GL413 · 5 days · 11+ hrs hands-on labs

Enterprise Linux Server Hardening

Available for RHEL

Systematically harden enterprise Linux servers against threats with this hands-on course designed for Linux administrators and security professionals. Students learn a defense-in-depth approach starting with security fundamentals and attack surface reduction, moving through vulnerability assessment and intrusion detection, and culminating in advanced mandatory access controls with SELinux.

Topics span the full server hardening lifecycle: minimization and service lockdown, network reconnaissance and vulnerability scanning with nmap and OpenVAS, intrusion detection with Snort and AIDE, RPM-based software maintenance and security updates, filesystem security with restrictive mount options and LUKS encryption, file permissions and access control lists, user account hardening with PAM password policies, centralized authentication via FreeIPA, system logging with rsyslog and journald, kernel auditing with auditd, service hardening with TCP wrappers and Netfilter packet filtering, and SELinux policy configuration.

With 50 hands-on lab exercises across 15 chapters, students build practical skills in vulnerability assessment, filesystem encryption, access control configuration, audit policy implementation, and security monitoring that support both operational security and compliance requirements.

Who Should Attend

System administrators, security engineers, and IT professionals responsible for securing enterprise Linux servers who need to implement hardening practices, conduct vulnerability assessments, configure mandatory access controls, and establish audit and accountability frameworks.

Skills Students Will Gain

Apply minimization and hardening principles to reduce the attack surface of Linux servers
Conduct network reconnaissance and vulnerability scanning using nmap, OpenVAS, and Snort
Manage security updates and software maintenance with RPM, DNF, and local repositories
Secure filesystems using mount options, disk quotas, filesystem attributes, and GPG encryption
Configure file permissions, special permissions, umask, and file access control lists
Deploy host intrusion detection using AIDE, RPM verification, and rkhunter
Harden user account management and implement password policies with PAM modules
Configure centralized authentication and identity management with FreeIPA
Administer system logging with rsyslog and the systemd journal for security monitoring
Implement kernel-level auditing with auditd for accountability and compliance
Secure network services using TCP wrappers, xinetd, firewalld, and iptables
Configure SELinux mandatory access controls including contexts, booleans, and policy management

Chapters & Labs

50 labs · 11+ hours hands-on
  1. Security Concepts 8 topics 6 labs · 50 min
  2. Scanning, Probing, and Mapping Vulnerabilities 13 topics 3 labs · 65 min
  3. Tracking security updates and software maintenance 14 topics 4 labs · 45 min
  4. Manage The Filesystem 6 topics 2 labs · 30 min
  5. Securing the Filesystem 7 topics 5 labs · 40 min
  6. Manage Special Permissions 6 topics
  7. Manage File Access Controls 4 topics 1 lab · 25 min
  8. Monitor for Filesystem Changes 6 topics 2 labs · 40 min
  9. Manage User Accounts 7 topics 1 lab · 10 min
  10. Password Security and PAM 23 topics 7 labs · 70 min
  11. Using FreeIPA for Centralized Authentication 7 topics
  12. Log File Administration 8 topics 4 labs · 65 min
  13. Accountability with Kernel Auditd 7 topics 3 labs · 35 min
  14. Securing Services 16 topics 4 labs · 65 min
  15. SELinux 21 topics 8 labs · 110 min

Apply for partner access to see full topic and lab details.

Prerequisites

Knowledge equivalent to GL120 (Linux Fundamentals) and GL250 (Enterprise Linux Systems Administration), including proficiency with the Linux command line, package management, filesystem administration, and user account management.