Chapter 7: Performing Security Administration

Overview

Solaris allows you to manage system security in order to ensure that the system resources are used properly. The security is applied at two access levels: access to the system and access to the resources on the system, such as files. Access to the system is secured both by managing access to it and by restricting it. Managing access involves password management, login management, and observing who is having access. Restricting largely involves restricting access from the remote machines.

The access to data on the system is managed by file permissions. The file permissions are set on a file for three kinds of users: the user who owns the file, the group that, owns the file, and everyone else. Because executable files try to access other files, this access is controlled by special file permissions called setuid, setgid, and sticky bits.

The core issue to think about in this chapter is: how system security is performed on Solaris 10. To understand this, we will explore three thought streams: security issues in accessing the system, security issues in accessing the data on the system, and managing this security at both the data and system levels.