Generating self-signed certificates

·       - Let’s Encrypt and certbot for HTTPS

13. Firewall Configuration (UFW and iptables/nftables)

·       - Basic rules and policies

·       - Enabling UFW and configuring ports

·       - Advanced filtering with iptables/nftables

14. Service Hardening

·       - Disabling unused services

·       - Minimizing attack surface

·       - Securing Apache, NGINX, OpenSSH

15. Log Management and Auditing

·       - Using journalctl and /var/log/

·       - Configuring rsyslog

·       - Auditd and logrotate

16. AppArmor and SELinux

·       - Intro to MAC (Mandatory Access Control)

·       - Using AppArmor in Ubuntu

·       - Using SELinux in RHEL-based distros

17. Intrusion Detection and Prevention

·       - Using AIDE (Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment)

·       - Tripwire basics

·       - OSSEC and real-time alerts

18. Backup and Disaster Recovery Planning

·       - Backup strategies (full, incremental)

·       - rsync and cron for automation

·       - Testing recovery procedures

19. Vulnerability Scanning and Patch Management

·       - Using Lynis and OpenVAS

·       - Package management: apt/yum security updates

·       - Kernel patching with kpatch/livepatch

20. Compliance and Best Practices

·       - Hardening checklists (CIS Benchmarks)

·       - GDPR and Linux security mapping

·       - Automated compliance tools like OpenSCAP

Hands-on Labs & Projects

🚀 Project 1: Securing the GRUB Bootloader

Duration: Week 1

Objective: Objective: Protect the boot process by setting a GRUB password and restricting access to kernel parameters.

 

What You'll Do:

·       - Restrict unauthorized access to the GRUB bootloader menu

·       - Prevent modification of kernel parameters at boot time

·       - Add protection during system startup for OS integrity

Skills Covered:

·       - Linux system boot management

·       - Secure GRUB configuration

·       - Authentication in early boot

·       - OS-level hardening using bootloader security

⚙️ Project 2: 

Enforcing Strong Password Policies with PAM

Objective: Configure PAM to enforce complex passwords and account lockouts.

 

Duration: Week 2-3

What I Will Build:
You will configure the Pluggable Authentication Module (PAM) system on a Linux machine to enforce strong password policies and account lockout mechanisms. By integrating the pam_pwquality module, I set up rules that required users to create complex passwords with minimum length and character variety. I also implemented account lockout rules using pam_tally2 to temporarily disable user accounts after multiple failed login attempts, adding a layer of protection against brute-force attacks.

Skills to be Used:

  • Linux system administration (Ubuntu & RHEL-based distros)

  • Editing PAM configuration files (/etc/pam.d/common-password, /etc/pam.d/system-auth)

  • Using pam_pwquality to enforce password complexity

  • Applying pam_tally2 for account lockout after failed login attempts

  • Testing and verifying changes using local user accounts and terminal logins

  • Basic troubleshooting with auth.log and journal logs

What I will Learn:
This lab will help students to understand how Linux authentication is highly modular and customizable. Students will learn how PAM acts as a flexible framework for authentication policies across various services. Configuring these modules gave me hands-on experience with securing user access, enforcing organizational security policies, and improving the baseline protection of the system. It also made me more comfortable with system hardening practices and helped me appreciate the importance of balancing usability with security.

🔧 Configure SSH for Secure Remote Access

Duration: Week 1-2

Objective: Secure SSH service by enforcing key-based authentication and restricting root access.

What Students Will Do:

·       - Disable password and root-based logins

·       - Set up SSH key-based authentication

·       - Secure remote system access using hardened SSH configuration

Skills Students Will Use:

·       - SSH configuration and key management

·       - Remote server security

·       - Systemd service management

·       - Firewall and port management

Enable and Configure UFW Firewall

Duration: Week 1-2

Objective: Use UFW to manage and secure network traffic on a Linux server.

What Students Will Do:

·       - Enable UFW and define a default-deny policy

·       - Allow trusted services such as SSH and HTTP

·       - Block unwanted and unauthorized ports

Skills Students Will Use:

·       - Host-based firewall management

·       - Network port security

·       - Rule creation and verification

·       - Traffic control on Linux systems

Encrypt Filesystem with LUKS

Objective: Create an encrypted partition using LUKS for secure data storage.

What Students Will Do:

·       - Encrypt a disk partition using cryptsetup and LUKS

·       - Format the encrypted volume and mount it

·       - Secure local storage against physical theft or tampering

Skills Students Will Use:

·       - Full-disk encryption with LUKS

·       - Linux device and partition management

·       - Data confidentiality enforcement

·       - Secure volume mounting and key handling

Who Should Enroll?

🎯 Target Audience

This course is designed for learners who are passionate about Linux and want to build a solid foundation in system security and hardening practices. It is ideal for:

  • 🧑‍💻 IT Students pursuing degrees in cybersecurity, computer science, or system administration

  • 🛡️ Entry-level IT professionals looking to specialize in Linux-based security roles

  • 🔐 System Administrators aiming to enhance their knowledge of hardening techniques and secure configurations

  • ☁️ DevOps and Platform Engineers who work with Docker, OpenShift, or cloud-native Linux environments

  • 🎓 Interns or fresh graduates preparing for Red Hat certification (RHCSA/RHCE) or similar credentials

  • 🏢 Corporate trainees being upskilled for secure infrastructure management

This course balances theory with real-world practicals to prepare learners for modern security roles in Linux environments.

Your Instructor

Pankaj

Industry expert with 19+ years experience in IT Infrastructure, Security and cloud technologies.

Course Features

  • Live Online Classes
  • Hands-on Labs
  • Industry Certificate
  • Small Batch Size
  • 24/7 Support
  • Job Assistance