Resetting /etc/machine-id every boot

Original post: https://ianlecorbeau.github.io/blog/resetting-machineid-every-boot.html The /etc/machine-id and /var/lib/dbus/machine-id files can potentially be used to fingerprint a system over the long term. Of course, some will argue that this is merely FUD, but it really isn't. The key word here is *potentially*. There may not be any indications that this file is actively being used in a …

A Hardened, Clang-built Linux Kernel for Debian

Original post: https://ianlecorbeau.github.io/blog/clang-built-linux-kernel-debian.html For the most part, "Debian user" and "likes living on the edge" don't go hand in hand, but if you're one of those who enjoy stable systems, yet still like to experiment and test new things, Ragnarok's build of the Linux kernel is available for testing. This version of the Kernel is …

Ragnarok 01 (dev): Live Iso and miniroot.tgz available now

If you've read even just a few posts from this site then you're obviously not going to be shocked to learn that I'm a big tinkerer. Over the years I have heavily customized the distro I call home, Debian, and found a way to easily use this custom system anywhere, any time, without effort thanks …

What the Hell Have I Been Doing

This will be a very quick post to let those interested know that I have not forgotten about this blog. There's a lot of posts waiting to be made that will be published in the (hopefully not-so-distant) future. However, for the past few months all of my free time has been dedicated to a project …

Hardening Project, part 1: Enhanced Security with Sysctl and Bootloader Options

This is not a post about how secure or insecure Linux is. I have no interest in that debate, especially since I can, and do, harden my systems how I see fit. Linux distributions do come with certain security mechanisms, but unless specified otherwise, they are not "hardened" systems. General-purpose distributions often have to find …

Debian Live Iso with Dwm: Improved Installer, and Some More

Note: this post will be updated fairly often, but in order to keep the original content untouched, all updates will be in the appropriate section at the end. I've been making quite a lot of changes to my Debian system(s) over the past few weeks/months, and naturally, these changes always make it into my custom …

Debian: Use Doas and Resurrect the Wheel Group

Opening note: these two do not need to be done together. You can obviously use doas without the wheel group, or bring back the wheel group while still using sudo. I've combined the two together because this is how I do it. To use doas without wheel, or wheel with sudo, simply skip to the …

Debian and Man Pages: Use Mandoc instead of Man-db

Man pages are your friend. Granted, Linux's man pages have a reputation for being a bit lackluster, especially compared to OpenBSD where they are fist class citizens, but they're still incredibly useful to get the gist of how to use a program. Debian, and most distros I've come across (minus Void), uses man-db for its …

New: Custom Debian Live Iso Now Signed

August 2, 2022 Update: The iso is now signed using OpenBSD's signify(1). Verification instructions, which are very simple, are provided with every release. Original Post: I've been building/maintaining a custom Debian live iso with dwm for almost a year now, and one thing I've always wanted to do, but kept holding back due to a …

Using Diff and Patch to Manage Certain Config Files

Something I've been meaning to try out for the past couple of months, that is, using patches to maintain and apply customizations to certain config files. The primary motivation here is my custom xenodm theme on OpenBSD, as well as my custom Debian live iso with dwm (which modifies a few system files). Using diffs …