Server guides
Hands-on guides that cover Server. Every command is run and verified on a live server before it is published.
GuideThe First Hour
The eight things to do in the first hour on a new Linux server, before scanners find it. A practical hardening guide, with every command tested on a real VPS.
GuideServing Static Sites and Server Blocks
One Nginx can host many sites. Route each by its Host header with server blocks, place files with root and alias, and control every outcome with try_files.
GuideRun an Authoritative DNS Server with BIND9
Run an authoritative DNS server with BIND9 on Ubuntu 24.04: a real boxlab.space zone file, named-checkconf and named-checkzone, and answers with the aa flag.
GuideInstall and Configure the WireGuard Server
Install the WireGuard server on a slice from a bare Ubuntu 24.04 box: apt install, generate the server keypair, write wg0.conf, open the firewall, verify.
GuideDetecting a Compromise
Hardening keeps attackers out. To detect a server compromise you read logs, auditd, and file integrity, with real attack data from a live server.
GuideCompliance and Audit Readiness
Being secure and proving it differ. A server compliance audit: scoring against lynis and CIS, CERT-In and DPDP duties, and turning hardening into evidence.
GuideThe Server Is Slow: A 60-Second Triage Playbook
When the server is slow, work a fixed sequence on Ubuntu 24.04: uptime, dmesg, vmstat, top, mpstat, iostat, pidstat and free, tracing one bottleneck end to end.
GuideResponding to a Breach
The hour it goes wrong decides how bad it gets. A server incident response plan: snapshot, contain, triage, rebuild not clean, report on the CERT-In clock.