Linux security professionals spend most of their time on concrete problems. Hardening SSH. Configuring SELinux or AppArmor. Building secure CI/CD pipelines. Managing patches across server fleets. The work is technical, hands-on, and measurable.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux got hacked during the Pwn2Own Berlin 2025 competition. Let that sink in for a moment. This is one of the go-to systems for businesses that demand stability and security, yet two exploits cracked it wide open. If you’ve ever caught yourself thinking, “Oh, it’s Red Hat; I’m good,” this is your reminder that no system is untouchable, no matter how respected. Vulnerabilities exist, and real-world attackers or researchers are always looking for ways to exploit them. It happened here, and if you’re running Red Hat, it could happen in your environment, too.
VulnCon 2025, recently held in Raleigh, NC, created a dynamic stage for security professionals and open-source advocates to connect, share, and collaborate on tackling some of today's most pressing challenges in vulnerability management and open-source software security. The conference buzzed with energy as industry experts, developers, and Linux admins unpacked the latest advancements, explored emerging trends, and exchanged actionable strategies to strengthen their security practices.
SUSECON25 recently took place in Orlando, showcasing SUSE's significant strides toward integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) throughout its product line. With enhanced workflows and observability tools designed to streamline operations and increase efficiency, SUSE promises more intelligent system administration platforms that facilitate quicker detection and resolution of potential security issues.
Exciting news has just reached the open-source community: OpenStack, now known as OpenInfra Foundation, is joining forces with the Linux Foundation. This significant move promises greater collaboration and operational efficiency throughout the community.
Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) recently unveiled its Security Baseline initiative to assist Linux security admins and developers in incorporating essential security measures into open-source projects. This set of guidelines, available on February 25, offers three tiers of practices explicitly tailored for project maturity levels, ensuring open-source software provides consistent and dependable protection from day one.
As Linux security admins, staying abreast of evolving regulations is vital to ensuring the resilience and compliance of our systems. A recent initiative by the Linux Foundation Europe and OpenSSF to support implementation of the European Union Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) promises to transform how we manage security and compliance within the open-source software ecosystem by formalizing guidelines and tools that meet the stringent requirements set out by the CRA.
As Linux security admins, staying ahead of the curve is paramount, especially regarding the browsers you use and manage. On January 9, 2025, The Linux Foundation is unveiling "Supporters of Chromium-Based Browsers," an initiative supported by tech titans including Google, Meta, Microsoft, and Opera. This project is expected to transform the open development ecosystem surrounding Chromium (the foundation behind popular browsers such as Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge) through an open governance model and industry collaboration that promises greater transparency, security, and customization for Chromium-based browsers while aligning perfectly with open-source community's security needs.
2024 was marked by numerous critical incidents that highlighted the importance of robust Linux security measures among admins. One notable event was when Utils, a widely used data compression tool widely used on Linux systems, was nearly breached due to an unwitting backdoor inserted by an actor deeply embedded within its community. Thanks to a vigilant Microsoft developer, this near miss was found just before it could cause a significant security breach - reinforcing how even trusted open-source projects may be vulnerable and increasing demand for thorough code reviews.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently conducted an in-depth Red Team Assessment (RTA) to enhance cybersecurity in US critical infrastructure sectors. One critical infrastructure organization requested this assessment, which took roughly three months. Its primary purpose was to test its cybersecurity detection and response capabilities by simulating real-world threat scenarios similar to what might be encountered by potential cyber adversaries.
BlackHat USA, an annual cybersecurity conference with global attendance since 1997, is an essential forum for sharing cutting-edge security research, trends, and networking among IT and cybersecurity professionals. From its humble origins in Las Vegas in 1997 until today, this international event draws attendees from all around the globe. Security vulnerabilities are exposed, defensive strategies are articulated, and an overall pulse is taken on the digital security industry.
The Linux Foundation and Open Source Security Foundation recently published a report entitled "Secure Software Development Education 2024 Survey—Understanding Current Needs." This report highlights the urgent need for formalized training and education in secure software development. It was derived from an industry survey of nearly 400 software developers, which revealed significant knowledge gaps.
On Independence Day, there is a deep recognition of digital autonomy amidst the colorful fireworks displays and patriotic revelry. At LinuxSecurity, we advocate switching from Windows to Linux as a symbolic act with deeper roots in terms of freedom, security, and privacy embodied by Linux.
Cyber risk is increasing for individuals and organizations, making flexible and robust solutions for identifying spam and malware increasingly critical. Apache SpamAssassin is an anti-spam framework we stand behind and have been using in Guardian Digital EnGarde Cloud Email Security for decades as a component of our email security solution to help detect fraudulent and malicious mail.
There has been a promising shift in the tech industry, with major companies pledging to release products with built-in security features. This development aims to address the increasing cybersecurity threats individuals and organizations face.
At The Linux Foundation's Open Source Summit North America, Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux, discussed various topics related to Linux development and the challenges the open-source community faces. Torvalds addressed hardware errors, malicious developers, and the hype surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The SPDX 3.0 release marks a significant milestone in software management, particularly for Linux admins, infosec professionals, internet security enthusiasts, and sysadmins. The SPDX community, in collaboration with the Linux Foundation, has evolved the widely used Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) communication format with a comprehensive set of updates, introducing new features and enhancements tailored to modern system use cases.
A recent data breach incident disclosed by the OWASP Foundation due to a wiki misconfiguration highlights a critical concern for security practitioners, specifically Linux admins and infosec professionals. The breach exposed personal information from members who joined the foundation between 2006 and 2014.
The Southern California Linux Expo (SCALE) 21x is a massive community-run open-source and free software conference. This year's event showcased various workshops, presentations, and networking events.
Canonical has announced extending Ubuntu's long-term support (LTS) to 12 years, providing security coverage from the initial release. While regular LTS releases receive 5 years of standard security updates, subscribing to Ubuntu Pro adds 5 years.
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