LPIC-303 Objectives V2
Contents
Introduction
The description of the entire LPIC-3 programme is listed here.
Version Information
This is a draft collecting possible changes for objectives version 2.0.0. Right now, this is not authoritative in any way.
Translations of Objectives
The following translations of the objectives are available on this wiki:
Objectives
Topic 320: Cryptography
320.1 X.509 Certificates and Public Key Infrastructures
| Weight | 4 |
| Description | Candidates should understand X.509 Certificates and Public Key Infrastructures. They should know how to configure and OpenSSL to implement Certification Authorities and issue SSL certificates for various purposes. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- X.509, X.509v3 extended attributes
- Public Key Infrastructures
- Trust Chain
- Server, Client and CA certificates
- CA management
- OpenSSL
- Key generation
- Certificate requests and signing
- SSL/TLS client and server tests
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- openssl
- RSA, DH and DSA
- SSL
- X.509
- CSR
- OSCP
- CRL
320.2 X509 Certificate Usage for Encryption, Signing and Authentication
| Weight | 4 |
| Description | Candidates should know how to use X.509 Certificate for both server and client authentication. Candidates should be able to implement user and server authentication for Apache HTTPD. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
320.3 Advanced GPG
| Weight | 4 |
| Description | Candidates should know how to use GPG. This includes key generation, signing and publishing to key servers. Managing multiple private keys and IDs is also included. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- GPG encryption and signing
- private/public key management
- GPG key servers
- GPG configuration
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- gpg
- gpgv
- gpg-agent
- ~/.gnupg/
320.4 Encrypted Filesystems
| Weight | 3 |
| Description | Candidates should be able to setup and configure encrypted filesystems. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- LUKS
- dm-crypt and awareness of CBC, ESSIV, LRW and XTS modes
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- dm-crypt
- cryptmount
- cryptsetup
Topic 321: Host security
321.1 User Management and Authentication
| Weight | 6 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with management and authentication of user accounts. This includes configuration and use of nsswitch, PAM, SSSD and Kerberos for both local and remote directories and authentication mechanisms as well as password cracking. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- nsswitch
- PAM and PAM configuration files
- SSSD daemon and command line tools
- Configuring NSS and PAM for use with SSSD
- Authenticate against a local, LDAP and Kerberos domain
- Kerberos Key Distribution Centre
- Kerberos Principals
- Kerberos Tickets
- password cracking
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- nsswitch.conf
- SSSD
- sss_* commands
- sssd.conf
- kinit
- krb5.conf
- krb5kdc/kdc.conf
- kdb5_util
- rb5kdc/kadm5.acl
- klist
- kadmin, kadmin.local
- john
321.2 FreeIPA Installation and Samba Integration
| Weight | 4 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with FreeIPA v3.x installation process of creating a server instance. Knowledge of the components used by FreeIPA. Candidates should be able to integrate with Samba for group management, Kerberized CIFS and as an AD DC with FreeIPA. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- System and configuration prerequisites for installing FreeIPA
- FreeIPA Components: LDAP, Kerberos, PKI, DNS, Certmonger
- Cross-realm trusts
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- ipa-server-install and options
- ipa
- ipa trust-add-ad
- ipa config-mod
- net
- ldapadd
Topic 322: Access Control
322.1 Discretionary Access Control
| Weight | 5 |
| Description | Candidates are required to understand Discretionary Access Control and know how to implement it using Access Control Lists. Furthermore, Candidates are required to understand and know how to use Extended Attributes. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- File ownership and permissions
- ACLs
- EAs and attribute classes
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- getfacl
- setfacl
- getfattr
- setfattr
322.2 Mandatory Access Control
| Weight | 8 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with Mandatory Access Control systems for Linux. In especially, Candidates should have a thorough knowledge of SELinux. Furthermore, Candidates should be aware of other Mandatory Access Control systems for Linux. This includes major features of these systems but not configuration and use. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- SELinux configuration and command line tools
- TE, RBAC, MAC and DAC concepts and use
- SMACK
- AppArmor
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- fixfiles/setfiles
- newrole
- setenforce/getenforce
- selinuxenabled
- semanage
- sestatus
- /etc/selinux/
- /etc/selinux.d/
- SMACK
- AppArmor
322.3 Network file systems
| Weight | 1 |
| Description | Candidates should have experience and knowledge of security issues in use and configuration of NFSv4 NFS services. Earlier versions of NFS are not required knowledge. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- NFSv4 security improvements, issues and use
- NFSv4 pseudo file system
- NFSv4 security mechanisms (LIPKEY, SPKM, Kerberos)
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- NFSv4 ACLs
- nfs4acl
- RPCSEC_GSS
- /etc/exports
Topic 322: Application Security
322.1 BIND/DNS
| Weight | 2 |
| Description | Candidates should have experience and knowledge of security issues in use and configuration of BIND DNS services. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- BIND v9
- BIND vulnerabilities
- chroot environments
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- TSIG
- BIND ACLs
- named-checkconf
322.2 Mail Services
| Weight | 2 |
| Description | Candidates should have experience and knowledge of security issues in use and configuration of Postfix mail services. Awareness of security issues in Sendmail is also required but not configuration. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- Postfix security centric configuration
- securing Sendmail
- chroot environments
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- /etc/postfix/
- TLS
322.7 Syslog
| Weight | 1 |
| Description | Candidates should have experience and knowledge of security issues in use and configuration of syslog services. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- syslog security issues
- chroot environments
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- remote syslog servers
Topic 324: Network Security
324.1 Intrusion Detection
| Weight | 4 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of intrusion detection software. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- Snort configuration, rules and use
- Tripwire configuration, policies and use
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- snort
- snort-stat
- /etc/snort/
- tripwire
- twadmin
- /etc/tripwire/
324.2 Network Security Scanning
| Weight | 5 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of network security scanning tools. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- Nessus configuration, NASL and use
- Wireshark filters and use
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- nmap
- wireshark
- tshark
- tcpdump
- nessus
- nessus-adduser/nessus-rmuser
- nessusd
- nessus-mkcert
- /etc/nessus
324.3 Network Monitoring
| Weight | 3 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of network monitoring tools. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- Nagios configuration and use
- ntop
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- ntop
- nagios
- nagiostats
- nagios.cfg and other configuration files
324.4 netfilter/iptables
| Weight | 5 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with the use and configuration of iptables. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- Iptables packet filtering and network address translation
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- iptables
- iptables-save/iptables-restore
324.5 OpenVPN
| Weight | 3 |
| Description | Candidates should be familiar with the use of OpenVPN. |
Key Knowledge Areas:
- OpenVPN configuration and use
The following is a partial list of the used files, terms and utilities:
- /etc/openvpn/
- openvpn server and client
Other Comments for consideration
Secure development, hardening
As examples, following items are not in the current objectives:
1) Related to Wireless LAN:
(Note: It’s not only for Linux though, it is necessary to consider because
there are many points to be taken care for configuration in terms of security
measure.)
2) Related to IPv6:
Not only IPv4, but also IPv6 should be considered.
3) Security features in Linux:
For example, ASLR and Exec-Shield (ASCII Armor) should be considered,
because it causes security level lower if those are disabled.
4) Related to Forensics:
In the survey of malware’s behavior, Sleuth Kit would be used to analyze
the hard disk on Linux machine. Also in some cases, LVM commands would be
used to restore the disk which became un-mountable.
So that this area should be learned.
5) Database (RDB, NoSQL) security:
Because Application Security (bind, apache, etc.) is covered now, this item
would be nice to cover. And this item is listed in the CIF, security contest
almost every time.
Also the counter-measure in server side is necessary.
6) Related to OpenFlow:
There are several points to be considered in terms of security measure about
the configuration of OpenFlow.
7) RADIUS
This was covered in 301 though, this is not covered now.
This should be covered.
8) DNS
More DNSSEC and DANE.
