Posts Tagged ‘linux’
Make Any Website into Desktop App
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Nativefier is a CLI tool that easily create a executable desktop application of any website with succinct and minimal configuration. Anybody can use it and it is a lot lighter than typical Electron apps.
Nativefier is based on the electron-package and since Electron apps are platform independent, any Nativefiered app will run on GNU/Linux distros as well as on Windows and Mac Operating Systems.
Talking about the reason why he created Nativefier, the developer wrote on GitHub:
I did this because I was tired of having to ⌘-tab or alt-tab to my browser and then search through the numerous open tabs when I was using Facebook Messenger or Whatsapp Web.
Features in Nativefier
- Free and open-source with code available on GitHub.
- Works on GNU/Linux, Windows, and Mac.
- Desktop Notifications.
- OS-specific icons.
- Make single-page web apps (e.g. Telegram and WhatsApp) executable stand-alone apps.
How to Install and Use Nativefier in Linux
Installing Nativefier is as easy as running the following command in terminal.
$ npm install nativefier -g
The developer has done some heavy lifting by setting up a template app containing appropriate event listeners and callbacks in the /app folder.
This is the directory that is copied to the temporary directory when the nativefier command is called and then the core methods of electron packager follow. meaning that getting a URL and invoking the nativefier gets the job done.
So, for example, creating a GitHub or WhatsApp web executable (or any web page) is as easy as typing:
$ nativefier -name GitHub http://github.com $ nativefier web.whatsapp.com
The -name flag is the option that tells Nativefier the name to give your executable. There are other options including:
- flash to enable flash in your application explorer.
- version is prints the version of your nativefier install.
- platform automatically determined based on the current OS. Overwrite it by specifyinglinux, windows (or win32), or osx (darwin).
The full list of options and more usage details are on its GitHub page.
Note:
- Nativefier doesn’t have any back button by default because it is designed to wrap just single-page apps. That notwithstanding, you can build an executable from any url and hitting
backspaceon your keyboard will take you to the previous page. - Don’t put spaces when defining the app name with the
-nameoption on Linux because it will cause problems when pinning the app to the launcher.
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Install Paperwork on Ubuntu
Objective
The objective is to install Paperwork on Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver
Operating System and Software Versions
- Operating System: – Ubuntu 18.04
- Software: – Paperwork 1
Requirements
Privileged access to the operating system
Difficulty
MEDIUM
Conventions
- # – requires given linux commands to be executed with root privileges either directly as a root user or by use of
sudocommand - $ – given linux commands to be executed as a regular non-privileged user
Introduction
Paperwork is a note-taking and archiving alternative to Evernote, Microsoft OneNote, and Google Keep, with the advantage of being FOSS (Free and Open Source Software), meaning it that can be hosted on the user premises, which is a requirement for people and businesses worried about privacy.
Paperwork is comprised of collections that contain notebooks of notes. Notes can be shared with other users. Tags can be assigned to notes that can also have documents attached to them. The user interface has translations to 23 languages. It’s also worth mentioning that there is an API that is useful for integration with other software.
The project web page mentions that version 2 is a major rewrite that is at an early development stage, meaning it’s not usable yet. While we wait for the shiny new version, we’ll cover how to have version 1 running on the latest Ubuntu LTS release.
Version 1 was released in 2014 and is written in the LEMP stack (Linux, Nginx, MySQL, PHP) using Laravel 4 framework and other Web technologies, like AngularJS and Bootstrap.
For this article we first tried to build a docker image, using the docker-compose file listed in the project’s Git repository, but the build is broken in multiple ways. We then reverted to the conventional form of installation, adapting the 16.04 manual for installing Paperwork in Ubuntu to version 18.04, and it proved to be a rather long, but easy sequence of steps to follow. The major setback is that 18.04 Bionic Beaver comes with a newer PHP (version 7.2) and the extension mcrypthas been deprecated and moved to PEAR (a repository of PHP code) — but you will see that this difficulty can be easily overcome.
Before committing few hours to have your own instance running, it may be worth having a taste of Paperwork at a cloud-hosted provider, namely Sandstorm or Cloudron.
Once you’re ready to install Paperwork, notice that the steps below assume a clean installation of Ubuntu Server 18.04 Bionic Beaver. For Ubuntu Desktop the guide will be almost the same, except for the first step.
Instructions
Add Universe Repository
For Ubuntu Server, you have to add the Universe repository to install some packages (npm, nodejs, php-mbstring). Ubuntu Desktop already has the Universe repository enabled so this step can be skipped.
# add-apt-repository universe
Install package dependencies.
It will download 87.1 MB which will use 449 MB of disk space. Here we notice some differences from the set of packages required for 16.04.
# apt install wget git npm zip libmcrypt-dev mysql-server php-mysql nginx php-fpm curl php-cli php-gd nodejs php-xml php-mbstring php-pear php-dev
Install mcrypt
The mcrypt PHP extension has long been abandoned and has been moved to PEAR. As it’s a dependency for Paperwork version 1, it needs to be installed with pecl.
sudo pecl channel-update pecl.php.net sudo pecl install mcrypt-1.0.1 (when asked, just press enter)
You also have to add extension mcrypt.so to php.ini for both, the cli and fpm instances. Two methods are shown below. Notice that php-fpm will only load (and be aware of) mcrypt after it’s reloaded in step 13. Adjust the below PHP version number where appropriate.
# sed -i.bak '927iextension=mcrypt.so' /etc/php/7.2/cli/php.ini # sed -i.bak '927iextension=mcrypt.so' /etc/php/7.2/fpm/php.ini
Or
# pico /etc/php/7.2/cli/php.ini # pico /etc/php/7.2/fpm/php.ini Add extension=mcrypt.so
Install composer
Composer is a dependency manager for PHP.
curl -sS https://getcomposer.org/installer | php sudo mv composer.phar /usr/local/bin/composer
Download Paperwork
Download Paperwork from GIT.
# cd /var/www/html/ # git clone -b 1 https://github.com/twostairs/paperwork.git
Function mcrypt_get_iv_size deprecated
Besides the entiremcryptextension, the functionmcrypt_get_iv_sizehas also been deprecated. As a consequence, an error message will be thrown later into the user interface when the application is accessed by the browser. We must instruct PHP ignore it by adding a line to app/config/app.php.
# cd paperwork/frontend/ # sudo sed -i.bak '3ierror_reporting(E_ALL ^ E_DEPRECATED);' # app/config/app.php
Prepare the database
Create the database and a database user
# mysql DROP DATABASE IF EXISTS paperwork; CREATE DATABASE IF NOT EXISTS paperwork DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci; GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON paperwork.* TO 'paperwork'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'paperwork' WITH GRANT OPTION; FLUSH PRIVILEGES; quit
Populate the database
When asked, answer with “y”.
# php artisan migrate
Install PHP dependencies
Install PHP dependencies through composer.
# composer install
Install gulp and bower
Then install npm and bower dependencies.
sudo npm install -g gulp bower sudo npm install sudo bower install --allow-root sudo gulp
Change the ownership of files
Change the ownership of Paperwork directory to www-data.
sudo chown www-data:www-data -R /var/www/html/
Nginx configuration
Edit or replace Nginx default site.
# pico /etc/nginx/sites-available/default
server {
listen 80;
# listen 443 ssl;
root /var/www/html/paperwork/frontend/public;
index index.php index.html index.htm;
server_name example.com;
# server_name example.com;
# ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/ssl/server.crt;
# ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/ssl/server.key;
location / {
try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php;
}
error_page 404 /404.html;
# pass the PHP scripts to FastCGI server listening on the php-fpm socket
location ~ .php$ {
try_files $uri =404;
fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php7.2-fpm.sock;
fastcgi_index index.php;
fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
include fastcgi_params;
}
}
Restart services
Restart Nginx and PHP.
$ sudo service nginx restart $ sudo service php7.2-fpm restart
Access Paperwork
Now you can open Paperwork in your browser using localhost if the installation is local, or the IP address of the machine where it is installed. You should see a welcome page that initiates the setup wizard.
Run the Wizzard
First, the wizard checks that all dependencies and assets are in place. Then it sets the database connection (server, port, username, password, database). Next, it will ask for the definition of some system settings. And, finally, it will ask for the registration of the first user account.
Login
Login with the newly created user account, and happy note-taking!
Conclusion
Paperwork is being rewritten from scratch, with different technologies (mostly Javascript), and will be completely different than version 1. While we wait, version 1 can be installed in Ubuntu 18.04 Bionic Beaver by following a long, but easy sequence of commands to follow.
In the end, Paperwork is a great FOSS alternative to proprietary software that can be installed on the user premises. It has some interesting features and let us excited waiting for the next version.
Encrypt USB Drive on Ubuntu
Encryption is the best way to protect your important documents personal info and other credentials. Suppose, you have a USB pen drive and your all important data stored on it. In case you will lose your USB pen drive, all data stored on it will be lost. It will be in hands of some other person which will access your personal information and misuse it. So, the best solution to protect your data is to encrypt your USB pen drive with password.
Requirements
- Ubuntu 18.04 desktop installed on your system.
- A non-root user with sudo privileges.
Install Required Tools
First, you will need to install gnome-disk-utility and cryptsetup to your system. Cryptsetup is a utility for setting up encrypted filesystems with the help of Device Mapper and dm-crypt. You can install both tools with the following command:
sudo apt-get install gnome-disk-utility cryptsetup -y
Encrypt USB Drive
IMPORTANT: Before you proceed, back up all data that is on the USB Media as the data on the USB Media gets erased when the partition type is changed to an encrypted partition.
First, plug in your USB flash drive to the system. Next, launch the Disks utility from the Unity Dash. You should see USB drive in the left pane:
Next, umount the filesystem as shown below:
Next, click on the Format button as shown below:
Next, select encryption type, partition name and set your password as shown below:
Now, click on the Format button to encrypt the USB drive.
Access USB Drive
Your USB pen drive is now secure with a password. To test it, unplug and plug in USB drive again. You should be asked to input password to get access the partition as shown below:
Now, provide the password and click on the Connect button. You can access your USB pen drive.
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Connect Your Android Phone to Linux
Airdroid is a unique and useful application that lets you transfer files, send SMS messages and control your phone through your PC. It is available within the Google Play store and the iOS App Store and provides a useful alternative if you need to grab a file but don’t have a USB cable at hand. While Windows has a full rich client that allows easy access to the features, those of us on Linux have to use the web-based interface, but this doesn’t make the application any less useful.
For the purposes of this article, I will be demonstrating using Airdroid on Android and connecting to a Linux PC, in this case Ubuntu 18.04.
Getting Started
First, you will need to open Play Store and search for the Airdroid app. Once found, you can download and install as normal.
Open the app, and after the short introduction, you will be presented with the following screen. The free version is ad-supported.
Click on “AirDroid Web” to set up the connection between your Linux PC and the handset. You’ll see two options: you can either use the web client or navigate locally to the IP address given – in this case mine is 192.168.1.68:8888.
If you take the latter option, then your PC and phone need to be on the same network; you can’t mix Wi-Fi with cellular and vice versa.
Whichever option you pick, you will need to verify your handset. The web interface needs you to scan a QR code on the screen, whereas the IP address option needs manual verification on the handset. Once you have done this, you will be presented with the following screen.
You can see an arrangement of icons that let you interact with your device. On the right side you can see your device details – in my case my Wileyfox Swift and the amount of space used so far.
In order to create this tutorial, I needed to grab some screenshots from my phone. Click on the icon called Photos. Airdroid will connect and bring up a GUI window with the images on your device. Once you have selected the images, click Download, and Airdroid will zip them and offer this format to save.
Other functions are available like Files, which gives you a file manager, again allowing you to download or upload images, documents or anything you like to your device.
Clicking App will bring up a window that allows you to install APK files directly onto the device. This is useful for countries where the Google Play store is not available or if you simply want to experiment with APK files that are outside of this ecosystem, such as F-Droid, an alternative, free, open-source software app store. Do note that you will need to allow “Unknown Sources’ within the Settings first.
A word of warning: installing APK files can lead your device to becoming compromised. Always check where they are being downloaded from, and please use verifiable sites like APK Mirror. If you have any doubts, then do not install the APK.
Airdroid also lets you call someone from your desktop.
Click the small phone icon at the top menu bar, and it will open a dialpad. As you start to type numbers, Airdroid will run through your contacts and let you pick whichever person you want to call.
There are many other things that Airdroid can do with your Android device, so download it and experiment, but this gives you some ideas. Let us know in the comments section how you use Airdroid.
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New Flatpak Linux App Sandboxing Release Makes Installations and Updates Faster
Flatpak, the open-source Linux application sandboxing and distribution framework formerly XDG-App, received a new major update that brings lots of new options and commands, as well as various other improvements.
Flatpak 0.11.8 is now the most advanced version of the universal binary format used to make the distribution of Linux apps a breeze across multiple Linux-based operating systems. It adds a new “–allow=bluetooth” permission to allow the use of AF_BLUETOOTH sockets and tab-completion for the zsh (Z shell) UNIX shell.
It also introduces a new and handy “flatpak repair” command that allows users to check and repair Flatpak installations and introduces new “-all” and “–unused” arguments to the “flatpak uninstall” command, allowing users to remove everything along with the remaining runtimes.
Also new in Flatpak 0.11.8 release are the “–show-location,” “–show-runtime,” and “–show-sdk” options to the “flatpak info” command, as well as the “–show-runtime” and “–show-sdk” options to the “flatpak remote-info” command. Additionally, the framework now sends a new “Flatpak-Upgrade-From” HTTP header during upgrades.
P2P operations now work offline, faster installations and updates
Among other noteworthy changes implemented in Flatpak 0.11.8, we can mention that P2P operations now work offline, Flatpak now makes use of p11-kit-server, if it’s installed on the host OS, to forward the host certificate trust store to the sandboxed application, and defaults new Flatpak installations to bare-user-only repos for compatibility with file systems that do not support xattrs.
To make it easier for application developers to implement installation and updates in frontends, Flatpak 0.11.8 introduces a new transaction API in the libflatpak library. This release also adds an extra layer of optimizations to Flatpak installations and updates, especially for pruning and triggering operations, making them a lot faster than in previous releases of the sandboxing framework.
Last but not least, the “flatpak uninstall” command has been updated to no longer allow users to remove a runtime if it’s required by an installed application, adds a workaround for a hang that might occur on some hosts during app startup, and makes the “flatpak info,” “flatpak list,” “flatpak search,” and “flatpak remotes” commands work correctly on hosts that don’t include /var/lib/flatpak.
Flatpak 0.11.8 requires bubblewrap version 0.2.1 for system-bwrap, and respects multiple extension versions match during automatic downloading of extensions. Watch out the software repositories of your favorite GNU/Linux distribution for this release in the coming days and update as soon as it’s available for installation. Alternatively, you can download the sources and compile it yourself.
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Best lightweight Linux distro of 2018
Modern Linux distros are designed to appeal to a large number of users who run modern hardware.
As a result, they have become too bloated for older machines, even if you manually delete files. Without a healthy dollop of system memory and an extra core or two, these distros may not deliver the best performance.
Thankfully, there are many lightweight distros, trimmed and tweaked by expert hands, which can be used to breathe new life into older hardware.
- These are the best Linux training providers and online courses in 2017
But there’s one caveat to bear in mind when working with lightweight distros – they usually manage to support ancient kit by cutting away just about everything you take for granted, such as wizards and scripts which make everyday tasks easier.
That said, these lightweight distros are fully capable of reviving older hardware and can even function as a replacement of your current operating system, if you’re willing to adjust to their way of working and install extra programs as necessary.
1. Absolute Linux
A featherweight distro designed for desktop use
Absolute Linux is a lightweight distro designed for desktop use, and as such comes preinstalled with the Firefox browser and LibreOffice suite. It’s based on Slackware 14.2 but unlike its parent OS, aims to make configuration and maintenance as simple as possible.
New versions of Absolute Linux are released roughly once a year. The most recent version (15.0) was made available for download in February 2018. It’s available as a 2GB ISO for 64-bit computers. The OS is still in the beta testing stage so may perform a little unpredictably, as ever with beta software. Whichever version you choose, there’s a massive selection of lightweight applications available.
The installer is text-based so there’s no Live mode, but nevertheless it’s incredibly simple to follow. The way Absolute is structured also means that you can add and remove packages from the install media to create a distro which truly suits you, though you’ll need some time and experience with Linux if you really want to make the most of this feature.
Once installed, Absolute Linux is incredibly nimble. This is ensured through the lightweight IceWM window manager, along with popular apps such as LibreOffice, making this OS perfect for older machines. There’s also plenty of documentation accessible from within the desktop itself to assist new users.
2. TinyCore
Tiny by name, and most certainly tiny by nature…
The Core Project offers up the tiniest of Linux distros, shipping three variants on which you can build your own environments. The lightest edition is Core, weighing in at just 11MB, which comes without a graphical desktop – but you can always add one after installation.
If that’s too intimidating, try TinyCore (currently v9.0). The OS is only 16MB in size and offers a choice of FLTK or FLWM graphical desktop environments.
You can also choose to install CorePlus, which measures a relatively hefty 106MB. This spin offers a choice of lightweight window managers such as IceWM and FluxBox. CorePlus also includes support for Wi-Fi and non-US keyboards.
TinyCore saves on size by requiring a wired network connection during initial setup. The recommended amount of RAM is just 128MB. There are 32-bit and 64-bit versions as well as PiCore, which is a build for ARM devices like the Raspberry Pi.
This minimalist distro doesn’t feature many apps. After installation there’s little beyond the Terminal, a basic text editor and a network connection manager. The Control Panel provides quick access to the different configurable parts of the distro such as display, mouse, network, etc. Use the graphical package manager ‘Apps’ to install additional software such as multimedia codecs.
3. Lubuntu
A neat spin on the popular OS for older machines
The ‘L’ in Lubuntu stands for lightweight, and it unashamedly appeals to those Ubuntu users who are looking for an OS which requires fewer resources than most modern distros, but doesn’t force you to compromise on your favourite apps.
Lubuntu is primarily designed for older machines and as such uses a desktop environment based on the lightweight LXDE, which is far less resource hungry than mainstream Ubuntu’s Gnome 3 desktop. It comes with a plethora of office, internet, multimedia and graphics apps, along with a wide assortment of useful tools and utilities.
As a lightweight distro, Lubuntu focuses on being fast and energy efficient. It features alternative and less resource intensive apps where possible, such as Abiword for word processing instead of LibreOffice, and the ultra-efficient Sylpheed email client.
This doesn’t mean that Lubuntu is lacking, though: it’s based on Linux Kernel 4.15 and Ubuntu 18.04, so it’s a proper modern Linux distro – it’s just shed all unnecessary weight, in the manner of a rally car having all but one of its seats removed.
The OS follows the same release schedule as mainstream Ubuntu, and requires at least 512MB to run – but for smooth running, try to use a machine with at least 1GB of RAM. It’s available in 32-bit and 64-bit incarnations.
The unique selling point of Lubuntu is its compatibility with Ubuntu repositories, which gives users access to thousands of additional packages that can be easily installed using the Lubuntu Software Center.
4. LXLE
A lightweight spin on Ubuntu LTS
LXLE is a lightweight version of Linux based on the annual Ubuntu LTS (long term support) release. Like Lubuntu, LXLE uses the barebones LXDE desktop environment, but as LTS releases are supported for five years, it emphasises stability and long-term hardware support. The most recent version at the time of writing (16.04.3) is a remaster of the current of version of Ubuntu LTS.
Aimed primarily at reviving older machines, the distro is designed to serve as a ready to use desktop out of the box, specifically tailored to appeal to existing Windows users.
The developers spend a considerable amount of time making all the necessary mods and tweaks to improve performance, but they don’t skimp on niceties. Aesthetics are a key area of focus as evidenced by the hundred wallpapers which are included, along with clones of Windows functions like Aero Snap and Expose.
The distro boasts full featured apps across categories such as internet, sound and video, graphics, office, games, and more. It also includes plenty of useful accessories such as a Terminal-based Weather app and Penguin Pills, which is a graphical frontend for several virus scanners.
Like Lubuntu, LXLE is available as a Live image for 32-bit and 64-bit machines. The hardware requirements are the same as Lubuntu – 512MB of system RAM minimum, with 1GB recommended.
5. Damn Small Linux
This compact OS will even run on an old 486 PC
Damn Small Linux (DSL) lives up to its name in that the install image is barely 50MB. It’s designed specifically for x86 PCs and will run on an ancient 486 CPU with 16MB of RAM. This means it can run fully inside your system memory which can result in phenomenally fast speeds.
DSL is usually run from a USB or CD, or you can do a Debian-style installation to a hard drive if you prefer.
Despite the extremely minimal desktop, you may be surprised at the vast array of tools that come preinstalled. You can surf the web with a choice of three browsers – Dillo, Firefox or the text-based browser Netrik. You can also examine office documents using the Ted word processor and check your email with the minimal Slypheed client. Or indeed sort through your data with the ultra-tiny emelFM file manager.
The latest stable version of DSL (4.4.10) was released in 2008. However, you can update and add new applications using the MyDSL Extension Tool.
6. Porteus
Slackware-based distro is incredibly fast and streamlined
This Slackware-based distro is designed to be completely portable and run on removable media such as a USB stick or CD, but can just as easily be installed to a hard disk. The distro is incredibly fast as it’s small enough to run entirely from system RAM.
The unique selling point of Porteus is that it exists in a compressed state (less than 300MB for the Cinammon and MATE editions) and creates the file system on-the-fly. Besides the preinstalled apps, all additional software for the distro comes in the form of modules, making the OS very small and compact.
Porteus is available for 32-bit and 64-bit machines. The distro provides users with the choice of KDE, MATE, Cinnamon, Xfce and LXDE desktop environments when downloading the ISO image.
Unfortunately the option to build your own custom ISO has been removed since we previously looked at Porteus, but the pre-built images offer a decent selection of software and drivers, as well as an excellent selection of tutorials to help you get started.
7. Vector Linux
Keeping things simple and small…
This distro’s credo is ‘keep it simple, keep it small’, and it manages this to great effect. It allows users to mould the distro to serve just about any possible purpose – Vector Linux can be a lightning-fast desktop for home users, and can just as easily be used for running servers, or as the gateway for your office computer.
After a lengthy period, Vector Linux 7.1 was finally officially released in July 2015, and now comes in two flavours: Light and Standard. The difference is in the desktop environment used. Vector Linux Light uses the ultra-efficient IceWM for the desktop environment while the Standard version is powered by Xfce.
This Slackware-based distro tends to favour GTK+ apps such as Pidgin Messenger, but you can use the TXZ package manager to fetch and install additional software.
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Restore Corrupted USB Drive to Original state
Restore Corrupted USB Drive to Original state
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Restore Corrupted USB Drive To Original State In Linux
Many times our storage devices like sd cards and Pen drives get corrupted and unusable due to one or other reasons.
It may be because of making bootable media with that device, formatting via wrong platforms or creating partitions in that device.
Restore Corrupted USB Drive to Original stateWarning: The following procedure will format all your data from your device
Whatever the reason, the final outcome is that we are not able to use that device.
So here is a solution to restoring a corrupted USB drive or sd card to its original working state. Most of the time a simple format via the file browser solves the problem, But for extreme cases where the file manager isn’t helpful and you need your device working, you can follow this guide. We will be using a small tool called mkusb for this purpose. The installation is easy. Add the repository tor mkusb and install it.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mkusb/ppa # and press Enter
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get install mkusb mkusb-nox usb-pack-efi Now launch mkusb. You will get this prompt, click ‘Yes’.
run mkusb dus
Now mkusb will ask you one last time if you wish to proceed with the formatting of the data, ‘Stop’ will be selected by default. You now select ‘Go’ and click ‘OK’.
linux mkusb
The window will close and your terminal will look like this.
mksub console
In a few seconds, the process will be completed and you will get a window popup like this.
restore corrupted usb drive
You need to now remove the device from the system and plug it back in. Your device is Restored to a normal device and it will function properly like before.
Linux disk manager
Now I know all of these could have been done via terminal commands, gparted or some other software etc. But that would require some level of knowledge about partition management. So it’s always good to have a small tool like this to automate the boring work for you. Conclusionmkusb is a fairly easy to use program that can help you repair your usb storage devices and sd cards. It is available through the mkusb ppa as mkusb. All operations on mkusb will require superuser permissions and all your data on that device will be formatted.
Once the operation is completed You will have to reattach the device to make it work. If you have any queries feel free to post them in the comments section below. |
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Cryptr – A Simple CLI Utility To Encrypt And Decrypt Files
Looking for a quick, easy, and secure method to protect your files? Well, there is a simple shell utility called “Cryptr” that helps you to encrypt and decrypt files. All from command line, and you don’t need to be a security ninja or Linux expert to learn how to secure your data. Cryptr uses OpenSSL AES-256 cipher block chaining method to encrypt files. It is free to use and is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0.
Encrypt And Decrypt Files Using Cryptr
Installation is not a big deal. Git clone Cryptr repository using command:
git clone https://github.com/nodesocket/cryptr.git
This command will clone the contents of Cryptr repository in a folder called cryptr in your current working directory.
Then link the cryptr.bash file to your bin folder using command:
sudo ln -s "$PWD"/cryptr/cryptr.bash /usr/local/bin/cryptr
That’s it. It’s time to see some usage examples.
Let us encrypt a file called “test.txt”. To do so, run the following command from your Terminal. Cryptr will ask you to enter the password to the file twice.
$ cryptr encrypt test.txt enter aes-256-cbc encryption password: Verifying - enter aes-256-cbc encryption password:
The above command will encrypt the given file (I.e test.txt) using AES-256-CBC encryption method and save it with an extension .aes. You can use “ls” command to verify if the file is really encrypted or not.
If there is .aes at the end in the file name, it menas the file is encrypted.
To decrypt an encrypted file, use the following command. Enter the correct password and voila!
$ cryptr decrypt test.txt.aes enter aes-256-cbc decryption password:
You can also define the password to use when encrypting a file using the CRYPTR_PASSWORD environment variable like below.
$ CRYPTR_PASSWORD=BC1rO7K7SspYcLChMr28M cryptr encrypt test.txt Using environment variable CRYPTR_PASSWORD for the password
Here, BC1rO7K7SspYcLChMr28M is the password to the file.
Similarly, to decrypt an encrypted file, use:
$ CRYPTR_PASSWORD=BC1rO7K7SspYcLChMr28M cryptr decrypt test.txt.aes Using environment variable CRYPTR_PASSWORD for the password
This can be helpful in scripts and batch operations.
To view the help, run:
$ cryptr help Usage: cryptr command <command-specific-options> encrypt <file> Encrypt file decrypt <file.aes> Decrypt encrypted file help Displays help version Displays the current version
If you’re looking for a simple utility that just works out of the box without much hassle, give Cryptr a try. I will be soon here with another interesting guide. Until then stay tuned with OSTechNix.
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Things to do After Installing Ubuntu 17.10
Ubuntu 17.10 is released. By now, you might have seen the new features in Ubuntu 17.10 and I recommend you should also start looking at Ubuntu 18.04 release date. If you are giving 17.10 a try with a fresh install, here I am listing a few things to do after installing Ubuntu 17.10 that will make your experience with Ubuntu better. If you are a new Ubuntu user, I also recommend reading this getting started guide with Ubuntu that will help you to understand Ubuntu and use it easily.
Things to do after installing Ubuntu 17.10
Just to be clear, what to do after installing Ubuntu 17.10 depends upon you, the user. If you are into graphics design, you’ll like to install plenty of Linux graphics tools. If you are into Linux gaming, you might look for installing more Linux games and configuring your graphics card for that. If you are into programming, you would want to install programming tools, editors, IDEs etc.
So, let’s begin with the written list of things to do after installing Ubuntu 17.10:
1. Update your system
Whenever you do a fresh install of Ubuntu, update the system. It may sound strange because you just installed a fresh OS but still, you must run the updater. I have experienced that if you don’t update the system right after installing Ubuntu, you might face issues while trying to install a new program. You may even see fewer applications to install. To update your system, press Super Key (Windows Key) to launch the Activity Overview and look for Software Updater. Run this program. It will look for available updates. Install them.
Alternatively, you can use the following command in the terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T):
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade2. Enable Canonical Partner repositories
Another must do thing is to enable Canonical Partner repositories. Ubuntu has a number of software available from its repositories. You can find them in the Software Center. But you get even more software in the Software Center if you enable the Canonical Partner repositories. This additional repository consists of third-party software, often proprietary stuff, that have been tested by Ubuntu. Go to Activity Overview by pressing Super Key (Windows key), and look for Software & Updates: 
3. Install media codecs
By default, Ubuntu doesn’t provide a number of media codecs because of copyright issues. But it does provide an easy way to install these media codecs so that you could play MP3, MPEG4, AVI and a number of other media files. You can install these media codecs thanks to Ubuntu Restricted Extra package. Click on the link below to install it from the Software Center. Install Ubuntu Restricted Extras
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras4. Install software from the Software Center
Once you have upgraded the system and installed the codecs, it’s time to install some software. If you are rather new to Ubuntu, I suggest reading this detailed beginner’s guide to installing software in Ubuntu. Basically, there are various ways to install software in Ubuntu. The easiest, most convenient and most reliable way is to use the Software Center to find and install new software. You can open the Software Center to look for software to install in this graphical tool.
- VLC media player for videos
- GIMP – Photoshop alternative for Linux
- Shutter – Screenshot application
- Calibre – eBook management tool
- Chromium – Open Source web browser
- Kazam – Screen Recorder Tool
- Gdebi – Lightweight package installer for .deb packages.
You can also refer to this list of must-have Linux applications for more software recommendations.
5. Install software from the web
You’ll find plenty of applications in the Software Center. But you’ll also find that many applications are not included in the Software Center despite the fact that they support Linux. Actually, a number of software vendors package their software in .deb format that can be easily installed in Ubuntu. You can download the .deb files from their official websites and install them by double-clicking on it. Some of the main software that I download and install from the web are:
- Chrome web browser
- Slack communication tool
- Dropbox cloud storage service
- Skype (the new beta version)
- Viber instant messenger
6. Tweak the look and feel of Ubuntu 17.10
Ubuntu 17.10 uses GNOME desktop environment. While the default setup looks good, it doesn’t mean you cannot change it.
In the System Settings, you can change the wallpaper of the desktop and the lock screen, you can change the position of the dock (launcher on the left side), change power settings, Bluetooth etc. In short, you can find many settings that you can change as per your need. Remember that there is no “set to default” button here so try to keep a track of changes you make to your system.
sudo apt install gnome-tweak-tool
7. Prolong your battery and prevent overheating
One of the best ways to prevent overheating in Linux laptops is to use TLP. Just install TLP and forget it. It works wonder in controlling CPU temperature and thus prolonging your laptops’ battery life in long run. You can install it using the command below in a terminal:
sudo apt install tlp tlp-rdwOnce installed, run the command below to start it:
sudo tlp startNo need for any configuration changes (you can do that if you know what you are doing). It will be automatically started with each boot and tweak your system’s power consumption.
8. Save your eyes with Nightlight
9. Moving back to Xorg from Wayland (if needed)
I have separately discussed moving back to Xorg from Wayland in Ubuntu 17.10. As Ubuntu 17.10 moves away from the legacy Xorg display server, not all desktop applications are compatible with the new Wayland display server.
To switch to Xorg from Wayland, log out of your system, at the login screen, click the gear icon and select Ubuntu on Xorg option:
What do you do after installing Ubuntu?
That was my suggestions for getting started with Ubuntu. Now it’s your turn. What steps do you recommend as things to do after installing Ubuntu 17.10? The comment section is all yours. Read More
Increase your network security – Deploy a honeypot
Deploying a honeypot system on your internal network is a proactive measure that enables you to immediately detect an intruder before any data is damaged or stolen.
Have you ever wondered how a hacker breaks into a live system? Would you like to keep any potential attacker occupied so you can gather information about him without the use of a production system? Would you like to immediately detect when an attacker attempts to log into your system or retrieve data? One way to see and do those things is to deploy a honeypot. It’s a system on your network that acts as a decoy and lures potential hackers like bears get lured to honey. Honeypots do not contain any live data or information, but they can contain false information. Also, a honeypot should prevent the intruder from accessing protected areas of your network. A properly configured honeypot should have many of the same features of your production system. This would include graphical interfaces, login warning messages, data fields, etc. An intruder shouldn’t be able to detect that he is on a honeypot system and that his actions are being monitored.
Benefits of a honeypot system
Many organization wonder why they should spend money and time setting up a system that will attract hackers. With all the many benefits of a honeypot, however, the real question should be why you have not already set one up. A honeypot’s most significant value is based on the information that it obtains and can immediately alert on. Data that enters and leaves a honeypot allows security staff to gather information that is not available from an intrusion detection system (IDS). An attacker’s keystrokes can be logged during a session, even if encryption was used to establish it. Also, any attempts to access the system can trigger immediate alerts. An IDS requires published signatures to detect an attack, but it will often fail to detect a compromise that is not known at the time. Honeypots, on the other hand, can detect vulnerabilities based off the attacker’s behavior that the security community may not be aware of. These are often called zero-day exploits. The data collected by honeypots can be leveraged to enhance other security technologies. You can correlate logs generated from a honeypot with other system logs, IDS alerts and firewall logs. This can produce a comprehensive picture of suspicious activity within an organization and enable more relevant alerts to be configured that can produce fewer false positives. Another benefit of a honeypot is that once attackers enter the system, it can frustrate them and cause them to stop attacking the organization’s network. The more time spent in the honeypot means less time spent on your production system.
Design and operation of a honeypot
There are variety of operating systems and services a honeypot can use. A high-interaction honeypot can provide a complete production-type system that the attacker can interact with. On the other end is a low-interaction honeypot that simulates specific functions of a production system. These are more limited, but they’re useful for obtaining information at a higher level. In my experience, the high-interaction honeypot is the most beneficial because it can completely simulate the production environment. However, it requires the most time to deploy and configure. It is critical to have proper alerting configured for your honeypot. You should have logs for all devices in the honeypot sent to a centralized logging server, and security staff should be paged whenever an attacker enters the environment. This will enable staff to track the attacker and closely monitor the production environment to make sure it is secure. It is important your honeypot system is attractive to a potential attacker. It should not be as secure as your production system. It should have ports that respond to port scans, have user accounts and various system files. Passwords to fake accounts should be weak, and certain vulnerable ports should be left open. This will encourage the attacker to go into the honeypot environment versus the live production environment. Attackers typically attack the less secure environment before going to one that has stronger defenses. This allows security staff to learn how hackers bypass the standard controls, and afterwards they can make any required adjustments. You can deploy a physical or virtual honeypot. In most cases, it is best to deploy a virtual honeypot because it is more scalable and easier to maintain. You can have thousands of honeypots on just one physical machine, plus virtual honeypots are usually less expensive to deploy and more easily accessible.
Honeypot on internal network protects against insider threats
Honeypots can also protect an organization from insider threats. According to the 2016 Cyber Security Intelligence Survey, IBM found that 60% of all attacks were carried by insiders. A honeypot should be deployed within your internal network and only a minimal number of employees should know the system exists. Internal deployment is preferred over external due to the larger number of attacks carried by insiders and the fact that many hackers prefer to establish command-and-control servers for communication to compromised servers on the internal network. Honeyd is an open-source tool used for creating honeypots. It is a daemon that can be used to create many virtual hosts. You can configure each host differently and run a variety of services on them. They can be configured to run on different operating systems. You can set up real HTTP servers, FTP servers and run Linux applications on it. It is also enables you to simulate various network topologies. Honeypots have been used mostly by researchers to study the tactics and techniques of attackers. But as I explained earlier, they can be very useful to defenders as well. It is time for more organizations to consider using them as a proactive way to protect their network. The benefits of deploying them far outweigh the costs for organizations that manage a significant amount of sensitive data. Read More