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Questions tagged [security]

Security covers a wide-ranging set of topics including Users, Permissions, Authentication, Authorisation, Upgrades, Firewalling, Hardening, etc.

Ubuntu has many Security Features, and a Security Team dedicated to keeping users safe and up to date. Please feel free to get involved, or read through the Ubuntu Security FAQ.

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How to delete file(s) in secure manner?

Is there a way to make sure that a deleted file can not be recovered? As you know, deleting a file by pressing shift-del or using trash doesn't mean that file is gone forever. It resides somewhere in the computer. In day to day life, law…
user20296
84
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8 answers

How to sandbox applications?

I want to run small untrusted programs, but restrict them from accessing any files outside of their folder, network access, and everything else that they don't really need. What is the simplest way to achieve this?
michel
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What is Ubuntu's status on the Meltdown and Spectre vulnerabilities?

Any questions relating to status updates, or asking if anything is going to be patched for these vulnerabilities should be closed as duplicates of this question. Meltdown and Spectre are in the news right now and sound pretty severe. I don't see…
Robie Basak
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7 answers

Why is Ubuntu more secure than Windows or Mac OS X?

Please give some solid reasons. Linked Question How safe is Ubuntu?
akshatj
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9 answers

What do I have to do before giving away my Ubuntu machine?

I have an old laptop that is running Ubuntu. Now I want to give away this laptop, but I want to remove all private data. So what should I remove? I don't want to format the whole system, because the OS will be still in use by the new owner.
RoflcoptrException
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How to find my lost Ubuntu laptop?

I am running Ubuntu on my laptop. In case if I lose my laptop or it gets stolen, is there any way to locate it? Do I have to install any application beforehand to find my laptop?
Avinash Raj
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40
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3 answers

Is Ubuntu affected by the xz backdoor compromise?

Moderator Note: This question relates to a rapidly evolving current event. It has been protected to prevent unrelated banter or answers that do not benefit the post. In March 2024, a backdoor was discovered in libxz 5.6.0 and 5.6.1. Does this…
Yasha Karant
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What is Stack Clash and what can I do about it?

I have heard about a new vulnerability named Stack Clash which apparently affects multiple Unix-like systems (not just Linux, but the BSDs, Solaris as well). What is it? How did a multi-OS bug come to happen? How do I protect my systems?
muru
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Should security updates always be installed?

We are a small shop, with no real sysadmin. So developers (Java EE) also try to maintain Ubuntu server 12.04. When I login a terminal and I see messages like: 6 packages can be updated. 6 updates are security updates. Should all security updates…
kmansoor
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How can I confirm that the binaries in my Ubuntu are from the source code it should be from?

Like 99% of users, I install Ubuntu from ready-made binaries. How can I verify myself that those binaries are in fact from the original source code from Ubuntu? It would be good to verify that NSA/someone has not collaborated with either Ubuntu or…
mark1111
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How is the system kept secure?

I understand that if any malware made it's way into a Linux system, it will, at most, gain a user-level privilege and ruin anything within the particular user's reach, i.e. the user's own files. But what exactly keeps the malwares from gaining…
Oxwivi
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16
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How to block specific apps from opening in specific accounts

How to block certain applications from opening on certain accounts (eg: Stop account John from opening Firefox or Gimp). It is assumed this is for the GUI and not the terminal and would only apply to specific users, so for example user X can open…
Luis Alvarado
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I can get into my administer account on my Ubuntu without typing in the password how do I disable it?

I have a password on my Ubuntu computer, but if I just click the arrow next to login I can get into my account. I want to disable this, because my brothers have gone on and I don't want them to. Also, I want to disable my guest session part but I…
That kid
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Ubuntu with spyware?

Richard Stallman states that Ubuntu "has installed surveillance code". See: Ubuntu Spyware -What to Do? Is this true? I agree with him that "Any excuse Canonical offers is inadequate....".
c.ubetcha
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10
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3 answers

What are the Major Differences between Ubuntu 12.04 and 12.10 in terms of Security?

I use Ubuntu 12.04. Recently, 12.10 was released. I'd like to upgrade but I want know what the benefits are in using Ubuntu 12.10 over Ubuntu 12.04 first. My requirement is here Security , is there any security difference existed between Ubuntu…
Raja G
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