Network Security Hacks, Second Edition

Security Work, One Hack at a Time

Network Security Hacks, Second Edition is built for people who would rather solve a specific security problem than read another abstract essay about risk. Andrew Lockhart presents 105 numbered hacks, each a concise, executable technique for hardening real systems. The O’Reilly Hacks format keeps the focus on doing: you get the problem, the approach, the commands or configuration, and the reasoning behind it.

This second edition revisits the original 2004 collection with updated coverage of Windows, wireless, encryption, and network defense. The result is a working reference for administrators who need to secure Unix and Windows hosts, tighten services, and make sense of logs without wading through vendor marketing.

What the Hacks Cover 🔐

• Host security — mount points, permissions, SUID/SGID scans, PAM, resource limits, kernel hardening with grsecurity and systrace.
• Windows hardening — patch checks, Group Policy updates, auditing, event logs, EFS backups, default shares, and password expiry.
• Privacy and anonymity — traffic-analysis evasion, Tor and SSH tunneling, file encryption, phishing defenses, and email encryption.
• Firewalls and network defense — Netfilter, OpenBSD Packet Filter, Windows Firewall, port blocking, authenticated gateways, and firewall testing.
• Service encryption — SSL/TLS for IMAP, POP, SMTP, Apache, BIND, MySQL, and secure Unix file sharing.
• Wireless, logging, monitoring, and tunnels — wireless authentication, captive portals, syslog centralization, log monitoring, IPsec, SSH tunnels, SSL tunnels, and VPN options.

Who This Book Is For 💻

Network Security Hacks assumes you are comfortable with command-line tools, server configuration, and the basics of TCP/IP. It is written for system administrators, security practitioners, network engineers, and advanced users who manage mixed environments or need a quick reference for defensive tasks. Beginners may find the pace brisk, but the hack-by-hack structure lets you start with the techniques that match your immediate needs.

Why the Hacks Format Works

Each entry is self-contained, so you can open the book to a specific hack and put it to work without reading the entire volume first. That format also makes the book useful as a checklist: scan the table of contents, identify gaps in your own setup, and work through the relevant items. The second edition preserves that practical rhythm while adding material that reflects changes in Windows security, wireless networking, and encrypted communications.

A Reference for Mixed-Platform Defenders

Unix and Linux users will find the deepest coverage, from POSIX ACLs to grsecurity and systrace, but the book does not ignore Windows or the network layer. Chapters on logging, monitoring, and tunneling connect host-level hardening to the wider infrastructure, helping readers see how individual fixes fit into a broader defensive posture. If your work involves keeping services available, logs trustworthy, and traffic private, this collection offers a grounded set of starting points.

Digital Delights Edition

This digital edition gives you the full text of Network Security Hacks, Second Edition in a portable format for your technical library. Use it as a desk reference, a study companion, or a source of ideas when you need to secure a new system or revisit an old one.