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ZDNET's key takeaways
Linux is highly secure, but you should still have a firewall.
You should know if your ISP's hardware (gateway) uses a firewall.
One of the easiest Linux firewalls is UFW and its GUI sidekick, GUFW.
I've been using Linux for nearly 30 years. Over those years, I've experienced only one security issue (a rootkit on a server I inherited). The reason for that is Linux's heightened security. Out of the box, it includes a tight permissions system and security mechanisms (such as AppArmor and SELinux) that do an amazing job of locking down the operating system.
But what about the firewall? You know about firewalls, especially if you've used Windows (because Microsoft's OS has always depended on them). And before you think it, no matter how secure your web browser is, it's not enough.
Also: Thinking about switching to Linux? 9 things you need to know
Almost every Linux distribution ships with a firewall that is ready to use. Oddly enough, however, some distributions ship with the firewall disabled.
That seems counterintuitive for an operating system that hangs its hat on security.
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