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Fix grammar in Linux page

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Signed-off-by: samsepi0l <74207682+d4rklynk@users.noreply.github.com>
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samsepi0l 2022-07-18 06:52:07 +00:00 committed by Tommy
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10
content/os/Linux Insecurities.md
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@ -12,9 +12,9 @@ There is already a very in-depth technical blog explaining the various security
## Why is Linux used on servers if it is so insecure? ## Why is Linux used on servers if it is so insecure?
On servers, while most of the problems referenced in the article still exists, they are somewhat less problematic. On servers, while most of the problems referenced in the article still exist, they are somewhat less problematic.
On Desktop Linux, GUI applications run under your user, and thus have access to all of your files in `/home`. This is in contrast to how system daemons typically run on servers, where they have their own group and user. For example, NGINX will run under `nginx:nginx` on Red Hat distributions, or `www-data:www-data` on Debian based ones. Discreationary Access Control does help with filesystem access control for server processes, but is useless for desktop applications. On Desktop Linux, GUI applications run under your user, and thus have access to all of your files in `/home`. This is in contrast to how system daemons typically run on servers, where they have their own group and user. For example, NGINX will run under `nginx:nginx` on Red Hat distributions, or `www-data:www-data` on Debian based ones. Discretionary Access Control does help with filesystem access control for server processes, but is useless for desktop applications.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Mandatory Access Control is also somewhat effective on servers, as commonly run system daemons are confined. In contrast, on desktop, there is virtually no AppArmor profile to confine even regularly used apps like Chrome or Firefox, let alone less common ones. On SELinux systems, these apps run in the UNCONFINED SELinux domain. Another thing to keep in mind is that Mandatory Access Control is also somewhat effective on servers, as commonly run system daemons are confined. In contrast, on desktop, there is virtually no AppArmor profile to confine even regularly used apps like Chrome or Firefox, let alone less common ones. On SELinux systems, these apps run in the UNCONFINED SELinux domain.
@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ Even on macOS, where the application sandbox is opt-in for developers, there is
On Linux, it is quite the opposite. Out of the box, most systems only have a few system daemons confined. Some Linux distributions don't even have a Mandatory Access Control system at all. Applications are designed in an environment where they expect to be able to do whatever they want, and the app sandboxes/mandatory access control system are merely an afterthought trying to restrict an app to only access what it expects to be accessible. On Linux, it is quite the opposite. Out of the box, most systems only have a few system daemons confined. Some Linux distributions don't even have a Mandatory Access Control system at all. Applications are designed in an environment where they expect to be able to do whatever they want, and the app sandboxes/mandatory access control system are merely an afterthought trying to restrict an app to only access what it expects to be accessible.
This is reflected in the under utilization of the [Portals API](https://docs.flatpak.org/en/latest/portal-api-reference.html) as an example. Portals is designed to be an API where apps have to prompt the user to access their files (through the File Manager) or their microphone and camera. Unfortunately, the vast majority of apps are not designed with this in mind, and expect direct access to the filesystem, pulseaudio socket or the entire /dev. As a result, Flatpak maintainers often opt to have extremely laxed permissions to the point where they have to grant `filesystem=home`, `filesystem=host`, `socket=pulseaudio` or `devices=all`, otherwise apps will break and give users a bad experience. This is reflected in the under utilization of the [Portals API](https://docs.flatpak.org/en/latest/portal-api-reference.html) as an example. Portals is designed to be an API where apps have to prompt the user to access their files (through the File Manager) or their microphone and camera. Unfortunately, the vast majority of apps are not designed with this in mind, and expect direct access to the filesystem, pulseaudio socket or the entire /dev. As a result, Flatpak maintainers often opt to have extremely lax permissions to the point where they have to grant `filesystem=home`, `filesystem=host`, `socket=pulseaudio` or `devices=all`, otherwise apps will break and give users a bad experience.
To make matters worse, some system daemons are not designed with permission control in mind at all. For example, PulseAudio does not have any concept of audio in or out permission. Thus, the user is often left with only the choice of granting an app access to the socket or not. If they want to block microphone access, they have to block access to the socket, and thus break audio playback in the process. If they do want an auudio playback, then they have to allow access to the PulseAudio socket, which in turns give an app unrestricted access to record them at any moment. To make matters worse, some system daemons are not designed with permission control in mind at all. For example, PulseAudio does not have any concept of audio in or out permission. Thus, the user is often left with only the choice of granting an app access to the socket or not. If they want to block microphone access, they have to block access to the socket, and thus break audio playback in the process. If they do want an audio playback, then they have to allow access to the PulseAudio socket, which in turns give an app unrestricted access to record them at any moment.
The only way to systematically fix this problem is to design a whole new system from stratch with a permission model like that of Android in mind. And even when that happens, it will take substantial work to get developers to develop their apps for said system. The only way to systematically fix this problem is to design a whole new system from scratch with a permission model like that of Android in mind. And even when that happens, it will take substantial work to get developers to develop their apps for said system.