I find it not a coincidence that the problems here all appear to have suddenly stopped being problems... at the exact same time as an update to the Linix core software files controlling repository access appeared.
The Linux guys use “mirror sites” to distribute software updates... assuming the many participants are all on the up and up, good guys, who will slavishly mirror the same (correct) stuff.
Clearly that’s not been happening. Someone has been spoofing the repository access control... changing the computers access to sites from which software is downloaded. That can have no purpose other than providing “alternative” software... ie., one quick hack being done enables them as mirror site providers in distributing false operating systems files... through routine “security updates”.
On my computer I observed that occurring in the click on the Spirochete provided link to FR... that one click quickly altering a bit of data in my system files... changing the preferred download site from (one I prefer) to a mirror site in Azerbaijan... which, if I’d not caught it... would give “whoever that was” kernel level access to my machine and full ability to rewrite my OS however they wanted with “updates”...
Not just about the mirror site... but the “preferred network”... so the routine optimization of routing sent my comms there...
That is likely an state level exploit of a chip level hack which gives kernel access, the access used to run a quick bit of code... changing where your software downloads come from... after which they can do what they want to your machine... and where your comms get routed...
Early indicators of that were apparent in the recent frequent changing of OS files that control routine kernel functions like the re-writing of the basic kernal load... with frequent updates there recently an obvious tell of something not being kosher...
Lots of suspicious enough stuff has been going on in relation to the elections... from well before election day. Some is probably spooky white hat good guys... some is probably not... as clearly the case here... but, even that still assuming the white hats are the good guys... while it isn’t at all obvious how white vs grey they are ?
I’d prefer being able to buy a computer with chips that aren’t pre-hacked... but, they won’t allow that.
You can re-write your own kernel and pre-boot control files and force them into firmware to over-write their spy crap... but it pisses them off.
Reality is basically nothing you do on the web is private... no matter how clever you think your workarounds are...
But, privacy is one issue... Commandeering your access and information flows is another...
thanx...my problems with accessing FR went away with a new router.
but this is way over my head...