Hi there, In my search to learn a bit more about Linux, i came across this website called “OverTheWire”, which teaches basic and some advanced concepts over SSH. It seems like a fun and engaging way to learn.
However, as a bit of a paranoid beginner when it comes to Linux and networking, i find myself worrying about the potential dangers of connecting to an untrusted network.
So, my questions are:
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Does anyone have any experience with the website?
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In the hypothetical case that I open an SSH connection to a compromised network, could that expose me to attacks? (Aside from obvious risks like downloading malicious files myself.)
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Should I use a virtual machine (VM) for this?
I sincerely appreciate any responses. Thank you!
The main oversimplification is where browsers “just visit websites”, SSH can be really powerful. You can send/receive files with
scp, or even port forward with the right flags onssh. If you stick tossh user@hostwithout extra flags, the only thing you’re telling SSH to do is set up a text connection where your keyboard input gets sent, and some text is received (usually command output, like from a shell).As long as you understand what you’re asking SSH to do, there’s little risk in connecting to a random server. If you
scpa private document from your computer to another server, you’ve willingly sent it. If youssh -Rto port forward, you’ve initiated that. The server cannot simply tell your client to do anything it wants, you have to do this yourself.I will keep it in mind, i will be mindful of commands and flags. No typing without being certain of what each command does.