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This is a series that offers a gentle introduction to Linux for newcomers. Let’s kick off this series with the very basics.What is Linux?The term ‘Linux’ strictly refers to the operating system kernel, a computer program at the core of a computer’s operating system that has complete control over everything in the system. The kernel manages the system’s resources and communicates with the hardware. It’s responsible for memory, process, and file management.Think of the Linux kernel like a car engine.Linux is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Anyone can run, study, modify, and redistribute the source code, or...

Chinese security outfit Qihoo 360 Netlab on Wednesday said it has identified Linux backdoor malware that has remained undetected for a number of years.The firm said its bot monitoring system spotted on March 25 a suspicious ELF program that interacted with four command-and-control (C2) domains over the TCP HTTPS port 443 even though the protocol used isn't actually TLS/SSL."A close look at the sample revealed it to be a backdoor targeting Linux X64 systems, a family that has been around for at least three years," Netlab researchers Alex Turing and Hui Wang said in an advisory.An MD5 signature for the...

Microsoft has released the first public preview of Linux GUI applications on Windows 10 – so we wasted no time in taking it for a spin around the block. The ability to run GUI applications on Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 is not new – enthusiasts have been able to run them via separately installed X server utilities for years – but the arrival of official support is still something of a game changer. The official support is more ambitious and better integrated than the various unofficial approaches.The preview comes via the Windows Insider Program, by which developers and enthusiasts...

Stemming from this research paper where researchers from the University of Minnesota intentionally worked to stealthy introduce vulnerabilities into the mainline Linux kernel. They intentionally introduced use-after-free bugs into the kernel covertly for their research paper. So those from the University of Minnesota are no longer welcome to contribute to the upstream Linux kernel development.

Apple just launched its first custom processor for computers. The M1 chip is similar to the A-series processors inside the iPhone and iPad, and it powers just two devices: The late 2020 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. And yet, Intel is still terrified, having mounted a massive ad campaign in an attempt to convince the world that the M1 MacBooks can’t stand up to Windows 10 laptops running on Intel hardware. The campaign was somewhat half-baked, and has since drawn criticism and ridicule for its missteps. The M1 MacBooks offer formidable performance and excellent battery life, with M1 being built...

NASA's Ingenuity today hovered in the skies of Mars making the equipment the first human-made helicopter to take flight on another planet.Amid cheers in the control room, engineers confirmed the diminutive helicopter had spun up its rotors, taken off, landed, and spun everything down, leaving the stage set for further tests. An image from the helicopter's onboard navigation camera showing its shadow on the surface of Mars was swiftly followed by another sequence from the Perseverance rover showing the helicopter hovering.Ingenuity's shadow on Mars. Source: Screengrab from NASA/ESA live feed (click to enlarge)As one of the newest bits of kit...

In an attempt to better track users and predict their search habits, Google Chrome has developed FLoC (Federated Learning of Cohorts). FLoC provides visibility into user data to any website that desires this information. In fact, FLoC places each user in an ID group to help websites recognize and target individuals. In response, the alternative search engine DuckDuckGo has come out with an extension for Chrome that can block FLoC tracking. Furthermore, users now have the option of using either the DuckDuckGo application or extension to entirely opt out of FLoC monitoring. Google first implemented FLoC in order to offer...

Nvidia just made some MASSIVE announcements in terms of ARM-based computers, so they're now joining Apple and AMD in the fight against Intel and their x86-based chips.

Linux servers are at greater risk than ever. While only a few years ago Linux users could count themselves as the “lucky few” who didn’t have to worry about malware and computer viruses, this era has unfortunately come to an end. Attackers now view Linux servers as a viable target that often provides a valuable return on investment. The past few years have been plagued with emerging Linux malware strains which have demonstrated new and dangerous tactics for spreading, remaining undetected and compromising servers - Cloud Snooper, EvilGnome, HiddenWasp, QNAPCrypt, GonnaCry, FBOT and Tycoon being among the most notorious examples....

The Committee on Liberatory Information Technology has announced a long-standing Chromebook bug that could reveal user location history. Evidently already on the radar of Google, the platform has a feature allowing anyone with physical access to your device to connect as a guest and view your Wi-Fi logs. Of course, once said intruder has accessed these logs, they would then need the technical knowhow to make sense of them. However, if they are skilled enough, they may be able to track your place history by viewing your Wi-Fi network access over the past seven days. It turns out the bug...

I have literally been covering SCO's legal attempts to prove that IBM illegally copied Unix's source code into Linux for over 17 years. I've written well over 500 stories on this lawsuit and its variants. I really thought it was dead, done, and buried. I was wrong. Xinuos, which bought SCO's Unix products and intellectual property (IP) in 2011, like a bad zombie movie, is now suing IBM and Red Hat "illegally Copying Xinuos' software code for its server operating systems."For those of you who haven't been around for this epic IP lawsuit, you can get the full story with...

It is no secret that the OS you choose is a key determinant of your security online. After all, your OS is the most critical software running on your computer - it manages its memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. The general consensus among experts is that Linux is a highly secure OS - arguably the most secure OS by design. This article will examine the key factors that contribute to the robust security of Linux, and evaluate the level of protection against vulnerabilities and attacks that Linux offers administrators and users. Secure by...

Are you tired of Windows problems?Have you heard about this magic place called Linux and you want to try it out?Here are the 5 best distros for beginners.They are all Debian-based distros, so they all use the apt package manager by default. This kind of distro is easy to learn and to install.UbuntuHow can we not start with Ubuntu? This is one of the most famous distros out there. After the login, we throw into a friendly desktop, similar or not to Windows style. The force of Linux is the chance to have only the thing that we like (all...

Anytown, USA, Feb. 16, 2021 -- The latest installment of the popular, annual "Linux Sucks" video series has been released by handsome, Linux luminary Bryan Lunduke."The end of Linux is nigh," bellowed Lunduke, handsomely, perched on his soapbox at the corner of Main Street and 6th Avenue. "Linux is doomed. Doomed, I say! Doooooomed!"Viewed by millions of Linux users, around the globe, the "Linux Sucks" series dominates the "Boring Slideshows Presented at Linux Conferences" category of videos. With the 2021 installment not being available on YouTube, instead distributed exclusively via the Odysee video platform."Because," explained Lunduke, authoritatively, "YouTube is stupid.""I've...

Microsoft has announced that it will suspend all donations for the upcoming 2022 election cycle for any members of Congress, state officials, and organizations that voted to object to the certification of electors in the 2020 election or supported attempting to overturn the election.

A coalition of big tech companies, including Microsoft is developing a COVID passport, with the expectation that a digital document linked to vaccination status will be required to travel and get access to basic services.The group is calling itself the Vaccination Credential Initiative (VCI), and includes Microsoft, Salesforce and Oracle.The US health provider Mayo Clinic is also involved in the project, which is being described as “the most significant vaccination effort in the history of the United States.”The idea is now a familiar one. Anyone who has been vaccinated will receive a QR code that can be stored on their...

The Librem 5 comes with PureOS by default. This page explains why that is important. An operating system in your best interests The Librem 5 comes with PureOS by default, not Android. It is the only smartphone on the market today to ship with a fully-free and auditable operating system, from the ground up, that is created in your best interest instead of corporations’ bottom lines. It is the only project with a bona fide community instead of a “Big Corp” governance model. That doesn’t mean the Librem 5 is “locked in” to PureOS, however! If you are a technology...

There can't be much doubt in anybody's mind: The way to strike back and strike hard against big tech is through their pocket books - and there's no bigger door for opportunity than the myriad of easily downloadable open source technologies. But one of the biggest "bigs" of the big tech world has largely gone with less scrutiny than the rest: Microsoft. Here, look at the image: Trump certainly noticed. Now it's not that Microsoft doesn't give huge amounts of money to progressive causes, because they do. It isn't that Microsoft really doesn't want conservative customers, because in reality, the...

Ok, I'm getting fed up with the internet and Windows. Windows not-so-much, but under WinXP, the versions of Firefox and Chrome I can run are pretty ancient and I either get hit by tons of ads or it gives me a time error and won't even let me in. So I have an older CD which is Knoppix 5.1 and I am trying to configure it to talk to my modem. If you have had experience with this and have hints/tips, please let me know! TIA!

In order for people to travel in 2021, they may eventually need a COVID vaccine passport. Several companies and technology groups have begun developing smartphone apps or systems for individuals to upload details of their COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, creating digital credentials that could be shown in order to enter concert venues, stadiums, movie theaters, offices, or even countries. The Common Trust Network, an initiative by Geneva-based nonprofit The Commons Project and the World Economic Forum, has partnered with several airlines including Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, as well as hundreds of health systems...