[Exist-open] Securing my exist-db

[Nick S. <nsi...@nu...>]

I am in the process of setting up a brand new server with eXist-db 
running on it. I am paying particular attention in trying to make this 
server as secure as possible. I am not a linux administrator by training 
but I know decent amount to be able to follow directions.

The eXist-db website has a best practices page for setting up eXist-db here:
https://exist-db.org/exist/apps/doc/production_good_practice.xml

Under the "Operating System Permissions" section it states the following:
"/Typically we would recommend creating an exist user account and exist 
user group with no login privileges (no shell and empty password), 
changing the permissions of the eXist-db installation to be owned by 
that user and group. Then run eXist-db using those credentials./"

I am using AWS Linux and I am able to SSH into the server as "ec2-user". 
I created a new user "exist-user" using the "adduser" command. I then 
tried to remove login privileges by typing the command:
 >sudo usermod exist-user -s /sbin/nologin

This successfully removed login privileges for 'exist-user', however, 
when I try to switch my ec2-user to exist-user I get the notification 
"This account is currently not available."

I believe I must be misunderstanding the what the best practices 
recommendation is trying to tell me. What do I need to do to create a 
user /"with no login privileges (no shell and empty password)"? /Can 
someone explain?

Nick

-- 
Nick Sincaglia
President/Founder
NueMeta, LLC
Digital Media & Technology
Phone: +1-630-303-7035
nsi...@nu...  
http://www.nuemeta.com
Skype: nsincaglia