Internet security with FC1

[Rich Burroughs]

François Patte wrote:
> Bonjour,
> 
> Now that FC1 has gone to legacy... there are no more updates for the last kernel
> 2.4.22-1.2199.nptl For how long can we trust the Internet security with this
> kernel: I have a gateway to the internet with FC1 running this kernel and I am
> wondering when do I have to change it for safety reasons?
> 

Hi,

Most security problems that come up with Linux distributions are not 
with the kernel itself. Those do happen from time to time, but problems 
with server software (like buffer overflows that can be exploited to 
gain root access) are a lot more common.

If you are using a distribution that is no longer supported for updates, 
then I would really recommend upgrading to one that is. It's not just 
the kernel you would have to worry about, but the server software and 
the applications that are run by users, as well.

When a server is hacked, most of the time it's because of a known 
vulernability that was not patched. It's really important to stay up to 
date on your patches, which means using a current version of your 
distribution.


Rich