Security Features offered by Linux Mint and Ubuntu
The key security features offered by Linux Mint and Ubuntu are:
1: Firewall
They both come with built-in firewall protection that helps you to protect your system from unauthorized access. The firewall is disabled in both the distro, but enabling them is easy. You can enable them from the settings of the device or through the command line.
2: Open-Source Systems
They both are open source and the package managers in both keep their systems up to date. The regular updation of the system protects it from unknown and known viruses and malware.
3: Multiple User accounts
You can create multiple user accounts on both Linux Mint and Ubuntu. By doing so you can minimize access to your account and protect your data.
Tips to Maximize the Security in Linux Mint and Ubuntu
Although Linux Mint and Ubuntu provide the maximum security to their users, still you can follow the below mentioned tips to enhance security:
1: Choose FDE (Full Disk Encryption)
FDE is full disk encryption, no matter what OS distro you are using, always use the FDE. If your laptop is lost or stolen, using a simple password will not protect your data. Anyone can log in to their device with a simple USB key. By encrypting the hard drive, you ensure the security of your data you will no longer be worried about your important files.
2: Keep the OS Up-to-Date
They both are open-source systems and regularly updating the system and applications will protect your device. Open-source systems are more up-to-date than closed ones.
3: Disable Secure Boot
Disable the secure boot from the terminal, it will remove the Microsoft vendor’s lock from your device and it does not harm your device.
To disable the secure boot, open the terminal and execute the following command and hit enter:
4: Enable Pre-Installed Firewall
Firewall provides the extra layer of security to the systems. Linux Mint comes with a pre-installed Firewall, but it is inactive. To activate the Firewall, open the terminal and run the following command:
5: Use a VPN When on Public Wi-Fi
Connecting to a public Wi-Fi is always a risk and VPN provides security, if you are using the Wi-Fi in public places on your laptops. If you are working at home or using a private network then it will not provide any harm to your device. Always connect a public Wi-Fi through a VPN on your Linux system.
6: Install Software from Trusted Repositories
In Linux, users download the software from the repositories and it is an advantage to Linux users over other users. The most trustworthy repositories are the ones that are provided by Linux Mint. if you are downloading the software from a third-party repository then be careful and do proper research before installing it.
7: Remove Java if You Don’t Use Java Programs
Java is the target on all platforms so removing it will provide you additional security. OpenJDK is the default Java source on your Linux Mint, remove it using the following command:
Bottom Line
Linux is one of the secure operating systems. The Linux Mint and Ubuntu both are secure distributions of Linux and they offer multiple security features to the users. To maximize security while using them you can follow the above-mentioned tips.
