SSH is a protocol that enables secure connections over unsecured networks. It supports the use of asymmetric encryption for user authentication. Private keys are kept locally, while public keys are stored on the remote machine.
The following configuration disables root logins on the remote machine. Only users belonging to the group ssh-users may establish a connection. Access to the remote machine is tied to the local user’s private key.
In this example, the name of the remote machine is debian-server, which has the address 192.168.1.10 on the network. sid is a user on debian-server, whereas bookworm is a user on the local machine. Choose an encryption passphrase to secure the private key that you will generate in Step 5.
On the remote machine
Step 1
Install the secure shell server with the following command:
$ sudo apt install --yes openssh-server
Step 2
If you are using ufw as a host-based firewall
Configure ufw to allow connections to the secure shell server.
$ sudo ufw limit ssh
If you are using firewalld as a host-based firewall
Configure firewalld to allow connections to the secure shell server.
When prompted to confirm the authenticity of the host debian-server, type yes and press [Enter].
The authenticity of host 'debian-server (192.168.1.10)' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is SHA256:C9RxLLVbvFwVJc0L4JHzcuHQSaPHJZe/GrRDvqy6rAG.
This key is not known by any other names.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])?
In the next step, enter the passphrase for your private key.
Enter passphrase for key '/home/bookworm/.ssh/id_ed25519-debian-server':
Step 9
On the remote machine, download a file to harden the ssh server. You are encouraged to inspect its contents.
In the next step, enter the passphrase for your private key.
Enter passphrase for key '/home/bookworm/.ssh/id_ed25519-debian-server':
Display the active configuration for the remote ssh server and verify its settings, paying particular attention to options for maxauthtries, permitrootlogin and passwordauthentication.
In the absence of an official client from Microsoft, the OneDrive Client for Linux connects your Debian or Ubuntu system to OneDrive Personal, OneDrive for Business, OneDrive for Office365, Sharepoint and other such deployments.
Step 1
Install the OneDrive Client from the Debian or Ubuntu repository.
Begin to connect the client to your OneDrive account.
$ onedrive --synchronize
You will be presented with a message similar to the following:
Configuring Global Azure AD endpoints
Authorize this app visiting:
https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/v2.0/authorize?client_id&scope=Files.ReadWrite%20Files.ReadWrite.all%20Sites.Read.All%Sites.ReadWrite.All%20offline_accessresponse_type=code&redirect_uri=https://login.microsoftonline.com/common/oauth2/nativeclient
Enter the response uri:
Copy or [Ctrl + Click] the URI beginning with https://login.microsoftonline.com/.
In a web browser
Use the URI from the previous step to sign into your Microsoft account. You will be redirected to a response URI displaying a blank page. Copy the response URI from the address field of your browser.
In the terminal
Paste the response URI into the terminal. On successful authentication, the OneDrive Client will connect to your Microsoft account and begin to download your data.
Initializing the Synchronization Engine …
Syncing changes from OneDrive …
Creating local directory:
Downloading file … done.
Uploading differences of ~/OneDrive
Uploading new items of ~/OneDrive
Step 3
After downloading your data to ~/OneDrive, validate the configuration of the client.
Currently available Espanso packages fail to install on Debian 12 because of unmet dependencies. Given that I depend on Espanso to expand text shortcuts and insert special characters, I was stuck on Debian 11. Until now!
The following instructions have also been tested with Debian 11.
After completing the installation, Espanso 2.2.0 for Wayland will be installed on your system and enabled for the current user.
If you want to receive status updates from your Debian or Ubuntu system in your inbox, you need to employ the help of a mail tansfer agent (MTA). nullmailer is a relay-only forwarding MTA that can be used as an alternative to more complex MTAs such as Exim, Sendmail or Postfix. Instructions for setting up Exim are available for comparison.
nullmailer can be configured to use Fastmail as a smarthost and hence ensure the deliverability of your messages. In principle, these instructions should also be applicable to service providers other than Fastmail.
In the following example configuration, debian is the hostname, bookworm the local username and linus.torvalds@fastmail.com the Fastmail username.
The usefulness of this project cannot be overstated.
Running the Syncthing stable channel
Syncthing is included in the Debian and Ubuntu repositories, respectively. These instructions are targeting the latest release of the Syncthing stable channel. It is therefore necessary to add the Syncthing repository to your list of APT sources.
In the following example, bookworm is the local username.
Step 1
Add the Syncthing release key for validation of packages downloaded from the Syncthing repository.
Cockpit is a web-based management tool for Linux systems. It aims to simplify management tasks while maintaining compatibility with other administration tools.
Step 1
Cockpit requires the use of the firewalld service to be able to make changes to your firewall rules.
If you are using ufw as a host-based firewall
Remove ufw before replacing it with firewalld.
$ sudo apt-get remove --purge --yes ufw
Install firewalld as a host-based firewall
Install firewalld and maintain ssh access as well as enabling cockpit to receive incoming connections.
By default, the Cockpit web console listens on port 9090 for connections. If you want to make changes from the default, use the following command to edit /etc/systemd/system/cockpit.socket.d/override.conf.
$ sudo systemctl edit cockpit.socket
The example below changes the web console port from 9090 to 9091 and restricts access to the localhost.
### Editing /etc/systemd/system/cockpit.socket.d/override.conf
### Anything between here and the comment below will become the new contents of the file
[Socket]
ListenStream=
ListenStream=127.0.0.1:9091
### Lines below this comment will be discarded
Use the following command for your changes to take effect.
If you installed Cockpit on the local machine and changed the listening port to 9091, you can now access the Cockpit web console on https://localhost:9091.
Debian GNU/Linux was first released in 1993 and has been under active developement ever since. Today, the Debian Project unites thousands of contributors from across the globe with the aim of producing “an operating system distribution that is composed entirely of free software”.
This guide is intended to assist those who are installing Debian for the first time. It offers a straightforward path to a GNOME desktop, albeit one with a smaller set of applications compared to the default. There are over 60000 official packages available for you to choose from and tailor Debian to your personal requirements.
Debian and the new package formats
Debian stable is, above all else, focused on the task of maintaining bug-free software packages. It is the reason why Debian, in over 30 years, has gained a reputation for being “like a rock in an ever-swirling sea of updates”. It is also the reason why Debian stable can never keep up with the latest versions.
Universal package formats, such as Flatpak, Snap or AppImage, are managed separately from conventional packaging systems and thus provide the end-user with added flexibility and choice. They solve the problem of stale distribution packages because newer versions can be installed without compromising the integrity of the underlying operating system.
Before you begin
In addition to a target computer, you need a reasonably fast connection to the Internet, preferably an Ethernet connection to your router and a bootable Debian CD image. If your laptop does not have an Ethernet port, consider using the Plugable USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet Adapter.
Depending on your acutal requirements, there are different Debian CD images to choose from. In all likelihood, you are following these instructions to install on x86-64 hardware, for which the debian-12.1.0-amd64-netinst.iso would be the correct choice. It supports Intel as well as AMD processors and “includes non-free firmware for extra support for some awkward hardware”.
After completing the installation, Debian GNU/Linux will be the only operating system on your computer.
Choose a hostname and a username for your setup. In the examples which follow, debian is used as the hostname and bookworm as the username. Just remember to make the substitutions when executing commands that reference either. Choose 1) an encryption passphrase to encrypt your storage device, 2) a user password to secure your user account, and 3) a root password to secure the root account.
Ensure that all of your data is safely backed up because formatting your storage device will erase all of its data.
Installing Debian GNU/Linux
If your computer uses the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) and you are unsure about which settings to use, you may wish to disable the Secure Boot option.
Step 1
After booting the system from the USB stick that you have prepared, continue by selecting the text based installer.
Step 2
Keep English as the language for the installation.
[!!] Select a language
Language: English
Step 3
Keep United States as the location for your system. This will also set United States as the default locale for the system environment. You will have an opportunity to set additional locales and adjust time zones at a later point during the installation.
[!!] Select your location
Country, territory or area: United States
Step 4
Use the keymap that is the correct one for your particular keyboard.
[!!] Configure the keyboard
Keymap to use: your keyboard
Step 5
You will likely be asked to select the primary network interface for use during the installation. If network autoconfiguration fails, go back to try another network interface.
[!!] Configure the network
Network configuration method:
Retry network autoconfiguration
Retry network autoconfiguration with a DHCP hostname
Configure network manually
Do not configure the network at this time
Go Back
Step 6
Set the hostname for your system. In this example, we use debian as the hostname.
[!] Configure the network
Hostname: debian
Continue
[!!] Partition disks
Partitioning method: Guided - use entire disk and set up encrypted LVM
Be careful to select the correct target device for your system.
[!!] Partition disks
Select disk to partition: your target disk for installation
Choose to keep all files in one partition.
[!] Partition disks
Partitioning scheme: All files in one partition (recommended for new users)
Now write the changes to disk.
[!!] Partition disks
Write the changes to disk and configure LVM?
Yes
You may skip the overwriting of the disk with random data by selecting Cancel. Be aware, however, that skipping this step will lessen the quality of the encryption.
Step 9
Enter your encryption passphrase.
[!!] Partition disks
Encryption passphrase: your encryption passphrase
Continue
Confirm your encryption passphrase.
[!!] Partition disks
Re-enter passphrase to verify: your encryption passphrase
Continue
Step 10
Use the available space for partitioning your disk.
[!!] Partition disks
Amount of volume group to use for guided partitioning: max
Continue
Step 11
Write the changes to disk.
[!!] Partition disks
Finish partitioning and write changes to disk
Confirm writing the changes to disk.
[!!] Partition disks
Write the changes to disks?
Yes
Step 12
You may be asked to scan additional installation media.
[!] Configure the package manager
Scan extra installation media?
No
Step 13
Select your archive mirror country from the list.
[!] Configure the package manager
Debian archive mirror country: your country
Select an archive mirror from the list. For the fastest downloads, use the site that is closest to you.
[!] Configure the package manager
Debian archive mirror: mirror closest to you
You probably won’t need to configure an HTTP proxy:
[!] Configure the package manager
HTTP proxy information (blank for none): leave empty
Continue
[!] Configuring popularity-contest
Participate in the package usage survey?
Yes
Step 15
Choose standard system utilities from the list of predefined software collections and deselect all other entries.
[!] Software selection
Choose software to install:
[ ] Debian desktop environment
[ ] GNOME
[*] standard system utilities
Continue
Step 16
You may be asked if you want to install the GRUB boot loader to your primary drive. Select your target disk from Step 8 as the drive for boot loader installation.
[!] Install the GRUB boot loader
Install the GRUB boot loader to your primary drive?
Yes
Step 17
Remove the installation media before booting into your new system.
[!!] Finish the installation
Installation complete
Continue
Step 18
Enter your encryption passphrase to boot into the system for the first time. In this example, the encrypted disk is labelled sda3_crypt.
Please unlock disk sda3_crypt: your encryption passphrase
Log into the system with your username and user password.
Debian GNU/Linux 12 debian tty1
debian login: bookworm
Password: your user password
Step 19
Set the password for the root user by entering the following command. You will be asked for your user password to obtain sudo privileges first.
$ sudo passwd root
Step 20
Install a minimal GNOME desktop.
$ sudo apt-get install --yes gnome-core
If you are installing into a virtual machine, use this additional command to enable copy and paste between the host and the guest.
$ sudo apt-get install --yes spice-vdagent
Step 22
Restart your system.
$ sudo reboot
Step 23
Enter your encryption passphrase to boot into the system.
Please unlock disk sda3_crypt: your encryption passphrase
Select Show Applications from the the panel at the bottom of the screen or press [Super + a] and open the Settings application. On most keyboards, the [Super] key is the one with the Windows logo printed on it. Continue by adding the following keyboard shortcuts:
From within the GNOME desktop, open Firefox ESR by using the shortcut [Super + b] and re-open these instructions at edafe.de/step25.
Open a terminal with the shortcut [Super + t] and, where applicable, use copy and paste to enter the commands set out on this page. Be careful not to miss any punctuation.
Step 26
Set the time zone for your area.
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure tzdata
Configuring tzdata
Geographic area: your area
Ok
Step 27
Configure locales for all the languages that your system is going to be used with. Use UTF-8 locales wherever possible.
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales
In this example, German and Japanese locales are generated in addition to the default locale for the system environment.
Configuring locales
Locales to be generated:
[*] de_DE.UTF-8 UTF-8
[*] en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8
[*] ja_JP.UTF-8 UTF-8
OK
Keep en_US.UTF-8 as the default locale for the system environment.
Configuring locales
Default locale for the system environment:
en_US.UTF-8
OK
Step 28
The Desktop was disabled in GNOME 3.28. This decision was not universally popular at the time. However, developers pointed to the fact that, as an unmaintained feature, it stood in the way of other improvements. The following command hides the now orphaned Desktop folder from view.
$ echo Desktop >> ~/.hidden
Step 29
Install additonal Debian packages to give you a functional GNOME desktop.
$ echo -e '\n# use Neofetch to display information about the system\nif [ -f /usr/bin/neofetch ]; then\n clear && neofetch;\nfi' >> ~/.bashrc&&source ~/.bashrc
Step 32
Enable the unattended installation of important upgrades.
$ sudo dpkg-reconfigure unattended-upgrades
Step 33
NOTE: If in Step 5 you selected a wireless interface as the primary network interface for use during the installation, you will need to re-authenticate after the next step.
$ sudo sed -i 's/managed=false/managed=true/' /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf&&sudo sed -i '/# The primary network interface/,$d' /etc/network/interfaces&&sudo reboot
By default, Debian installs the Extended Support Release (ESR) version of Firefox. The ESR receives crash fixes, security fixes and policy updates as needed. The flatpak, on the other hand, installs the Rapid Release version of Firefox. In contrast to the ESR, the Rapid Release receives major updates at least every four weeks. Both versions can be used concurrently and are available on your desktop as Firefox ESR and Firefox Web Browser, respectively.
Set Firefox Rapid Release as the default browser.
$ xdg-settings set default-web-browser org.mozilla.firefox.desktop
Consider using different themes to easily distinguish between the two versions.
“Before we get started, let me say this upfront: GNOME shell is not a traditional desktop and if you try to use it as one, you will not be very efficient.” AJ Reissig
“We wanted the book to be freely available (that is under the terms of a license compatible with the Debian Free Software Guidelines of course). There was a condition though: a liberation fund had to be completed to ensure we had a decent compensation for the work that the book represents. This fund reached its target of €25K in April 2012.” Raphaël Hertzog and Roland Mas hope that you will enjoy the book. debian-handbook.info
Ubuntu is a relatively new flavour of Linux. Since the release of ‘Warty Warthog’ in October 2004, it has become the most popular Linux distribution worldwide. Similar to its parent, Debian GNU/Linux, Ubuntu is based entirely on free software. It inherits outstanding package management and provides one-click access to thousands of downloadable applications. Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex) is the latest version and available for download from today. www.ubuntu.com