Linux Server Configuration

Server Details

• Service Provider: Amazon Web Service - Lightsail
• Operating System: Ubuntu
• IP address: 13.59.55.238
• SSH port: 2200
• URL: ec2-13-59-55-238.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com

Application Summary

Deployed a RESTful web application that provides a list of items within a variety of categories as well as provide a user registration and authentication system. Registered users will have the ability to post, edit and delete their own items.

Server Configurations:

User Management

• Cannot log in as root remotely
• A new user - grader is created and can user can run commands using sudo to inspect files that are readable only by root

Security

• Ports allowed by Uncomplicated Firewall for SSH, HTTP and NTP are 2200, 80 and 123 respectively
• SSH is hosted on non-default port
• Key-based SSH authentication is enforced
• All system packages have been updated to most recent versions

Application Functionality

• The web server responds on port 80
• Database server has been configured to serve data (PostgreSQL)
• Web server has been configured to serve the Item Catalog application as a WSGI app

Resources

• https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-deploy-a-flask-application-on-an-ubuntu-vps
• https://wixelhq.com/blog/how-to-install-postgresql-on-ubuntu-remote-access
• https://www.digitalocean.com/community/tutorials/how-to-secure-postgresql-on-an-ubuntu-vps
• http://modwsgi.readthedocs.io/en/develop/user-guides/virtual-environment

Lessons learned

• How to access, secure, and perform the initial configuration of a bare-bones Linux server
• Deployment of web applications to a publicly accessible server
• Properly securing the application ensures that the application remains stable and that the user’s data is safe