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How To Automate Safe Replication of a Production WordPress Site to a Local Node

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A precise, scriptable workflow to mirror a live WordPress instance to a local network node for testing and development without leaking secrets or damaging production. Contents Quick start Why this design Architecture at a glance Prerequisites Setup and configuration Replication workflow Sanitised automation script Operational playbook Security notes and threat model Troubleshooting Extensions and variants … Read more

NFS over VPN with Encrypted LUKS Volumes: Design, Build, and Operations

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Audience: Linux systems engineers and SREs  Tested on: Ubuntu 22.04/24.04, NFSv4.2  Scope: Single NFS server exporting multiple encrypted volumes to VPN-attached clients   Why this design I wanted a storage tier that is private by default, simple to operate day-to-day, and fast enough for workstation workflows. The result is an NFSv4.2 stack that sits entirely … Read more

How To Set Up An Automated Home Directory Backup System Using Rsync Hard-Linked Snapshots

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By Kevin Wells · 23 September 2025  Estimated reading time: 7-10 minutes  (25 minutes for a line-by-line script audit). Quick Start Set your paths. Replace <user> and /mnt/backup with your own. Install everything in one go. Paste this into your shell command line as root. It creates the snapshot script, exclude lists, a cron schedule, … Read more

The Most Urgent Cybersecurity Risks Facing Large Enterprises and Governments

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Large organisations and governments operate under a hard truth. Fact is, they have the most to lose, the broadest and most complex attack surfaces, and the greatest regulatory and geopolitical exposure. They also have resources, yet the scale and speed of change means programmes often lag behind adversary innovation.  Their landscape is currently shaped by … Read more

Metasploit Setup and Use – A Practical Guide for Penetration Testing and Hardening

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This guide shows how to set up Metasploit, run safe penetration tests, and convert the findings into concrete hardening actions.  Legal reminder – only test systems you own or have explicit written permission to assess. Keep tests in scope, documented, and reversible.   1. What Metasploit is – and why defenders use it Metasploit is … Read more

Top 10 Basic Security Measures for an Internet-Facing Linux Web Server

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This is the minimum bar. Expect scans within minutes of going live. Do these first or expect trouble. Scope – Linux hosts that serve web content publicly. Focus is quick wins that reduce real risk fast.   1) Patch immediately and automate updates must do Unpatched packages are the easiest path in. Patch before exposing … Read more

AWS IAM Security: Designing Least Privilege for Cloud Workloads

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In many cloud security reviews, Identity and Access Management (IAM) often turns out to be the weakest area. AWS provides powerful tools to control access, but its defaults are permissive and administrators often grant overly broad rights. The result is predictable: accounts with far more privilege than needed, with API keys that never expire, and … Read more

Identity and Access Management (IAM): Core Principles for Linux and Cloud Security

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Identity and Access Management (IAM) is at the centre of every security framework I have worked with. Whether on Linux systems or in cloud platforms, controlling who can do what is fundamental. In my experience, organisations often underestimate IAM. They focus on firewalls or malware protection, while leaving access control inconsistent or poorly documented. In … Read more

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Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM): Controlling Access in Linux Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM) form the backbone of authentication and access control on most modern Linux systems. In my work, PAM is often overlooked or misunderstood. Administrators know it exists but rarely configure it beyond the defaults. That leaves opportunities for weak passwords, mismanaged access, and non-compliance. … Read more

Mastering sudo: Enforcing Least Privilege in Linux

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On almost every Linux system sudo is central to access control. It allows administrators to delegate privileges without handing out the root password. Used properly, it enforces least privilege. Used poorly, it creates a false sense of security and leaves audit gaps. This article sets out the best practices for configuring and managing sudo. The … Read more

SSH Security Best Practices for Linux Administrators

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Secure Shell (SSH) is the standard tool for remote administration of Linux systems. In practice, it is also one of the most common weaknesses I encounter when reviewing environments. Misconfigurations are frequent, and attackers actively exploit them. Hardening SSH is one of the most effective early steps in strengthening infrastructure security. 1. Why SSH Security … Read more

Securing SSH on Linux: A Practical Baseline Checklist

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Secure Shell (SSH) is the default entry point into most Linux systems. Unfortunately, it is also the most common attack vector exploited by automated bots and opportunistic attackers. So for any organisation running Linux servers — whether on-premises, in the cloud, or hybrid — hardening SSH is one of the simplest, highest-impact security steps you … Read more

How To Backup Your Website

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It’s vital to backup your website regularly. Servers fail, websites get hacked. So here’s a quick guide to how to backup your website. How To Backup Your Website There’s a kind of unspoken law about backups. If you backup, you probably won’t need the backups. But if you don’t – you sure as anything will! … Read more

What is the VATMOSS Law?

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As of 1 January 2015 there’s a big change coming to Value Added Tax in the EU.  The so-called “Place of Supply” or “VATMOSS” law will apply. What is the VATMOSS Law? First of all, a disclaimer. I am not a lawyer or accountant. The following post is my personal view and interpretation of  VATMOSS.  You … Read more

How To Pursue Content Theft and Copyright Violation

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Content and copyright theft is an increasing problem on the Web. So what should you do if you discover your content has been stolen by another website? How To Pursue Content Theft and Copyright Violation Yesterday I discovered that some of my website content had been copied and pasted onto someone else’s website. On the … Read more

How To Prevent Content Theft

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Content theft is a big problem on the Web. Fortunately there’s an easy and effective way you can prevent people stealing your content. How To Prevent Content Theft Content theft is an ongoing issue for website owners.  There’s the simple copy and paste method by which people can steal your content. But there’s another content … Read more

Switching from Windows to Linux Ubuntu

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I’ve just switched my laptop over from Windows to Linux Ubuntu.

I’ve worked with Linux systems for many years so I’m not a newcomer to Linux.

Mostly though these have been server systems and not desktop computers.

Like the majority of people, I used Windows for my desktop PC and laptop.

So why the switchover from Windows to Ubuntu?

Switching from Windows to Linux Ubuntu