mirror of
https://github.com/sunknudsen/privacy-guides.git
synced 2025-02-23 09:13:56 +00:00
265 lines
7.7 KiB
Markdown
265 lines
7.7 KiB
Markdown
<!--
|
||
Title: How to setup hardened Ubuntu environment on Intel computer
|
||
Description: Learn how to setup air-gapped and non-persistent Ubuntu environment running on Intel computer.
|
||
Author: Sun Knudsen <https://github.com/sunknudsen>
|
||
Contributors: Sun Knudsen <https://github.com/sunknudsen>
|
||
Reviewers:
|
||
Publication date: 2023-02-13T21:06:22.975Z
|
||
Listed: true
|
||
-->
|
||
|
||
# How to setup hardened Ubuntu environment on Intel computer
|
||
|
||
## Requirements
|
||
|
||
The following hardware is required.
|
||
|
||
- Computer [compatible](https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop) with Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS
|
||
- USB flash drive (used to create Ubuntu for desktops bootable installer, 4GB min)
|
||
- USB flash drive (used to install Ubuntu for desktops, 16GB min)
|
||
|
||
## Recommendations
|
||
|
||
Physically removing internal disk(s) and wireless interface(s) if not soldered to motherboard or disabling interface(s) using BIOS if soldered is recommended to strengthen data persistence and air gap hardening.
|
||
|
||
Installing Ubuntu for desktops on [datAshur PRO²](https://istorage-uk.com/product/datashur-pro2/) USB flash drive is recommended to enforce access control, data persistence and tamper resistance hardening.
|
||
|
||
## Bootable installer creation guide
|
||
|
||
### Step 1: install [Raspberry Pi Imager](https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/)
|
||
|
||
#### macOS
|
||
|
||
Go to https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/, download and install Raspberry Pi Imager.
|
||
|
||
#### Ubuntu (or other Debian-based OS)
|
||
|
||
> Heads-up: depends on [Qt](https://www.qt.io/).
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo add-apt-repository -y universe
|
||
|
||
$ sudo apt install -y rpi-imager
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 2: disable Raspberry Pi Imager [telemetry](https://github.com/raspberrypi/rpi-imager#telemetry)
|
||
|
||
#### macOS
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ defaults write org.raspberrypi.Imager.plist telemetry -bool NO
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
#### Ubuntu (or other Debian-based OS)
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ mkdir -p ~/.config/Raspberry\ Pi
|
||
|
||
$ cat << "EOF" > ~/.config/Raspberry\ Pi/Imager.conf
|
||
[General]
|
||
telemetry=false
|
||
EOF
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 3: download [Ubuntu for desktops](https://ubuntu.com/desktop)
|
||
|
||
> Heads-up: for additional security, [verify](https://ubuntu.com/tutorials/how-to-verify-ubuntu) Ubuntu for desktops download.
|
||
|
||
Go to https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop and download Ubuntu 22.04.1 LTS.
|
||
|
||
### Step 4: create Ubuntu for desktops bootable installer
|
||
|
||
Open “Raspberry Pi Imager”, click “CHOOSE OS”, then “Use custom”, select Ubuntu for desktops `.iso`, click “CHOOSE STORAGE”, select USB flash drive and, finally, click “WRITE”.
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
👍
|
||
|
||
## Installation guide
|
||
|
||
### Step 1 (optional): physically remove internal disk(s)
|
||
|
||
### Step 2 (optional): initialize datAshur PRO² and enable bootable mode (see product [documentation](https://istorage-uk.com/product-documentation/) for instructions)
|
||
|
||
### Step 3: insert both USB flash drives into computer
|
||
|
||
### Step 4 (if applicable): enable “Secure Boot” and disable “Boot Order Lock”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 5: boot to Ubuntu for desktops bootable installer and select “Try or Install Ubuntu”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 6: connect Ethernet cable or connect to Wi-Fi network
|
||
|
||
### Step 7: install Ubuntu
|
||
|
||
#### Click “Install Ubuntu”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Choose keyboard layout and click “Continue”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Select “Minimal installation” and click “Continue”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Select “Something else” and click “Continue”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Delete all partitions on USB flash drive on which Ubuntu for desktops is being installed
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Create 512MB EFI partition on USB flash drive on which Ubuntu for desktops is being installed
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Create ext4 partition and set mount point to `/` on USB flash drive on which Ubuntu for desktops is being installed
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Choose “Device for boot loader installation” and click “Install now”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Confirm changes about to be written to disk and click “Continue”
|
||
|
||
> WARNING: make sure changes only apply to USB flash drive on which Ubuntu for desktops is being installed.
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Choose timezone and click “Continue”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Choose credentials, select “Log in automatically” (optional) and click “Continue”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
#### Reboot
|
||
|
||
## Configuration guide
|
||
|
||
### Step 1: disable telemetry
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 2: run `update-manager` and click “Install Now”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 3: reboot
|
||
|
||
### Step 4 (if applicable): enable “Boot Order Lock”
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 5 (optional): center new windows
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ gsettings set org.gnome.mutter center-new-windows true
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 6 (optional): enable dark mode
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface color-scheme prefer-dark
|
||
|
||
$ gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface gtk-theme Yaru-dark
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 7: disable auto-mount
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount false
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 8: add `universe` APT repository
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo add-apt-repository -y universe
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 9: install `curl`, `libfuse2`, `overlayroot` and `zbar-tools`
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo apt install -y curl libfuse2 overlayroot zbar-tools
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 10 (if applicable): download [Superbacked](https://superbacked.com/) and allow executing `superbacked.AppImage` as program
|
||
|
||
#### Download Superbacked
|
||
|
||
> Heads-up: replace `ABCDEFGH` with your license code.
|
||
|
||
> Heads-up: for additional security, [verify](/faq/release-integrity) Superbacked download.
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ curl --fail --location --output ~/Desktop/superbacked.AppImage "https://superbacked.com/api/downloads/superbacked-std-x64-latest.AppImage?license=ABCDEFGH"
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
#### Allow executing `superbacked.AppImage` as program
|
||
|
||
Right-click “superbacked.AppImage”, click “Properties”, click “Permissions” and, finally, select “Allow executing file as program”.
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 11: set `ext4` and `vfat` filesystems to read-only
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo sed -i 's/errors=remount-ro/errors=remount-ro,noload,ro/g' /etc/fstab
|
||
|
||
$ sudo sed -i 's/umask=0077/umask=0077,ro/g' /etc/fstab
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 12: disable `fsck.repair`
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo sed -i 's/quiet splash/quiet splash fsck.repair=no/g' /etc/default/grub
|
||
|
||
$ sudo update-grub
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 13: set `overlayroot` to `tmpfs`
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo sed -i 's/overlayroot=""/overlayroot="tmpfs"/g' /etc/overlayroot.conf
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 14: clear Bash history
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ history -cw
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 15: reboot
|
||
|
||
> Heads-up: filesystem will be mounted as read-only following reboot.
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo systemctl reboot
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 16: shutdown
|
||
|
||
> Heads-up: filesystem is ready for optional hardware read-only hardening.
|
||
|
||
```shell-session
|
||
$ sudo systemctl poweroff
|
||
```
|
||
|
||
### Step 17 (optional): physically remove internal disk(s) and wireless interface(s) if not soldered to motherboard or disable interface(s) using BIOS if soldered
|
||
|
||

|
||
|
||
### Step 18 (optional): enable datAshur PRO² global read-only (see product [documentation](https://istorage-uk.com/product-documentation/) for instructions)
|
||
|
||
👍
|