Lock Down Your Network with Tinc
Tutorials – Tinc
Block attackers from all your machines with a virtual mesh network.
We'll be honest, computer security is something we'd rather not have to deal with. It'd be much nicer if we lived in a world where we didn't have to remember different complex passwords for every service we used, or have to carefully configure every network-facing service to ensure it remains secure against attack, but we have to live with the reality of the world we live in.
Attacks are commonplace and getting more sophisticated every day. Weak passwords will be broken sooner or later, and any open port on the Internet is under a constant bombardment from scanners trying to find vulnerabilities (just take a look at your logfiles if you don't believe us). Network security is usually dealt with on a service-by-service basis, but we're going to look at a way of locking everything down with a single bit of software.
Where most secure protocols (e.g., SSH or HTTPS) are designed to bring two computers together securely, Tinc brings the same technology to groups of computers. It allows you to create a mesh network between multiple machines regardless of where they're physically located where all communication between the machines is encrypted and authenticated. (See the "A Whirlwind Guide to Communications Protocols" box for more information.)
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
openSUSE Joins End of 10
openSUSE has decided to not only join the End of 10 movement but it also will no longer support the Deepin Desktop Environment.
-
New Version of Flatpak Released
Flatpak 1.16.1 is now available as the latest, stable version with various improvements.
-
IBM Announces Powerhouse Linux Server
IBM has unleashed a seriously powerful Linux server with the LinuxONE Emperor 5.
-
Plasma Ends LTS Releases
The KDE Plasma development team is doing away with the LTS releases for a good reason.
-
Arch Linux Available for Windows Subsystem for Linux
If you've ever wanted to use a rolling release distribution with WSL, now's your chance.
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.