From 52caa0b75ffb62511e4f73317243258bfa24d701 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Francis Rowe <info@gluglug.org.uk> Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 23:49:14 +0100 Subject: Documentation: configuring_parabola.html Shows some basic post-install configuration steps for Parabola GNU/Linux-libre, as a follow up to encrypted_parabola.html which showed how to setup a fully encrypted Parabola system. --- docs/howtos/encrypted_parabola.html | 112 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------- 1 file changed, 87 insertions(+), 25 deletions(-) (limited to 'docs/howtos/encrypted_parabola.html') diff --git a/docs/howtos/encrypted_parabola.html b/docs/howtos/encrypted_parabola.html index b7f23593..c7a92105 100644 --- a/docs/howtos/encrypted_parabola.html +++ b/docs/howtos/encrypted_parabola.html @@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ Boot Parabola's install environment. <a href="grub_boot_installer.html">How to boot a GNU/Linux installer</a>. </p> + <p> + For this guide I used the 2013 09 01 image to boot the live installer and install the system. + </p> + <p> Parabola is much more flexible than Trisquel, but also more involved to setup. Use Parabola. It's 10 million times better than Trisquel. </p> @@ -44,18 +48,43 @@ for more info. </p> + <p> + <b>If you are using an SSD for this, make sure it's brand-new (or barely used). Or, otherwise, be sure that it never previously + contained plaintext copies of your data.</b> + </p> + <p> Wipe the MBR (if you use MBR):<br/> # <b>lsblk</b><br/> Your HDD is probably /dev/sda: - # <b>dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=446 count=1</b><br/> + # <b>dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/sda bs=446 count=1; sync</b><br/> Never use SeaBIOS! The MBR section can easily be changed with malicious code, which SeaBIOS will blindly execute. This guide is for libreboot with GRUB-as-payload only. </p> <p> Securely wipe the drive:<br/> - # <b>dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sda</b> + # <b>dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sda; sync</b><br/> + NOTE: If you have an SSD, only do this the first time. If it was already LUKS-encrypted before, + use the info below to wipe the LUKS header. Also, check online for your SSD what the recommended + erase block size is. For example if it was 2MiB:<br/> + # <b>dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/sda bs=2M; sync</b> + </p> + <p> + If your drive was already LUKS encrypted (maybe you are re-installing your distro) then + it is already 'wiped'. You should just wipe the LUKS header. + <a href="https://www.lisenet.com/2013/luks-add-keys-backup-and-restore-volume-header/">https://www.lisenet.com/2013/luks-add-keys-backup-and-restore-volume-header/</a> + showed me how to do this. It recommends to do the first 3MiB. Now, that guide is recommending putting zero there. I'm doing to use urandom. Do this:<br/> + # <b>head -c 3145728 /dev/urandom > /dev/sda; sync</b><br/> + (wiping the LUKS header is important, since it has hashed passphrases and so on. It's 'secure', but 'potentially' a risk). + </p> + <p> + <b> + If you do plan to use an SSD, make sure to read + <a href="https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Solid_State_Drives">https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Solid_State_Drives</a><br/> + Edit /etc/fstab later on when chrooted into your install. Also, read the whole article and keep all points in mind, adapting + them for this guide. + </b> </p> <p> @@ -197,30 +226,43 @@ Otherwise, refer to <a href="https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Configuring_Network">https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Configuring_Network</a>. You can test to see if internet is already working by pinging a few domains. </p> + <p> - The following is based on 'Verification of package signatures' in the Parabola install guide. Check there first to see if steps differ by now. - Now you have to update the default Parabola keyring. This is used for signing and verifying packages:<br/> - # <b>pacman -Sy parabola-keyring</b><br/> - It says that you you get GPG errors, it's probably an expired key so do:<br/> - # <b>pacman-key --populate parabola</b><br/> - # <b>pacman-key --refresh-keys</b><br/> - # <b>pacman -Sy parabola-keyring</b><br/> - To be honest, you should do the above anyway. Parabola has a lot of maintainers, and a lot of keys. Really!<br/> - Also, it says that if the clock is set incorrectly then you have to manually set the correct time (if keys are listed as expired because of it):<br/> - # <b>date MMDDhhmm[[CC]YY][.ss]</b> + I commented out all lines except the Server line for the UK Parabola server (main server) in <b>/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist</b> and then did:<br/> + # <b>pacman -Syy</b><br/> + # <b>pacman -Syu</b><br/> + # <b>pacman -Sy pacman</b> (and then I did the other 2 steps above, again)<br/> + In my case I did the steps in the next paragraph, and followed the steps in this paragraph again. + </p> + <p> + <troubleshooting><br/> + The following is based on 'Verification of package signatures' in the Parabola install guide.<br/> + Check there first to see if steps differ by now.<br/> + Now you have to update the default Parabola keyring. This is used for signing and verifying packages:<br/> + # <b>pacman -Sy parabola-keyring</b><br/> + It says that you you get GPG errors, it's probably an expired key so do:<br/> + # <b>pacman-key --populate parabola</b><br/> + # <b>pacman-key --refresh-keys</b><br/> + # <b>pacman -Sy parabola-keyring</b><br/> + To be honest, you should do the above anyway. Parabola has a lot of maintainers, and a lot of keys. Really!<br/> + Also, it says that if the clock is set incorrectly then you have to manually set the correct time <br/> + (if keys are listed as expired because of it):<br/> + # <b>date MMDDhhmm[[CC]YY][.ss]</b><br/> + I also had to install:<br/> + # <b>pacman -S archlinux-keyring</b><br/> + # <b>pacman-key --populate archlinux</b><br/> + In my case I saw some conflicting files reported in pacman, stopping me from using it.<br/> + I deleted the files that it mentioned + and then it worked. Specifically, I had this error:<br/> + <i>licenses: /usr/share/licenses/common/MPS exists in filesystem</i><br/> + I rm -rf'd the file and then pacman worked. I'm told that the following would have also made it work:<br/> + # <b>pacman -Sf licenses</b><br/> + </troubleshooting><br/> + </p> + <p> + I also like to install other packages (base-devel, compilers and so on) and wpa_supplicant/dialog are needed for wireless after the install:<br/> + # <b>pacstrap /mnt base base-devel wpa_supplicant dialog</b> </p> - - <h3>Install the base system</h3> - <p> - I commented out all lines except the Server line for the UK Parabola server (main server) in <b>/etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist</b> and then did:<br/> - # <b>pacman -Syu</b><br/> - I also had to upgrade pacman and then do the above again:<br/> - # <b>pacman -Sy pacman</b> - </p> - <p> - I also like to install other packages (base-devel, compilers and so on) and wpa_supplicant/dialog are needed for wireless after the install:<br/> - # <b>pacstrap /mnt base base-devel wpa_supplicant dialog</b> - </p> <h3>Configure the system</h3> <p> @@ -345,7 +387,7 @@ Or just delete it. Above it, put:<br/> <i>auth required pam_tally.so deny=2 unlock_time=600 onerr=succeed file=/var/log/faillog</i><br/> To unlock a user manually (if a password attempt is failed 3 times), do:<br/> - # <b>pam_tally --user --reset</b> + # <b>pam_tally --user <i>theusername</i> --reset</b> What the above configuration does is lock the user out for 10 minutes, if they make 3 failed login attempts. </p> <p> @@ -417,6 +459,10 @@ You could also create a menu entry to load /boot/vmlinuz-linux-libre-grsec and /boot/initramfs-linux-libre-grsec.img </p> + <p> + Personally, I opted to have the entry for linux-libre-grsec at the top, so that it would load by default. + </p> + <p> Above the 'Load Operating System' menu entry you should also add a GRUB password, like so: </p> @@ -469,6 +515,12 @@ password_pbkdf2 root grub.pbkdf2.sha512.10000.711F186347156BC105CD83A2ED7AF1EB97 # <b>pacman -S dmidecode</b> </p> + <p> + When done, deleted GRUB (remember, we only needed it for the <i>grub-mkpasswd-pbkdf2</i> utility; + GRUB is already part of libreboot, flashed alongside it as a <i>payload</i>):<br/> + # <b>pacman -R grub</b> + </p> + <hr/> <p> @@ -485,6 +537,16 @@ password_pbkdf2 root grub.pbkdf2.sha512.10000.711F186347156BC105CD83A2ED7AF1EB97 <a href="https://wiki.parabolagnulinux.org/User:GNUtoo/laptop">https://wiki.parabolagnulinux.org/User:GNUtoo/laptop</a> </p> +<hr/> + + <h2>Follow-up tutorial: configuring Parabola</h2> + <p> + <a href="configuring_parabola.html">configuring_parabola.html</a> shows my own notes post-installation. Using these, you can get a basic + system similar to the one that I chose for myself. You can also cherry pick useful notes and come up with your own system. + Parabola is user-centric, which means that you are in control. For more information, read <a href="https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/The_Arch_Way">The Arch Way</a> + (Parabola also follows it). + </p> + <hr/> <p> -- cgit v1.2.3-70-g09d2