Destination Linux

Welcome to Episode 458 of Destination Linux! This week, the crew is joined by special guest co-host Craig Rowland of Sandfly Security for a deep dive into the shifting landscape of digital threats.

In our Security Scoop, we break down the massive IDMerit leak that exposed nearly 1 billion sensitive records and discuss the "industrialization" of malware. We explore how attackers are using LLMs to create "Vibeware" or malware written in exotic languages like Crystal and Nim to bypass traditional EDR signatures.

Jill takes us on a journey through her Top 5 Highlights from SCaLE 23x in Pasadena, featuring everything from meeting the creator of Lutris to preserving Linux history with "Maddog" and her SCaLE museum.

For those looking to de-Google their digital lives, Ryan reviews Ente.io, an open-source, end-to-end encrypted photo storage solution that uses local AI for facial recognition, keeping your memories private and secure without losing "smart" features.

Finally, we cover the latest in the Quickfire News with Zeb.

Show Notes:

Isaac's documentary trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch

Unordinary People podcast: https://youtube.com/@unordinary_people

Unordinary People podcast interview with Jill: https://youtu.be/1lmLuDTSLjU?si=mntitbm1Pqps3qU4

Sandfly Security: https://deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Use code code DESTINATION50 for 50% off

Security Scoup: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/1-billion-identity-records-exposed-in-id-verification-data-leak/ar-AA1YlJs4

Mathew's SCaLE article: https://matthewplascencia.substack.com/p/penguins-penguins-everywhere-scale?triedRedirect=true

Interview on Destination Linux with Yuning Liang from DeepComputing and RISC-V: https://youtu.be/1YoXdfGtPpw

Interviews on Destination Linux with Jon "Maddog" Hall, Linux Legend:

https://youtu.be/90N6oWIkDZI

https://youtu.be/9WBd8ISmtuI

Encrypted Cloud Photo Solution: https://ente.io/

Steam user numbers: https://www.techspot.com/news/111663-game-developers-cash-steam-sees-5863-titles-earn.html

Linux 7.0-rc3 is big: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.0-rc3

New SuperTux: https://www.phoronix.com/news/SuperTux-0.7-Released

And become a patron at https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Support the show at https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

Destination Linux website: https://deviantairwaves.com/ to get the links to listen to Destination Linux on your favorite podcasting apps, or the videos on YouTube, to support us, and to keep those Linux penguins marching!

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:01:29 Community Feedback: The Kdenlive Documentary

00:06:25 Sponsored by Sandfly Security

00:09:17 Security Scoop with Craig: Ericsson & Agentless EDR

00:15:51 IDMerit Leak: 1 Billion Records Exposed

00:22:14 AI-Assisted Malware & "Vibeware"

00:34:10 SCaLE 23x Highlights: Part 1

00:40:27 Meeting Viewers at SCaLE

00:52:07 Linux 7.0-rc3 Released

00:58:17 Steam Statistics & Record Growth

01:04:17 SuperTux 0.7.0 Released

01:06:25 Closing Remarks

Linux #opensource #podcast #security

cybersecurity #infosec

SandflySecurity #SCaLE23x #gaming
Special Guest: Craig Rowland.

Is there a way to use the web without being the product? In Episode 457, the Destination Linux team explores the growing world of decentralized networks and alternative internet protocols. From federated solutions to mesh-style connectivity, we discuss how users are reclaiming their digital sovereignty.

We also dive into the "Local First" movement with Jan, an open-source tool that allows you to run powerful AI models entirely offline. No subscriptions, no data mining, just pure local compute.

In the news, we break down the latest corporate shakeup: SUSE is for sale again. We analyze what this means for the enterprise Linux landscape and the community. We also share our "Hidden Gem" open-source apps, including the multi-track video editor Flowblade, and see who survives Zeb’s Quickfire Revenge.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 - Welcome to the Underworld of Tech (DL 457)

00:01:46 - The Fight Against ID Verification

00:15:02 - Hidden Gems: Top Secret Open Source Apps

00:25:51 - Local AI: Keeping Your Data Off the Grid with Jan

00:27:30 - Deep Dive: Decentralized Networks & The Secret Internet

00:43:55 - SUSE For Sale: The Corporate Cycle Continues

01:05:23 - Steam Report: Is Linux Gaming the New Standard?

01:08:52 - Zeb’s Revenge: The Quickfire Round

01:14:48 - Final Thoughts & Community Mission

Welcome to Episode 456 of Destination Linux! This week, Ryan and Jill are joined by guest hosts Zebedee Boss and Nate (CubicleNate) to break down a massive week for mobile privacy and modular hardware.

The Privacy Breakthrough: Ryan’s prediction comes true as Motorola and GrapheneOS announce an official partnership. We discuss what this means for the "ThinkPhone" line, the end of Pixel exclusivity, and the future of de-Googled mobile devices in the enterprise and government sectors.

Hardware Innovation: Nate takes us through the Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC. With a detachable secondary OLED screen and swappable I/O tiles, is Lenovo finally taking a page out of the Framework playbook? Plus, we look at the "AI" marketing fatigue and the potential for Linux compatibility on this unique form factor.

The Policy Battle: Zeb dives into the heated debate surrounding California’s AB 1043 and its impact on Linux distributions. We examine the cautious responses from Canonical and Fedora, and the "ultimatum" issued by community members on the Ubuntu mailing list regarding age-verification code.

Smarter Updates: Jill explains how Ubuntu 26.04 "Resolute Raccoon" is splitting its massive 600MB firmware package into 17 vendor-specific pieces to save your bandwidth and reduce server strain.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:20 Community Feedback: The "Algonet" and the Death of the Old Internet

00:16:36 New Patron Shout Out

00:19:20 GrapheneOS & Motorola Partner Up: The End of Pixel Exclusivity

00:30:00 Lenovo ThinkBook Modular AI PC: Detachable Screens & Swappable I/O

00:43:00 Age Verification Drama: Ubuntu and Fedora’s Legal Crossroads

01:15:00 Ubuntu 26.04 Firmware Split: Faster Updates for Everyone

Welcome to episode 455 of Destination Linux! This week, Ryan and Jill are tackling one of the biggest emerging threats to your online privacy: mandatory ID verification. Ryan delivers a massive, impassioned call to action on why we must protect our digital anonymity and push back against these invasive policies before it's too late.

But that's not all! We’re also discussing Proton's surprising move away from Switzerland and what it means for your secure data. Plus, we dive into Intel's latest push for Linux gaming, explore some fantastic file-sharing applications, and talk about our excitement for the upcoming Southern California Linux Expo (SCaLE). Grab your favorite beverage, pull up a chair, and let's get into the latest in Linux and open source!

Head to deviantairwaves.com to become a Patron and support the show

Chapters / Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:01:22 Community Feedback on Matrix

00:03:00 The Threat of ID Verification

00:18:04 Supporting Our Patrons

00:19:36 Exploring File Sharing Apps

00:29:14 The Southern California Linux Expo

00:33:41 Intel's Focus on Linux Gaming

00:41:00 Proton's Move from Switzerland

00:55:34 Thank You and Community Engagement

The "Modern Firefox" has arrived, but is it secure?

In this episode of Destination Linux, we explore the Zen Browser, a gorgeous, privacy-respecting fork of Firefox that’s modernizing the web with vertical tabs and split views. But beauty isn’t everything, so we brought in the ultimate defense specialist, Craig Rowland from Sandfly Security, to help us navigate the increasingly hostile digital landscape.

From AI-driven phishing attacks to the Notepad++ supply chain breach, Craig gives us a masterclass in "agentless" security and how to stay safe without bloating your system. We also break down Linux Kernel 6.19, featuring a 40% performance boost for older AMD hardware and the path toward stable HDR on the Linux desktop.

Grab your favorite beverage, put down that USB drive, and let’s get started!

Chapters

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:01:07 Community Feedback

00:07:57 Security Scoop with Craig

00:08:30 Browser Extensions and Security

00:16:41 Agentic AI and Privacy Concerns

00:26:28 Notepad's Security Vulnerabilities

00:30:42 Notepad++ Supply Chain Attack

00:35:52 Linux Kernel 6.19 Updates

00:48:04 Exploring the Zen Browser

00:55:39 Closing Thoughts and Thanks

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Special Guest: Craig Rowland.