Linux Mastery and Security the Empire Node

Linux Mastery and Security the Empire Node

1. Master the Foundations​

Goal: Understand the skeleton of Linux.

• Books: “How Linux Works” (Ward), “The Linux Command Line” (Shotts), “UNIX and Linux System Administration Handbook.”
• Skills:
  
  
  • Filesystem hierarchy (/bin, /etc, /usr, /var, /home).
  • Permissions & ownership (chmod, chown, groups, sticky bits).
  • Systemd, processes, and journald logs.
  • Bash scripting, grep, awk, sed.
  • Redirection: >, >>, 2>, &>, 2>&1 (so you fully control stdout/stderr).

---

2. Networking and Firewalls​

Goal: Make your network opaque and secure.

• Tools: ip, netplan, ufw, iptables, nftables, fail2ban.
• Concepts:
  
  
  • SSH hardening (keys only, port obfuscation).
  • Tunnels: ssh -D, sshuttle, WireGuard, or OpenVPN.
  • Internal DNS (dnsmasq, bind9) for “private islands.”
  • VLANs and isolated subnets for your Empire Nodes.

---

3. System Security​

Goal: Harden and monitor.

• Practices:
  
  
  • Disable root login, enforce key-based SSH.
  • Use sudo with minimal privileges.
  • Set up auditd and logwatch.
  • Learn SELinux or AppArmor profiles.
  • Encrypted partitions with LUKS.
  • Backups with rsync, borg, or restic.

---

4. Automation & Orchestration​

Goal: Build a controllable grid.

• Stack:
  
  
  • Ansible (for push configuration).
  • Docker or Podman (for isolated services).
  • systemd units and timers for jobs.
  • cron for legacy scripts.
  • Git and self-hosted Gitea for version control.

---

5. Private Communications​

Goal: Private cloud for the brotherhood.

• Tech:
  
  
  • Self-hosted Matrix or XMPP for chat.
  • Nextcloud for files.
  • Jitsi for video.
  • Nginx reverse proxy with Let’s Encrypt or self-signed certs.
  • Cloudflare Tunnel (optional) for stealth remote access.

---

6. Monitoring and Self-Healing​

Goal: Detect, report, and respond automatically.

• Stack:
  
  
  • Prometheus + Grafana for metrics.
  • Monit or Zabbix for system health.
  • fail2ban + email/SMS via Twilio for instant alerts.

---

7. Philosophy of the System​

Your secure Linux network becomes a modern monastery for builders:

• Every man runs his own node, encrypted, minimal, audited.
• No dependency on Big Tech logins.
• Private Git repos, mirrored knowledge bases.
• Shared “seed” ISOs to deploy the full stack from scratch.

 

[Flynn]

OVERVIEW​

Duration: 12 months
Target OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (use server edition for discipline)
Environment: physical lab (Jetson Orin + Pi 5 cluster)
Goal: total control of compute, network, security, automation, and privacy stack

---

QUARTER 1 – FOUNDATIONS & CLI MASTERY​

Months 1-3

Topics​

• Linux architecture & boot flow
• File hierarchy, users, groups
• I/O redirection, pipes, job control
• Vim, nano, tmux, shell customization
• Package management (APT)
• Systemd, services, journald
• Disk management, mounting, lsblk, df, du
• Bash scripting basics

Projects​

1. Build a “sandbox” VM; break & recover it.
2. Write daily log-rotation & cleanup scripts.
3. Create 00_bootstrap.sh to automate fresh installs.

Milestone​

Operate fully from CLI; no GUI dependency.

---

QUARTER 2 – NETWORKING & SECURITY​

Months 4-6

Topics​

• IP addressing, routing, DNS
• Firewalls: ufw, iptables, nftables
• SSH hardening (key-only auth, non-default ports)
• WireGuard setup for node-to-node mesh
• Fail2ban, logwatch
• SELinux / AppArmor profiles
• Filesystem encryption (LUKS)

Projects​

1. Configure a private subnet with DHCP & DNS.
2. Build an “EmpireNet” VPN mesh between two nodes.
3. Harden SSH and test brute-force resistance.

Milestone​

Network isolated, encrypted, and observable.

---

QUARTER 3 – AUTOMATION & ORCHESTRATION​

Months 7-9

Topics​

• Bash functions, cron, systemd timers
• Configuration management via Ansible
• Containers: Docker vs Podman
• Git/Gitea for version control
• Log aggregation (rsyslog → Grafana Loki)

Projects​

1. Automate updates & backups with Ansible playbooks.
2. Deploy your stack in containers (Nextcloud, Matrix, Grafana).
3. Create a self-healing “Monk Mode Monitor” that restarts failed services.

Milestone​

One command rebuilds your entire infrastructure.

---

QUARTER 4 – INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE​

Months 10-12

Topics​

• Monitoring: Prometheus + Grafana
• Process metrics & alert rules
• Backup rotation with Borg/Restic
• Email/SMS alerts via Twilio API
• Secure web stack: Nginx reverse proxy + Let’s Encrypt
• Cloudflare Tunnel / self-signed VPN gateways
• LAMP or Django deployment practice

Projects​

1. Build a metrics dashboard for CPU, memory, disk, and VPN status.
2. Integrate Twilio alerting for security events.
3. Publish a hardened public-facing site through Cloudflare Tunnel.

Milestone​

Autonomous, encrypted, monitored network—your prototype Empire Ring node.

---

BONUS CONTINUOUS THREADS​

• Daily Command Practice: 15 min man page exploration.
• Weekly Journal: summarize lessons, errors, solutions.
• Quarterly Audit: penetration-test your own network.
• Hardware Expansion: each quarter, add one node or service.

---

ENDGAME VISION​

At year’s end you will:

• Provision and harden servers from bare metal.
• Build encrypted peer-to-peer tunnels between trusted men.
• Deploy your own cloud apps without Big-Tech intermediaries.
• Possess the skill to vanish from corporate infrastructure yet remain globally connected.

 

[Flynn]

Awesome — here’s your “EmpireNode Linux Academy” binder: folders, filenames, and fully-commented starter code for every quarter. It’s designed for Ubuntu Server 24.04 on bare metal or VMs (works great on your Pi/Jetson lab too). You can paste each file as-is. I’ve kept it compact but complete so you can extend it over the year.

Top-level project layout​

academy/

• README.md
• 00_GLOBAL/.env.example
• 00_GLOBAL/ssh/authorized_keys.sample
• 00_GLOBAL/ansible/inventory.ini
• 00_GLOBAL/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
• 00_GLOBAL/ansible/playbooks/base_hardening.yml
• 00_GLOBAL/ansible/playbooks/update_and_reboot.yml
• 00_GLOBAL/ansible/roles/empire_common/tasks/main.yml
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/00_bootstrap.sh
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/01_users.sh
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/02_harden_ssh.sh
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/03_firewall.sh
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/04_fail2ban.sh
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/05_luks_notes.txt
• 00_GLOBAL/scripts/10_backup_borg.sh
• Q1_Foundations/labs/README.md
• Q1_Foundations/labs/rotate_logs.sh
• Q1_Foundations/labs/find_journal_errors.sh
• Q1_Foundations/labs/disk_report.sh
• Q1_Foundations/docs/cli_cheatsheet.md
• Q2_NetworkSecurity/wireguard/wg0.conf.template
• Q2_NetworkSecurity/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.conf
• Q2_NetworkSecurity/nftables/nftables.conf
• Q2_NetworkSecurity/ssh/banner.txt
• Q2_NetworkSecurity/audit/audit.rules
• Q2_NetworkSecurity/scripts/test_bruteforce_block.sh
• Q3_Automation/docker/docker-compose.yml
• Q3_Automation/docker/nextcloud.env
• Q3_Automation/docker/matrix.appservice.yml
• Q3_Automation/ansible/playbooks/site.yml
• Q3_Automation/ansible/roles/empire_monitor/tasks/main.yml
• Q3_Automation/systemd/monk-mode-monitor.service
• Q3_Automation/systemd/monk-mode-monitor.sh
• Q4_IntelInfra/nginx/nginx.conf
• Q4_IntelInfra/prometheus/prometheus.yml
• Q4_IntelInfra/alertmanager/alertmanager.yml
• Q4_IntelInfra/alertmanager/hooks/twilio_webhook.py
• Q4_IntelInfra/grafana/provisioning/datasources/datasource.yml
• Q4_IntelInfra/grafana/provisioning/dashboards/empire-dashboard.json
• Q4_IntelInfra/certificates/LETSENCRYPT_NOTES.md
• Q4_IntelInfra/cloudflare/CF_TUNNEL_NOTES.md

Below are the file contents (fully commented). Copy/paste and you’re rolling.


academy/README.md
Purpose:

• Year-long syllabus plus a live, runnable lab stack. Start with 00_GLOBAL/scripts/00_bootstrap.sh on each fresh node. Use Ansible thereafter. Keep secrets out of Git; copy .env.example to .env and fill.

00_GLOBAL/.env.example

Copy to .env and fill in per host​

TZ=America/New_York
ADMIN_USER=empire
ADMIN_SSH_PUBKEY=ssh-ed25519 AAAA... yourkey
ALERT_PHONE_E164=+15555551234
TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID=ACxxxxxxxx
TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN=xxxxxxxx
TWILIO_FROM_E164=+15555550000


00_GLOBAL/ssh/authorized_keys.sample

Put your actual SSH public keys here (one per line) for early bootstrap​

ssh-ed25519 AAAA... steve@laptop


00_GLOBAL/ansible/inventory.ini
[empire_nodes]
jetson01 ansible_host=10.10.10.11
pi01 ansible_host=10.10.10.21


[all:vars]
ansible_user=empire
ansible_python_interpreter=/usr/bin/python3


00_GLOBAL/ansible/group_vars/all.yml
timezone: "America/New_York"
users:

• name: "{{ lookup('env','ADMIN_USER') | default('empire') }}"
  ssh_keys:
  
  
  • "{{ lookup('env','ADMIN_SSH_PUBKEY') | default('') }}"
    packages_common:
• vim
• tmux
• htop
• curl
• git
• net-tools
• rsync
• jq

00_GLOBAL/ansible/playbooks/base_hardening.yml

• hosts: all
  become: true
  tasks:
  
  
  • name: Set timezone
    community.general.timezone:
    name: "{{ timezone }}"
  • name: Ensure common packages
    ansible.builtin.apt:
    name: "{{ packages_common }}"
    update_cache: true
    state: present
  • name: Create admin user
    ansible.builtin.user:
    name: "{{ item.name }}"
    groups: sudo
    append: yes
    shell: /bin/bash
    loop: "{{ users }}"
  • name: Authorize SSH keys
    ansible.posix.authorized_key:
    user: "{{ item.name }}"
    key: "{{ item.ssh_keys | join('\n') }}"
    state: present
    loop: "{{ users }}"
  • name: Disable root SSH login
    ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
    path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    regexp: '^PermitRootLogin'
    line: 'PermitRootLogin no'
  • name: Enforce key auth
    ansible.builtin.lineinfile:
    path: /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    regexp: '^PasswordAuthentication'
    line: 'PasswordAuthentication no'
  • name: Restart SSH
    ansible.builtin.service:
    name: ssh
    state: restarted

00_GLOBAL/ansible/playbooks/update_and_reboot.yml

• hosts: all
  become: true
  tasks:
  
  
  • name: Update packages
    ansible.builtin.apt:
    update_cache: true
    upgrade: dist
  • name: Reboot if needed
    ansible.builtin.reboot:

00_GLOBAL/ansible/roles/empire_common/tasks/main.yml

Hook for shared actions later (logrotate, journald size caps, etc.)​

• name: Ensure logrotate is present
  ansible.builtin.apt:
  name: logrotate
  state: present

00_GLOBAL/scripts/00_bootstrap.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: First touch on a fresh Ubuntu Server. Run as root once.​

set -euo pipefail
export DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive

1) Create admin user with sudo and SSH key​

ADMIN_USER="${ADMIN_USER:-empire}"
SSH_DIR="/home/$ADMIN_USER/.ssh"
if ! id "$ADMIN_USER" &>/dev/null; then
adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" "$ADMIN_USER"
usermod -aG sudo "$ADMIN_USER"
fi
mkdir -p "$SSH_DIR"
chmod 700 "$SSH_DIR"
if [ -f /root/authorized_keys ]; then
cp /root/authorized_keys "$SSH_DIR/authorized_keys"
elif [ -f "$(dirname "$0")/../ssh/authorized_keys.sample" ]; then
cp "$(dirname "$0")/../ssh/authorized_keys.sample" "$SSH_DIR/authorized_keys"
fi
chown -R "$ADMIN_USER:$ADMIN_USER" "$SSH_DIR"
chmod 600 "$SSH_DIR/authorized_keys"

2) Basic packages & updates​

apt-get update
apt-get install -y vim tmux htop curl git net-tools rsync jq ufw fail2ban python3 python3-pip

3) Harden SSH: key-only, no root login​

sed -i 's/^#?PasswordAuthentication ./PasswordAuthentication no/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
sed -i 's/^#?PermitRootLogin ./PermitRootLogin no/' /etc/ssh/sshd_config
systemctl restart ssh || systemctl restart sshd

4) Firewall defaults (deny inbound; allow SSH)​

ufw default deny incoming
ufw default allow outgoing
ufw allow 22/tcp
ufw --force enable


echo "Bootstrap complete. Now switch to: su - $ADMIN_USER"


00_GLOBAL/scripts/01_users.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Add more team users safely (append here as you grow)​

set -euo pipefail
while read -r user key; do
id "$user" &>/dev/null || adduser --disabled-password --gecos "" "$user"
usermod -aG sudo "$user"
mkdir -p "/home/$user/.ssh"
echo "$key" >> "/home/$user/.ssh/authorized_keys"
chown -R "$user:$user" "/home/$user/.ssh"
chmod 700 "/home/$user/.ssh"
chmod 600 "/home/$user/.ssh/authorized_keys"
done <<'USERS'
empire ssh-ed25519 AAAA...steve
USERS


02_harden_ssh.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Extra SSH hardening knobs (run after 00_bootstrap)​

set -euo pipefail
SSHD=/etc/ssh/sshd_config
grep -q '^Protocol 2' $SSHD || echo 'Protocol 2' >> $SSHD
sed -i 's/^#?X11Forwarding ./X11Forwarding no/' $SSHD
sed -i 's/^#?PermitEmptyPasswords ./PermitEmptyPasswords no/' $SSHD
sed -i 's/^#?ChallengeResponseAuthentication .*/ChallengeResponseAuthentication no/' $SSHD
systemctl reload ssh || systemctl reload sshd


03_firewall.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Service-level firewall rules (adjust ports as you add apps)​

set -euo pipefail
ufw allow 51820/udp # WireGuard
ufw allow 80,443/tcp # Web reverse proxy
ufw status verbose


04_fail2ban.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Install and tune Fail2ban for SSH​

set -euo pipefail
apt-get install -y fail2ban
cat >/etc/fail2ban/jail.d/ssh.local <<'JAIL'
[sshd]
enabled = true
port = 22
findtime = 10m
maxretry = 5
bantime = 1h
JAIL
systemctl enable --now fail2ban


05_luks_notes.txt
Notes:

• Use LUKS for confidential data partitions.
• Example: cryptsetup luksFormat /dev/nvme0n2 ; cryptsetup open /dev/nvme0n2 secret ; mkfs.ext4 /dev/mapper/secret ; mount /secret
• Add to /etc/crypttab and /etc/fstab for auto-unlock on boot (or keep manual for maximum security).

10_backup_borg.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Borg backup (to USB, NAS, or remote SSH repo)​

set -euo pipefail
export BORG_PASSPHRASE="${BORG_PASSPHRASE:?Set BORG_PASSPHRASE}"
REPO="${BORG_REPO:?Set BORG_REPO (e.g., /mnt/backup/borg)}"
borg create --stats "$REPO::$(hostname)-$(date +%F-%H%M)" /etc /var /home
borg prune -v --list "$REPO" --keep-daily=7 --keep-weekly=4 --keep-monthly=6


Q1_Foundations/labs/README.md
Run these small scripts to sharpen CLI skills daily. They’re safe and explain themselves.


Q1_Foundations/labs/rotate_logs.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Manual log cleanup rotation example​

set -euo pipefail
LOGDIR="/var/log/empire"
mkdir -p "$LOGDIR"

Create a dummy log then rotate​

echo "$(date) sample log line" >> "$LOGDIR/app.log"

Rotate by renaming and gzipping the older file​

if [ -f "$LOGDIR/app.log" ]; then
mv "$LOGDIR/app.log" "$LOGDIR/app.log.$(date +%F)"
gzip "$LOGDIR/app.log.$(date +%F)"
fi
touch "$LOGDIR/app.log"


Q1_Foundations/labs/find_journal_errors.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Pull out warnings/errors from journald​

set -euo pipefail
journalctl -p warning -b | tail -n 100


Q1_Foundations/labs/disk_report.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Human-friendly disk usage report​

set -euo pipefail
echo "== Disks =="
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,TYPE,MOUNTPOINT
echo
echo "== Top 10 space hogs in /var =="
du -h /var | sort -hr | head -n 10


Q1_Foundations/docs/cli_cheatsheet.md
Covers: redirection (>, >>, 2>, 2>&1, &>), pipes, job control (bg/fg), tmux basics.


Q2_NetworkSecurity/wireguard/wg0.conf.template

Purpose: Point-to-point or mesh VPN. Duplicate per host and set keys/peers.​

[Interface]
Address = 10.99.0.2/24
PrivateKey = REPLACE_ME
ListenPort = 51820

Optional: PostUp/PostDown to tighten firewall​

PostUp = nft add rule inet filter input udp dport 51820 accept
PostDown = nft delete rule inet filter input udp dport 51820


[Peer]
PublicKey = PEER_PUBLIC_KEY
AllowedIPs = 10.99.0.0/24
Endpoint = peer.example.com:51820
PersistentKeepalive = 25


Q2_NetworkSecurity/dnsmasq/dnsmasq.conf

Purpose: Simple DNS/DHCP for your lab subnet​

domain-needed
bogus-priv
interface=eth0
dhcp-range=10.10.10.50,10.10.10.200,12h
dhcp-option=option:dns-server,10.10.10.1
server=1.1.1.1
address=/empire.lan/10.10.10.1


Q2_NetworkSecurity/nftables/nftables.conf

Purpose: Default-deny with explicit allows (nftables over iptables)​

table inet filter {
chains {
input {
type filter hook input priority 0;
policy drop;
ct state established,related accept
iif lo accept
tcp dport {22,80,443} accept
udp dport 51820 accept
}
forward { type filter hook forward priority 0; policy drop; }
output { type filter hook output priority 0; policy accept; }
}
}


Q2_NetworkSecurity/ssh/banner.txt
Authorized use only. Activities are monitored. Disconnect if you are not authorized.


Q2_NetworkSecurity/audit/audit.rules

Purpose: Watch critical files and auth operations​

-w /etc/passwd -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/group -p wa -k identity
-w /etc/ssh/sshd_config -p wa -k sshd
-w /var/log/auth.log -p wa -k auth


Q2_NetworkSecurity/scripts/test_bruteforce_block.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Simulate repeated bad SSH attempts FROM A SAFE TEST HOST to see Fail2ban ban​

echo "Run from a test box: for i in {1..10}; do ssh -o PreferredAuthentications=password -o PubkeyAuthentication=no user@target; done"


Q3_Automation/docker/docker-compose.yml
version: "3.9"
services:
reverse-proxy:
image: nginx:stable
ports:
- "80:80"
- "443:443"
volumes:
- ./nginx/conf.d:/etc/nginx/conf.d:ro
- ./nginx/certs:/etc/nginx/certs:ro
depends_on:
- nextcloud
nextcloud:
image: nextcloud:stable
env_file: ./nextcloud.env
volumes:
- nextcloud_data:/var/www/html
restart: unless-stopped
matrix:
image: matrixdotorg/synapse:latest
volumes:
- matrix_data:/data
environment:
- SYNAPSE_SERVER_NAME=empire.lan
- SYNAPSE_REPORT_STATS=no
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
nextcloud_data:
matrix_data:


Q3_Automation/docker/nextcloud.env
MYSQL_HOST=db
MYSQL_DATABASE=nextcloud
MYSQL_USER=nextcloud
MYSQL_PASSWORD=changeme


Q3_Automation/docker/matrix.appservice.yml

Placeholder for Matrix appservice (bridge) configs if you add them later​

homeserver: https://matrix.empire.lan


Q3_Automation/ansible/playbooks/site.yml

• import_playbook: ../../00_GLOBAL/ansible/playbooks/base_hardening.yml
• hosts: empire_nodes
  become: true
  roles:
  
  
  • empire_monitor

Q3_Automation/ansible/roles/empire_monitor/tasks/main.yml

• name: Install monitoring exporters
  ansible.builtin.apt:
  name:
  - prometheus-node-exporter
  - smartmontools
  state: present
• name: Enable node exporter
  ansible.builtin.systemd:
  name: prometheus-node-exporter
  enabled: true
  state: started

Q3_Automation/systemd/monk-mode-monitor.service
[Unit]
Description=Simple watchdog to restart critical services
After=network.target


[Service]
Type=simple
User=root
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/monk-mode-monitor.sh
Restart=always
RestartSec=15


[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target


Q3_Automation/systemd/monk-mode-monitor.sh
#!/usr/bin/env bash

Purpose: Self-healing loop for key services​

set -euo pipefail
SERVICES=("docker" "nginx" "prometheus-node-exporter")
while true; do
for s in "${SERVICES[@]}"; do
if ! systemctl is-active --quiet "$s"; then
systemctl restart "$s"
logger -t monk-mode "Restarted service: $s"
fi
done
sleep 30
done


Q4_IntelInfra/nginx/nginx.conf

Purpose: Hardened reverse proxy (add sites to conf.d/)​

user www-data;
worker_processes auto;
events { worker_connections 1024; }
http {
server_tokens off;
include mime.types;
sendfile on;
ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers on;
ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;

Example site​

server {
listen 80;
server_name _;
return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}
server {
listen 443 ssl http2;
server_name _;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/certs/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/certs/privkey.pem;
location / {
proxy_pass http://nextcloud:80;
proxy_set_header Host $host;
proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
}
}
}


Q4_IntelInfra/prometheus/prometheus.yml
global:
scrape_interval: 15s
scrape_configs:

• job_name: 'node_exporters'
  static_configs:
  
  
  • targets: ['10.10.10.11:9100','10.10.10.21:9100']

Q4_IntelInfra/alertmanager/alertmanager.yml
global:
resolve_timeout: 5m
route:
receiver: 'twilio-webhook'
receivers:

• name: 'twilio-webhook'
  webhook_configs:
  
  
  • url: 'http://127.0.0.1:9101/twilio'
    send_resolved: true

Q4_IntelInfra/alertmanager/hooks/twilio_webhook.py
#!/usr/bin/env python3

Purpose: Tiny webhook that Alertmanager calls; relays alerts via Twilio SMS.​

NOTE: Keep TWILIO creds in environment, not in code.​

import os, json
from http.server import BaseHTTPRequestHandler, HTTPServer
from urllib.parse import urlparse
from twilio.rest import Client


ACCOUNT_SID = os.environ.get("TWILIO_ACCOUNT_SID")
AUTH_TOKEN = os.environ.get("TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN")
FROM_NUM = os.environ.get("TWILIO_FROM_E164")
TO_NUM = os.environ.get("ALERT_PHONE_E164")


client = Client(ACCOUNT_SID, AUTH_TOKEN)


class H(BaseHTTPRequestHandler):
def do_POST(self):
if urlparse(self.path).path != "/twilio":
self.send_response(404); self.end_headers(); return
length = int(self.headers.get('content-length',0))
data = json.loads(self.rfile.read(length) or "{}")
alerts = data.get("alerts", [])
# Compose concise message
lines = []
for a in alerts:
status = a.get("status","?")
name = a.get("labels",{}).get("alertname","alert")
inst = a.get("labels",{}).get("instance","")
sumy = a.get("annotations",{}).get("summary","")
lines.append(f"[{status}] {name} {inst} {sumy}".strip())
body = "\n".join(lines)[:1500] or "Alertmanager ping"
try:
client.messages.create(to=TO_NUM, from_=FROM_NUM, body=body)
self.send_response(200); self.end_headers()
except Exception as e:
self.send_response(500); self.end_headers()
def log_message(self, *args, **kwargs): return


if name == "main":
port = int(os.environ.get("HOOK_PORT","9101"))
HTTPServer(("0.0.0.0", port), H).serve_forever()


Q4_IntelInfra/grafana/provisioning/datasources/datasource.yml
apiVersion: 1
datasources:

• name: Prometheus
  type: prometheus
  url: http://prometheus:9090
  access: proxy
  isDefault: true

Q4_IntelInfra/grafana/provisioning/dashboards/empire-dashboard.json
{
"annotations":{"list":[]},
"panels":[
{
"type":"stat","title":"Node Uptime",
"targets":[{"expr":"node_time_seconds - node_boot_time_seconds"}]
},
{
"type":"graph","title":"CPU Load",
"targets":[{"expr":"avg(rate(node_cpu_seconds_total{mode!='idle'}[5m]))"}]
}
],
"schemaVersion":38, "version":1
}


Q4_IntelInfra/certificates/LETSENCRYPT_NOTES.md

• Use DNS-01 or HTTP-01 via certbot docker or native.
• Files go under nginx/certs: privkey.pem and fullchain.pem (never commit real keys).

Q4_IntelInfra/cloudflare/CF_TUNNEL_NOTES.md

• Cloudflare Tunnel can expose only the reverse-proxy while keeping nodes dark.
• Lock tunnel token with a service account and IP/Country restrictions.

How to use this binder (quick start)​

1. On a fresh node as root: run 00_GLOBAL/scripts/00_bootstrap.sh (it creates user, keys, firewall, fail2ban).
2. Copy 00_GLOBAL/.env.example to .env and fill secrets; export those vars in your shell when needed.
3. From your control machine: ansible-playbook -i 00_GLOBAL/ansible/inventory.ini 00_GLOBAL/ansible/playbooks/base_hardening.yml
4. Add WireGuard configs from Q2 to link nodes into your private mesh.
5. Deploy exporters (Q3 site.yml), then Prometheus/Grafana/Alertmanager (Q4).
6. Start the SMS webhook (python3 Q4_IntelInfra/alertmanager/hooks/twilio_webhook.py) and point Alertmanager at it.
7. Put Nextcloud/Matrix behind Nginx or Cloudflare Tunnel when you’re ready to go semi-public.

Ideas to expand​

• Add AppArmor/SELinux custom profiles for Nginx and Docker.
• Add Vaultwarden for password sharing inside the brotherhood.
• Enforce FIDO2/U2F SSH keys for admins.
• Write an Ansible role that renders and distributes WireGuard peer files from one source of truth.
• Add Loki+Promtail for centralized logs.
• Add a “quarantine VLAN” and an Ansible playbook to move any suspicious node there automatically.

Want me to package all this into a single downloadable tar with a make.sh installer and a sample .env so you can drop it onto the first node and run make init?

 

[Flynn]

Core Competencies:

• Linux Mastery — foundational control and customization of computing environments.
• Cloudflare Zero Trust — network protection and anonymity.
• Open-Source Software Stack — transparency, auditability, and cost efficiency.
• Peer-to-Peer Infrastructure — independent nodes linked by encrypted channels.
• LLC Infrastructure Tools — digital autonomy and business governance at the code layer.

The Mission: Building the Secure Digital Superhighway​

Objective: Enable decentralized collaboration, development, and enterprise formation through technology.


Core Stack:

1. Hardware Foundation: Jetson Orin Nano + Raspberry Pi 5 nodes configured for reliability and redundancy.
2. Network Layer: WireGuard VPNs and Cloudflare Tunnels for secure connectivity.
3. Identity Layer: NFC authentication, JWT, and private governance directories.
4. Governance Layer: LLCAIMachine.com — an open-source AI rules and automation engine.
5. Commerce Layer: Transaction Equity System — automated profit and contribution tracking.
6. Communications Layer: Secure text, voice, and video via RabbitMQ + MQTT.
7. AI Layer: AI Elders — intelligent agents for automation, auditing, and optimization.

Each layer reinforces digital sovereignty — a complete infrastructure for private operations, communications, and business logic.

AI Integration: “The Machine Framework”​

After infrastructure comes cognition.
AI integrates not as a controller, but as a facilitator and auditor of trust and efficiency.


AI Modules:

• Governance AI: Executes policies and automates rule enforcement.
• Advisor AI: Guides users through startup, project creation, and learning paths.
• Audit AI: Ensures transparency, fairness, and compliance.
• Mediator AI: Coordinates across nodes for resource allocation and contract negotiation.

---

V. The Outcome​

A decentralized, AI-governed infrastructure of independent operators, startups, and projects —
secure, auditable, transparent, and globally accessible.

 

[Flynn]

It depends on your depth of mastery goal and the time you can commit daily, but here’s a realistic breakdown based on your study habits and goals (building secure networks, servers, and clusters):

---

1. Foundational Mastery (3–4 months)​

Goal: Comfortably navigate and administer a Linux system.
Focus:

• 
  
• File system, permissions, and processes
  
• Systemctl, journald, networking (nmcli, ip, ss)
  
• Bash scripting and cron automation
  
• Package management (APT, DPKG, Snap)
  
• Disk management, fstab, partitions, LVM
  
• SSH, users, sudo, and system hardening
  

Time commitment: ~2 hours/day
Milestone: You can install, secure, and manage Ubuntu Server without a guide.

---

2. Intermediate Administration (6–8 months total)​

Goal: Confidently run and secure servers and clusters.
Focus:

• 
  
• FirewallD, UFW, AppArmor, SELinux basics
  
• Networking (bridges, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, NFS, Samba)
  
• Service deployment: Nginx, Apache, PostgreSQL, Docker
  
• Shell scripting + Python automation
  
• Cloudflare tunnels, OpenVPN, WireGuard setup
  
• System monitoring (htop, nmon, Prometheus, Grafana)
  

Time commitment: ~3 hours/day
Milestone: You can configure secure servers for your nodes and maintain uptime logs.

---

3. Advanced & Security/Cluster Mastery (12–15 months total)​

Goal: Linux expert capable of building Empire Node clusters and secure AI systems.
Focus:

• 
  
• Systemd internals and kernel tuning
  
• Btrfs/ZFS snapshots
  
• SELinux/AppArmor advanced usage
  
• KVM/QEMU virtualization
  
• Kubernetes, Ansible, and Docker Swarm
  
• Network namespaces and iptables scripting
  
• Advanced logging (journald, rsyslog, Graylog)
  
• Security frameworks (fail2ban, Lynis, ClamAV, Tripwire)
  

Time commitment: 3–5 hours/day
Milestone: You can design, deploy, and defend a distributed Linux network with redundant nodes.

---

Total Timeline Summary​

Level	Description	Time (Full-time Study)	Time (Part-time Study)
Foundation	Navigation, shell, permissions	3–4 months	6 months
Intermediate	Server + security setup	6–8 months	12 months
Advanced	Clusters, automation, kernel	12–15 months	18–24 months

---

Suggested Path for You​

Because you’re building a secure distributed system:

1. 
   
2. 3 months: Linux system administration fundamentals
   
3. 3 months: Security and networking mastery
   
4. 6 months: Automation and cluster administration
   
5. Ongoing: Continuous tuning, AI/ML stack integration, kernel-level mastery
   

So realistically, one year of focused work will make you a Linux expert capable of defending and orchestrating systems across your Empire Nodes.

---

Would you like me to build you a 12-month Linux mastery roadmap—broken down week-by-week with commands, labs, and projects leading to cluster deployment?

 

[Flynn]

Excellent. Below is your 12-Month Linux Mastery Roadmap built specifically for your Empire Node / EmpireNet architecture — focused on security, clustering, Cloudflare tunneling, and AI infrastructure.


I’ve structured it as a month-by-month operational plan, not an academic outline. Each month includes core objectives, project goals, and commands to master.

---

YEAR-LONG LINUX MASTERY PLAN​

Target: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS / Debian 12 (Empire Node baseline)​

---

MONTH 1 – Core System Navigation & File Mastery​

Objective: Become fluent in Linux terminal fundamentals.
Focus Areas:

• Directory structure (/, /etc, /usr, /var, /home, /proc, /sys)
• File permissions (chmod, chown, umask)
• Redirection & pipes (&gt;, &gt;&gt;, 2&gt;, |, tee)
• Editors: nano, vim, cat, less, grep, awk, sed
• Shell navigation (cd, pwd, ls, find, locate, du, df)
  Project: Build a personal command-reference text file in /opt/empire-notes/commands.txt.

---

MONTH 2 – User & Process Management​

Objective: Control users, groups, and background services.
Focus Areas:

• useradd, passwd, visudo, /etc/sudoers
• Processes (ps, top, htop, kill, nice, renice, systemctl)
• Scheduling (cron, at, sleep, nohup)
• Environment variables (export, .bashrc, .profile)
  Project: Automate nightly system cleanup via cron + email alerts (using mailutils).

---

MONTH 3 – Storage, Disks, and Boot​

Objective: Manage drives and ensure reliable boot configurations.
Focus Areas:

• lsblk, fdisk, parted, mkfs, mount, /etc/fstab
• LVM basics (pvcreate, vgcreate, lvcreate)
• grub, boot parameters, init system
• Swap files and tmpfs performance tuning
  Project: Partition and format an external SSD for node data logging.

---

MONTH 4 – Networking & Remote Access​

Objective: Master connectivity, SSH, and remote control.
Focus Areas:

• ip a, ip r, nmcli, ping, dig, netstat, ss
• /etc/network/interfaces and Netplan
• SSH keypairs, config files, hardened sshd_config
• SCP, Rsync, SFTP, and SSH Tunnels
  Project: Configure passwordless SSH between all Pi and Jetson nodes + test remote file sync.

---

MONTH 5 – System Security & Hardening​

Objective: Build a locked-down fortress system.
Focus Areas:

• ufw, iptables, fail2ban, AppArmor profiles
• auditd, chkrootkit, rkhunter, lynis
• File integrity (tripwire)
• Backups: rsnapshot, borg, tar automation
  Project: Harden one Pi as your Empire Security Node with audit logging and alert scripts.

---

MONTH 6 – Package & Service Management​

Objective: Become fluent in deploying and maintaining services.
Focus Areas:

• apt, dpkg, snap, PPA setup
• systemctl, service creation via unit files
• Log management (journalctl, logrotate)
• Installing Nginx, Apache, PostgreSQL, MariaDB
  Project: Deploy an internal dashboard using Nginx + PostgreSQL.

---

MONTH 7 – Automation & Shell Scripting​

Objective: Turn every task into a script.
Focus Areas:

• Bash scripting: variables, loops, arrays, functions
• Error handling (trap, set -e, set -u)
• Startup scripts under /etc/init.d and systemd services
  Project: Write a full system-backup automation script that runs weekly and emails logs.

---

MONTH 8 – Containers & Virtualization​

Objective: Build modular service deployments.
Focus Areas:

• Docker fundamentals: Dockerfile, compose, volumes, networking
• Podman comparison
• KVM/QEMU setup (virt-manager, bridges)
• Snapshots and migrations
  Project: Containerize your Nginx-PostgreSQL stack for fast replication on new nodes.

---

MONTH 9 – Network Services & Cloudflare Integration​

Objective: Expose and protect services via secure tunnels.
Focus Areas:

• DNS, DHCP, and NTP setup
• Cloudflare tunnels (cloudflared), SSL certs (certbot, Let’s Encrypt)
• Reverse proxy configuration
  Project: Deploy a secure Cloudflare tunnel for your private Empire Dashboard.

---

MONTH 10 – Monitoring, Logging & Alerting​

Objective: Build awareness across your entire node cluster.
Focus Areas:

• Prometheus, Grafana, Node Exporter
• System logs → centralized logging (Graylog/ELK)
• Email/SMS alerting (Twilio integration)
  Project: Configure Grafana dashboards to monitor CPU, disk, and temperature across all nodes.

---

MONTH 11 – Advanced Security & Kernel Tuning​

Objective: Optimize and defend the kernel layer.
Focus Areas:

• Sysctl parameters (/etc/sysctl.conf)
• auditd deep dive
• Kernel module control (modprobe, lsmod, rmmod)
• Security frameworks: SELinux / AppArmor advanced profiles
  Project: Create a hardened kernel template and replicate it across your Empire Nodes.

---

MONTH 12 – Cluster Orchestration & Final Integration​

Objective: Build the autonomous Empire Cluster.
Focus Areas:

• Ansible automation
• Kubernetes or Docker Swarm node orchestration
• NFS shared volumes, synchronized cron, failover testing
  Final Project:
• Deploy the Empire Node Cluster v1.0
• 3× Pi 5 + 1× Jetson Orin = Master-Replica-Replica-AI
• Use Ansible to deploy updates, monitor logs, and auto-heal network outages.

---

​

• Daily: 30 minutes command practice (terminal only)
• Weekly: One system project documented in Markdown under /opt/empire-notes/projects/
• Monthly: One complete rebuild from scratch — keeps you sharp.

---

Would you like me to generate the project directory structure and file templates (Markdown + shell scripts) for this 12-month plan — so you can begin logging each month’s work and automate your progress tracking?

 

[Flynn]

Here’s a quick mission outline for your departure phase:

---

​

Get the Empire Node server cluster fully operational with:

• Stable Linux install (preferably Ubuntu 24.04 LTS)
• NVMe drives partitioned and mounted cleanly
• SSH keys hardened and 2FA enabled
• Cron-based snapshot + rsync backup to secondary drive or remote vault
• Automated service startup and health checks on reboot

---

​

1. Finalize OS & Kernel:
   
   
   • Use the same kernel version across all Pi and Jetson nodes.
   • Disable unnecessary daemons (cups, avahi, etc.).
   • Enable fail2ban and ufw rules before launch.
2. Networking Layer:
   
   
   • Assign static IPs to each node.
   • Test PoE across all ports.
   • Validate internal DNS and hostname resolution (e.g., ai-jetson01.local).
3. Cluster Services:
   
   
   • Install and verify PostgreSQL replication.
   • Ensure RabbitMQ and MQTT brokers auto-start and recover.
   • Deploy monitoring via htop, glances, and Prometheus + Grafana (optional).
4. Security & Isolation:
   
   
   • Enable unattended-upgrades and systemd journal compression.
   • Backup all SSH keys and .bash_history to encrypted vault.
   • Run a full nmap self-scan to confirm only necessary ports are open.
5. Testing Before Departure:
   
   
   • Simulate power loss and reboot cycle.
   • Confirm all services resume automatically.
   • Test your remote SSH/VNC from external IP.

---

​

• Treat the trip as monk mode on the move — build, document, refine.
• Every week, capture logs, topology diagrams, and architecture notes.
• When you return, you’ll have the foundation of a sovereign compute empire.