2 questions: printing and security

[Ben Pfaff]

Dam_Edged <Don'tBother@home.com> writes:

>        My first question is about printing from my linux machine.
> I have 2 computers networked, one runs win98 and the other
> runs Mandrake 7.2. My printer is attached to the windows machine.
> Is there a way I can print from my linux machine? If there is, could
> you point me to a How-To?

The SMB-HOWTO says that Samba comes with an `smbprint' script for
this purpose.

>     My second question is about the security of my linux machine.
> I am using it as a gateway machine. I did install pmfirewall. I was
> going
> through a log file the other day, and I noticed some DENY entries.

Do you remember what they were in particular?

> What logs do you folks look at  to see what was/is happening on
> your machine?

I just read syslog, which I have routed (in part) to consoles 11
and 12 as well.

> I saw a program called portsentry. Have any of
> you heard of portsentry?

I use tcplogd and icmplogd, mostly for my own amusement value
honestly.

> When I run my linux machine, I don't log in
> as a root user. ( I am told not to log in as root, unless I need to make
> changes.)

Good advice in general.

> Are there any particular permissions that I should
> be cautious of?

Don't export any network services you don't need or use.  Install
`nmap' and run `nmap localhost' to see what's really running on
your ports.
-- 
"...dans ce pays-ci il est bon de tuer de temps en temps un amiral
 pour encourager les autres."
--Voltaire, _Candide_