DEV Community

Faruk
Faruk

Posted on • Originally published at Medium

10 Security Commands Every Linux Admin Should Know (But Probably Doesn’t) | by Faruk Ahmed | Apr, 2025

Member-only story

10 Security Commands Every Linux Admin Should Know (But Probably Doesn’t)

--

Share

🎯 Why this works:

  • Focuses on hands-on commands — instantly actionable
  • Feels like an insider’s guide — even pros will stop and ask “do I know all 10?”
  • It’s a listicle (great for scroll-friendly reading)
  • Tied to real-world threats and day-to-day Linux security hardening

🧠 Article Outline:

Intro:

Linux is known for being secure, but only if you configure it correctly. Most sysadmins and developers know the basics — but some powerful tools are underused, overlooked, or just flat-out unknown. I’ve compiled 10 real security commands I use to lock down servers (Ubuntu & CentOS), audit them, and sleep better at night.

1. ss -tuln

See what’s listening and reduce attack surface:

ss -tuln
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Why it matters: You can’t secure what you don’t know is open.

2. find / -perm -4000 2>/dev/null

Find all SUID binaries — potential privilege escalation risks.

3. grep -E '^\s*[^#]' /etc/ssh/sshd_config


👉 Read Full Blog on Medium Here

Top comments (0)