The Future-Proof Server: Antivirus and Beyond for Linux Admins

Linux servers are a far more dominant force in the industry than people give them credit for. Sure, personal computers all run on Windows, but linux is the operating system behind roughly 81% of all the websites. One of the reasons for this is the fact that it’s more resilient to the majority of threats that most of their counterparts face. 

Now, while Linux is generally more resilient to viruses, the truth is that these devices and servers always exist on the same network as devices using other systems. So, even though they cannot suffer the brunt of the attack, they can spread the viruses and malware to other devices in the network. 

This is why Linux admins need to learn how to protect and future-proof their servers. You can’t just slap an antivirus like a flex tape and hope that you’ve solved all the problems. Your approach needs to be a tad more holistic than that. Here are a few tips they might find useful. 

1. Understanding the Linux Server Security Paradigm

The first thing worth pointing out is that Linux isn’t immune to all sorts of malware. A lot of people believe this, which is incredibly dangerous, especially when you consider the fact that you’re not really taking measures to protect yourself from a threat you don’t know exists.

Ransomware may be less common on Linux than on Windows, but it’s not unheard of. In fact, the number of ransomware instances has increased dramatically. This is especially problematic for major financial institutions, where changes and updates are much slower than with smaller teams. 

There are also tools known as cryptocurrency miners, which can latch onto your system and drain resources for your own use. This way, you have an OS that’s supposed to be faster, simpler, and more reliable, and it’s anything but. Moreover, since you’re not even aware of the severity of this threat, this is the last thing that will cross your mind during diagnostics.

Lastly, you need to be aware of the rootkits, which are stealthy malware that require kernel-level access to function. It can manipulate system calls and logs, which will cloak its activity. As a result, it will be incredibly hard to detect. 

2. The Role of Antivirus in Linux Server Security

The majority of servers are on Linux because the majority of the internet is on Linux servers. This means that the attack surface for malicious third parties is the largest it’s ever been. This is why every server manager needs to install one of the top server security software options. One of the main reasons why you actually need an antivirus for your Linux is to act as a safeguard against reckless user behavior. Think of it as a life vest for someone who’s on a boat. You hope they won’t make a mistake, but if they do, it’s better if they’re in a vest. 

Servers handle a lot of sensitive data, which means that there are some specific use cases that demand extra security on your part. Using this already provides you with more peace of mind, which shouldn’t be underestimated. This is especially the case when you take into consideration all the regulatory matters.  

3. Advancing Beyond Antivirus: Comprehensive Security Strategies

In order to secure the data on your server, you need to start employing more holistic strategies. This is especially the case if it’s company data that we’re talking about. 

One of the strategies used for this is HIPS (host-based intrusion prevention system). This is a method used to protect endpoint devices and we’ll talk more about it in the next section.

Another strategy you can use is to install something like fail2ban. This prevents brute-force login attacks. The best part is that it also helps monitor other networking protocols (like HTTP, FTP, etc.). 

The most important things you need to insist on are secure configurations and regular system updates. You see, the system regularly fixes all the bugs and problems, but it’s possible that the system itself will get outdated. Even worse, when the patch notes come out, you’re virtually broadcasting to the world all the flaws, putting all legacy systems in even greater jeopardy. 

These updates need to be systemic and scheduled in order to be reliable.

4. Implementing Host Intrusion Prevention Systems (HIPS)

Previously, we’ve mentioned HIPS; however, it’s such a monumentally important cybersecurity feature that it deserves a section of its own. What this system does is employ a number of methods, ranging from resetting the connection and blocking traffic to logging the malicious activity for future investigation. 

HIPS is incredibly accurate at detecting anomalies and deviations in bandwidth, protocols, and ports. Every time an activity varies outside an acceptable range, the system will be alerted. What’s special about HIPS, however, is the fact that it won’t respond right away. An anomaly is not always an attack, as not every lump is a tumor. The point of HIPS is to provide protection without disrupting the server’s regular working order.

5. Reinforcing Linux Server Security through Best Practices

It is incredibly important that you find the right way to harden your Linux server to the best of your abilities. First, you want to enable strong authentication and create an SSH key pair. This way, you will create a more secure means of accessing your servers. 

This will make all brute-force attacks nearly impossible, seeing as how it offers a much more complex protection than a regular password. Think of it as a cybersecurity equivalent of an in-depth defense, a martial concept where you have defensive lines one behind another. 

By removing unnecessary software, you’re limiting the access that third-party software has to your servers. In a way, this enables you to plug all the cybersecurity leaks. 

6. Anticipating Future Threats: The Importance of Proactive Security Measures

The biggest challenge in cybersecurity is that the landscape is always shifting. There are always new threats, challenges, exploits, and problems for you to discover. 

To address this, you have to conduct more frequent and significantly more effective audits. To make the long story short, you and your team just have to get better at cybersecurity auditing. 

Injection flaws, broken authentication, data exposure, and XSS can all be solved pretty effectively as long as you notice them in time and have the right tools to solve them. Tools like Acunetix, Burpsuite, and SQLmap can easily fix the problem in question. However, in order to solve a problem, you must first be aware of the fact that you have one. 

In other words, you need a schedule, a system, and the right toolset. Without all three, you won’t be as quick to adjust to changes. 

A huge portion of the internet runs on Linux servers, which is why you need to put in extra effort to keep them secure

At the end of the day, the art of improving the cybersecurity of Linux servers has massive ramifications for the entirety of the digital world. In order to improve it, you need to understand threats, use the right tools, and make sure you’ve hardened the system enough that it becomes as resilient as possible. Moreover, you must always be ready for future threats.  

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