• Murdo Maclachlan@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1601·
    1 year ago

    Image Transcription: Meme

    [Gru, the long-nosed protagonist of the “Despicable Me” franchise, presents to the camera, pointing into the air and smiling. Behind him is a flipchart with text reading:]

    And the best part about using Linux: No viruses!

    [Still presenting, Gru has his hand in a C shape and his head down as he peers at the gap between his fingers. The text now reads:]

    Look at this, a website downloaded a malicious .exe on my machine.

    [Gru now has his hands pointing down, fingers splayed, still presenting. The text now reads:]

    *Double Click*

    See? Nothing happe…

    [Gru looks back to the flipchart in a double-take, his eyes round and wide and his mouth downturned. The text still reads:]

    *Wine is launching*

    [The Wine logo: a slightly tipped wine glass with red wine sloshing inside it.]

    I am a human who transcribes posts to improve accessibility on Lemmy. Transcriptions help people who use screen readers or other assistive technology to use the site. For more information, see here.

    • HeyThisIsntTheYMCA@lemmy.worldEnglish
      33·
      1 year ago

      Oh gods I’m tired. I read:

      Image Transcription: Meme

      And saw the line break and thought “Wow. That was a good transcription.” I think I need to go back to bed.

    • paol
      3·
      1 year ago

      Does Lemmy not support alt text? I can’t add alt text from Infinity for Lemmy; is that because Lemmy doesn’t support it or just my client? Because they really should.

      • Murdo Maclachlan@lemmy.worldEnglish
        10·
        1 year ago

        As far as I’m aware, Lemmy unfortunately does not provide the option to add alt text to images. Hopefully that will change, though!

          • Murdo Maclachlan@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            1 year ago

            I didn’t know you could do that!

            From what I can see, this means you can add alt text to images you embed using markdown. However, directly uploaded images in posts don’t seem to have a way to directly add alt text that I can find. You can add a transcription in the text body, but it’s not quite as accessible as pure alt text because screen readers won’t read it automatically when the image gets focused.

            Possibly you could embed an image in the text body and upload that like a text post, and that way use the markdown to add the alt text, but that would require the image is already hosted somewhere in the internet.

        • paol
          2·
          1 year ago

          Oof that sucks. Thank you for answering :)

      • d_k_bo@feddit.de
        2·
        1 year ago

        It would be great if it had proper alt text. But since an image post can have an additional text body you can put an image description there. I guess it’s a good idea to wrap it in a spoiler/<details> element.

        Image description

        Gru…

        ::: spoiler Image description

Gru…
:::

        </details>

  • cdegallo@lemmy.world
    1334·
    1 year ago

    I feel like, for some weird reason, nobody on lemmy knows how meme templates are supposed to be used.

  • Pyro@lemmy.worldEnglish
    95·
    1 year ago

    This happened to me not long ago when I found a monero miner running on my laptop. Being a highly technical person, I feel unbounded shame.

      • Pyro@lemmy.worldEnglish
        22·
        1 year ago

        It was pretty easy to spot in htop since it had really high CPU usage. Plus, the command line args it launched with included the word “Monero” multiple times, so that was a bit of a giveaway haha

        • Tangent5280@lemmy.world
          1·
          1 year ago

          I sometimes leave my laptop on, but the monitor turned off when I go to sleep. Sometimes when I wake up, the fans on the laptop will be running full speed, which dies down soon after I turn the monitor on and use the laptop for a little while. Do you think this might be a symptom of some covertware running on my laptop?

          • Pyro@lemmy.worldEnglish
            1·
            1 year ago

            Perhaps.

            There may be easier ways to test for this, but what comes to mind is if you install your current OS again on another partition and then leave it as you usually do, and see if the fans do the same thing. If they do, it might just be a fault with the fan control or sleep state or something.

            If it doesn’t happen, I’d assume something fishy is going on. Maybe try and set up a script to log your CPU usage and what’s using the most every few minutes. That might catch something?
            I’ve just now had another thought. If it’s trying to be covert, maybe just leave your task manager / htop open and don’t touch anything for a while, it might think you’re afk and start running again. If it doesn’t, it could be checking to see if common monitoring tools are running and stopping itself to avoid detection, if that’s the case you’ll have to be a bit smarter about trying to catch it.

            tl;dr Maybe. Run a virus scan if you can, or try and find it yourself if you think you can. If all else fails, nuke the OS and start again.

            • Tangent5280@lemmy.world
              1·
              1 year ago

              That makes sense. In the end I guess it depends on what level any malware expects the user to search for it on. Thanks.

      • And009@reddthat.com
        3·
        1 year ago

        I might be able to find a weird service or background app at most. Figuring out what is actually happening is beyond me.

    • havokdj@lemmy.world
      8·
      1 year ago

      Was it still through WINE? I’d feel bad for the miner as well as it likely couldn’t have done the MSR mod so low hashrate lol.

  • nitefox@lemmy.world
    87·
    1 year ago

    “Well no problem, they can’t run without root privileges!” -/home left the game

  • PutangInaMo@lemmy.world
    483·
    1 year ago

    You really don’t think Linux has viruses? I’m confused by this post. Is it an excuse to shit on wine and windows?

    • fidodo@lemmy.world
      522·
      1 year ago

      They’re super rare. I’ve not gotten one once in decades, whereas I’ve encountered countless viruses on Windows. Linux is more secure, but also it’s just a smaller target. Best way to avoid viruses is to use an OS nobody else wants to use *taps head

      • PutangInaMo@lemmy.world
        274·
        1 year ago

        I think you have a false sense of security with regards to Linux vulnerabilities and exploitations. There are dozen of known exploits throughout the Linux ecosystem that are publicly disclosed frequently.

        What makes you think Linux is more secure than windows? I’m not trying to start an argument here I’m just curious.

        • fidodo@lemmy.world
          12·
          1 year ago

          I find the Linux ecosystem has far better updating mechanisms than Windows and it doesn’t have as much backwards compatibility cruft as Windows. That and the open source nature I think is better at having exploits uncovered. I’m not saying Linux is perfectly secure, but that it’s more secure than Windows. But I think the biggest reason it’s less likely to get viruses is just that it’s a smaller target and that hackers aren’t spending as much time trying to attack it, plus the users are more tech savvy meaning any attacks will be less lucrative.

          • Freesoftwareenjoyer@lemmy.world
            31·
            1 year ago

            it’s a smaller target and that hackers aren’t spending as much time trying to attack it

            It’s the most popular server system, so I’m not so sure about that.

            • fidodo@lemmy.world
              4·
              1 year ago

              The target user base is much smaller. Most viruses are spread through user error and server administrators are far more competent than a typical OS user. Also, typical server exploits lead to exposing credentials rather than spreading viruses.

              • Freesoftwareenjoyer@lemmy.world
                2·
                1 year ago

                Software is usually installed from repositories and not random websites, so there is less room for user error in general. Even if you download an executable file, you will most likely have to give it permissions to run first. So I think it’s more immune to viruses not because of its users, but because of the way it’s designed.

          • PutangInaMo@lemmy.world
            23·
            1 year ago

            Open source can be a double edged sword for that but I dig it.

            I think dependencies in Linux packages does cause a lot of issues but that’s mostly on air gaped networks, and even still manageable.

            Sizing the target depends on what threat actors are involved though so those broad stroke statements don’t hold up well in reality, from my Experience.

        • taladar@sh.itjust.works
          9·
          1 year ago

          Not sure what their answer is but not delaying security fixes until some fixed monthly date would be my answer.

          • AspieEgg@lemmy.blahaj.zone
            4·
            1 year ago

            To be fair, critical security patches for Windows are often delivered out of band (not on patch Tuesday). And malware definitions for Defender are daily.

            Not trying to defend Microsoft entirely, but not everything is delayed until their monthly update schedule.

          • PutangInaMo@lemmy.world
            42·
            1 year ago

            To be fair if it’s scored high enough there are usually workarounds posted and supported to hold you over for patch Tuesday.

            I’ve done patch management on both platforms and find the predictability easier to manage. But that’s not home use so grain of salt stuff.

        • Freesoftwareenjoyer@lemmy.world
          3·
          1 year ago

          GNU/Linux is Libre Software, so that already makes it more secure, because anyone can actually verify what it does and modify it if needed. This means that users are really in control of what the operating system does. It’s difficult to verify what Windows does, but we know that it contains spyware, which isn’t easy to remove.

          Installing software from a repository is also safer than downloading it from random websites.

          When some library like OpenSSL has a vulnerability, you will get a new version with system updates and all programs will start using that patched version. On Windows usually each program has to have its own update mechanism or it will be stuck with old libraries.

        • ipkpjersi
          3·
          1 year ago

          There’s a difference between exploits and malicious software (even though malicious software often makes use of exploits, it is different). I am willing to bet there is way way more malicious software written for Windows than Linux, simply because there’s way more Windows users than Linux users and there’s way more Windows software than Linux software.

          • PutangInaMo@lemmy.world
            21·
            1 year ago

            Yeah that’s true. But I say false sense of security because that’s what happened to Apple back in the day and they got caught with their pants down lol

        • madcaesar@lemmy.world
          10·
          1 year ago

          Getting a virus takes real effort. I feel like the whole virus debate is just 2000s hangover, and people never update their shit talking points.

          What is actually a threat are scams. Seniors being called, lied to and forced to compromise themselves. Those are the real viruses of 2023. And obviously 99% of seniors are on Windows.

        • nogrub@lemmy.world
          1·
          1 year ago

          yeah when you use your brain you don’t get viruses it better than any anti virus software

      • Tekchip@lemmy.worldEnglish
        5·
        1 year ago

        Getting tired of this smaller target narrative. On desktop, maybe. We don’t know for sure since most Linux doesn’t carry telemetry and one ISO download doesn’t mean one install.

        Also, Linux runs some insanely high percentage of the Internet (server, VM, container), IOT and mobile. For every individual who might own a hand full of computers there are 10’s, or perhaps hundreds, of Linux servers out there doing tasks for them. Virus and malware don’t only target desktops. There’s literally no larger target.

        • PlutoParty@programming.dev
          5·
          1 year ago

          I think when people say it is a smaller target for virii, they are talking about an actual virus such as ransomware, crypto miner, adware, trojans, etc. I have zero doubt these types of virii are more targeted on Windows platforms. Linux servers on the other hand are indeed going to be the largest target for exploits. The primary mechanism by which a Linux server is compromised is going to be via an exploit, not an actual virus. That’s not to say they don’t exist. I administer hundreds of Linux servers in several data centers. I don’t believe I’ve ever come across an actual virus in the last decade or so, but do deal with exploit and brute force attempts nonstop. Perhaps this is a matter of semantics. I don’t consider the tools and methods used to exploit systems as a virus.

    • rhythmicotter@midwest.socialEnglish
      136·
      1 year ago

      There are very few Linux viruses. With its low market share, it’s not a juicy target, or at least not desktop users.

        • Stelus42@lemmy.ca
          1·
          1 year ago

          Yeah, even if it IS true that it’s not juicy right now, doesn’t that mentality run directly contradictory to the desire for linux to become more popular? We’re trying to increase market share, so the “not a juicy target” idea is a very wreckless way of thinking.

      • AspieEgg@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
        6·
        1 year ago

        I disagree. Linux is run on a large number of servers. It may be a less tempting target for Trojan style malware, but exploits and vulnerabilities for Linux are very valuable since you can gain access to large amounts of valuable data.

    • Slotos@feddit.nl
      23·
      1 year ago

      It can still corrupt files. I knew that wine was the shut when I had to delete my wineprefix because Eve Online complained about corrupted file. Even better, a virus scanner would run and detect the malware.

    • Chickerino@feddit.nl
      6·
      1 year ago

      technically that is only true if the malware in question does something in the kernel or relies on an unimplemented wine api call, since a lot of malware is an infostealer or ransomware, its quite likely that it’ll work just fine under wine

  • dukk@programming.dev
    24·
    1 year ago

    I use Nix, so I’ll just reinstall my system if anything really bad ever happens. Sometimes I reinstall just because. My important files are on a delegate drive I have to manually mount, so I’m not too worried.

    • elscallr@lemmy.world
      121·
      1 year ago

      Take the next step, and write a simple ansible playbook to configure your installed applications and services. It looks a little complicated at first but it’s pretty easy.

      Then you just keep your playbook with your other files. When you decide to reinstall, you just install ansible then run it on your playbook. It’ll install and set up everything you add to your OS.

      • brian@programming.dev
        9·
        1 year ago

        NixOS really is the next step from an ansible setup like yours imo. It can and usually is a fully declarative and immutable system outside of your nix config and whatever personal files you have.

        • elscallr@lemmy.world
          5·
          1 year ago

          Yeah, I get that. I’m not about to trust NixOS for my production machines at work and since I already know Ansible it’s just as easy for me to manage my home machines the same way.

          • dukk@programming.dev
            3·
            1 year ago

            Of course it’s all personal preference, but I’ve been managing my dot files from the very beginning with nix(home manager). Never tried ansible, but, just like you, don’t really need to, as everything is already set up well in Nix(including all my configs for all my programs).

      • BartsBigBugBag@lemmy.tf
        2·
        1 year ago

        I only know the Ansible as the intergalactic communication system from Ursula K Le Guins novels, so this comment is too cool to me.

        • PraiseTheSoup@lemm.ee
          4·
          1 year ago

          That’s almost certainly where it came from. This might be hard to believe, but Linux devs are often huge nerds.

          • BartsBigBugBag@lemmy.tf
            2·
            1 year ago

            Oh I’m sure, that word isn’t used for a lot of other things. It’s neat how much anarchist and socialist lore is hidden inside of FOOS and Linux tech terminology, including the word Ansible. So refreshing compared to closed source devs unironically naming their products after murderous AI or what have you.

          • BartsBigBugBag@lemmy.tf
            1·
            1 year ago

            Ansible was indeed used by Orson Scott Card in his Ender’s series, about 20 or so years after it was first coined by Le Guin. Funny to think of someone reading such good novels as Ursula’s and still coming out of it a bigoted asshole.

    • seitanic@lemmy.sdf.org
      5·
      1 year ago

      One of the things I learned several years ago was how to set up my HD so that the system and home folder are on different partitions. It isn’t terribly hard to do, and every OS installer I’ve used gives you the option. It’s served me very well.

      • Llewellyn
        2·
        1 year ago

        What’s the purpose of having system and home folder on different positions?

        • seitanic@lemmy.sdf.org
          4·
          1 year ago

          You can easily install a new system if your system gets borked or you just want a new distro, and you won’t lose your files.

      • dukk@programming.dev
        1·
        1 year ago

        I don’t have a need for that atm(like I said, my laptop has a separate drive), but will look into that in case I ever need it in the future. My problem with this personally tho is that I share my drive between Windows and Linux, and Linux doesn’t exactly play well with NTFS. Sounds really cool however for having a multi boot Linux system, with all your files shared between distros.

  • Avid Amoeba@lemmy.ca
    21·
    1 year ago
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        • grue
          2·
          1 year ago

          WINE itself is open source, but it’s designed to facilitate the use of proprietary software. (This is because although it can be used to run open-source Windows software, best practice would be to recompile or port that stuff to Linux instead.)

          If proprietary software is often malware and WINE is designed to facilitate proprietary software, then WINE is designed to facilitate malware.

          (FWIW, I agree with the above statement, but use Wine anyway for a few games.)