Appendix B. Principal Linux Files

/boot/grub/grub.conf

GRUB configuration file

/boot/module-info-*

Module information for the Linux kernel

/boot/System.map-*

Map of the Linux kernel

/boot/vmlinuz-*

Linux kernel

/etc/aliases

Mail aliases

/etc/at.deny

User IDs of users forbidden to use the at command

/etc/auto.master

Configuration file for the autofs daemon, which automatically mounts filesystems

/etc/auto.misc

Automounter map file

/etc/bashrc

Systemwide functions and aliases for the bash shell

/etc/cron.daily/*

Daily cron jobs

/etc/cron.hourly/*

Hourly cron jobs

/etc/cron.monthly/*

Monthly cron jobs

/etc/cron.weekly/*

Weekly cron jobs

/etc/crontab

System cron file

/etc/csh.cshrc

C shell initialization file

/etc/csh.login

C shell login file

/etc/default/useradd

Defaults for the useradd command

/etc/DIR_COLORS

Directory listing colors

/etc/exports

NFS exported directories

/etc/filesystems

Supported filesystem types

/etc/fstab

Filesystems mounted or available for mounting

/etc/group

System group definitions

/etc/host.conf

Resolver configuration file

/etc/hosts

Map of IP numbers to hostnames

/etc/hosts.allow

Hosts allowed to access Internet services

/etc/hosts.deny

Hosts forbidden to access Internet services

/etc/httpd/conf/*

Apache configuration files

/etc/httpd/httpd.conf

Web server configuration file

/etc/initlog.conf

Logging configuration file

/etc/inittab

Configuration for the init daemon, which controls executing processes

/etc/issue

Linux kernel and distribution version

/etc/ld.so.conf

Shared library configuration file

/etc/login.defs

Options for useradd and related commands

/etc/logrotate.conf

Log rotation configuration file

/etc/logrotate.d/*

Scripts to rotate logs

/etc/lpd.conf

Printer configuration file

/etc/lpd.perms

Printer spooler permissions file

/etc/mail/*

Mail server configuration files

/etc/mailcap

metamail MIME information

/etc/man.config

man configuration file

/etc/mime.types

MIME types

/etc/mime-magic*

Magic numbers for MIME data

/etc/minicom.users

User IDs allowed to use minicom

/etc/modules.conf

Aliases and options for loadable kernel modules

/etc/motd

Message of the day

/etc/mtab

Mounted filesystems

/etc/named.conf

BIND configuration file

/etc/nscd.conf

BIND cache configuration file

/etc/nsswitch.conf

Resolver configuration file

/etc/openldap/*

Open LDAP configuration files

/etc/pam.d/*

PAM configuration files

/etc/paper.config

Paper sizes

/etc/passwd

User account information

/etc/ppp/*

PPP configuration

/etc/printcap

Printer options and capabilities

/etc/profile

Default environment for users of the bash shell

/etc/profile.d/*

Shell initialization

/etc/protocols

Protocol names and numbers

/etc/pwdb.conf

pwdb library configuration

/etc/rc

Scripts for system and process startup and shutdown

/etc/init.d/*

SysV initialization scripts

/etc/rc.local

Local startup script

/etc/rc.sysinit

System initialization file

/etc/rc?.d/*

Service start/stop scripts

/etc/rndc.conf

BIND control configuration

/etc/rpc

RPC program number database

/etc/rpm/*

RPM database and configuration files

/etc/samba/*

Samba configuration files

/etc/securetty

Secure tty configuration

/etc/security/*

PAM configuration files

/etc/sensors.conf

libsensors configuration file

/etc/services

Standard service names and numbers

/etc/shadow

Secure user account information

/etc/skel

Skeleton files used to establish new user accounts

/etc/ssh/*

SSH configuration files

/etc/sysconfig/*

System configuration files

/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/*

Network adapter configuration files

/etc/sysctl.conf

sysctl configuration file

/etc/syslog.conf

System logging process configuration

/etc/termcap

Terminal capabilities and options

/etc/tux.mime.types

MIME types for Tux web server

/etc/updatedb.conf

updatedb/locate configuration file

/etc/vsftpd*

FTP configuration files

/etc/wvdial.conf

GNOME dialer configuration file

/etc/X11/applnk/*

X application shortcuts

/etc/X11/fs/config

X font server configuration

/etc/X11/gdm/*

GNOME display manager configuration

/etc/X11/prefdm

Display manager configuration file

/etc/X11/xdm/*

X display manager configuration file

/etc/X11/XF86Config

X configuration file

/etc/X11/xinit/Xclients

Default script for xinit

/etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc

X session initialization file

/etc/X11/Xmodmap

Key mappings used by xdm and xinit

/etc/xinetd.conf

General xinetd configuration file

/etc/xinetd.d/*

xinetd configuration files for specific servers

/etc/yp.conf

Yellow Pages (NIS) configuration file

/home/*/public_html

User web pages

/root/.bash_history

bash command history for system administrator

/root/.bash_logout

bash logout script for system administrator

/root/.bash_profile

bash initialization script for system administrator

/root/.bashrc

bash options for system administrator

/root/.Xresources

X resources for system administrator

/usr/share/config/*

Miscellaneous configuration files

/usr/share/fonts/*

Fonts

/usr/share/ssl/openssl.cnf

SSL certificate configuration

/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/app-defaults/*

X application defaults

/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/*

X fonts

/var/ftp/*

FTP files

/var/log/cron

Log of cron activity

/var/log/httpd/access_log

Log of web server access

/var/log/httpd/error_log

Log of web server errors

/var/log/lastlog

Last login log

/var/log/boot.log

Boot messages

/var/log/cron

Cron log

/var/log/dmesg

Kernel message log

/var/log/maillog

Mail transfer log

/var/log/messages

System log

/var/log/rpmpkgs

RPM package installation log

/var/log/samba/*

Samba logs

/var/log/secure

System security log

/var/log/up2date

Up2date log

/var/named/*

BIND configuration

/var/www/cgi-bin

CGI scripts

/var/www/html/*

Web pages

/var/yp/*

Yellow Pages (NIS) configuration files