Advanced Security Linux Mint Cinnamon Wayland setup

Last updated
Jun 1, 2026
How it's used?
For work or educational use
Operating system
Linux
Other operating system
Linux Mint 22.3 Zena Cinnamon Wayland
On-device encryption
Other full-disk drive encryption software
Log-in security
    • Biometrics (Windows Hello PIN, TouchID, Face, Iris, Fingerprint)
Security updates
Allow security updates and latest features
Update channels
Allow stable updates only
User Access Control
N/A - Linux / Mac / Other operating system
Smart App Control
N/A - Linux / Mac / Other operating system
Network firewall
Enabled
About WiFi router
TP-Link triband with IPv6 disabled, We use the three WIFI-networks seperately. The 2.4 Ghz is used for IoT-devices and guest (SPI-, NAT, ARP-filtering and intrusion detection enabled). The two 5 Ghz networks are for my wife and I (each uses his/her own) with additionally IP-MAC binding and MAC filtering enabled. I have set the e-mail log message level to critical events (acting as a rudimentary NIDS). The 5Ghz network has eternal lease time while 2.4 Ghz has short lease time (8 hours) and network partitioning enabled.
Real-time security
Non root user using build-in Linux sandboxing (AppArmor, Firejail, Flatpak) as extra protection layer.
Firewall security
Built-in Firewall for Mac/Linux
About custom security
  • Using only official package sources from verified publishers and de-installed all unused accessoires and applications.
  • Mildly hardened Linux by disabling P2P, remote access, old TLS versions and enabling ASLR system wide.
  • Created additional Firejail profiles with firecfg and reduced Flatpak permissions with flatseal.
  • Added OpenSnitch outbound application firewall to compliment inbound GuFW.
  • Installed logcheck with e-mail warning for security alerts & events
  • Using Wayland (experimental) on Cinnamon desktop.
  • Brave-Origin policies and site-pernissions.
Periodic malware scanners
When I receive files from others I scan them with Virus Total. My half yearly data backups to external USB are scanned with Microsoft Defender :cool:
Malware sample testing
I do not participate in malware testing
Environment for malware testing
None
Browser(s) and extensions
Brave-Origin with Brave adShield disabled and oly enabling Brave Ad-Shield for annpying websites: using my own extensions:
Secure DNS
  1. NextDNS in the Router with OISD and telemetry blocklists enabled (for IOT devices), allowing only common TopLevelDomains to connect.
  2. We use Quad9 as default DNS (at OS-level) for our Laptops and smartphones (to bypas router TLD firewall restrictions)
  3. Cloudflare Zero Trust Free plan (with malware protection) is used as DOH in browser with custom block page..
Desktop VPN
Proton VPN free for Linux on-demand (out of home). At home I have little use for VPN because our IP and IP location are changed regularly :-).
Password manager
Build-in (OS and Browser)
Maintenance tools
None
File and Photo backup
  • FreeFileSync quick on-demand backups to a partition on my internal SSD to which sandboxed utilities, desktop accessoires and applications have no access to.
  • The half yearly full backup saves to an external USB-SSD which is checked (afterwards) by Microsoft Defender on my wife's laptop (which has triple USB protection).
Subscriptions
    • None
System recovery
TimeShift (to another partition on 1 TB SSD)
Risk factors
    • Browsing to popular websites
    • Working from home
    • Making audio/video calls
    • Opening email attachments
    • Buying from online stores, entering banks card details
    • Logging into my bank account
    • Streaming audio/video content from trusted sites or paid subscriptions
Computer specs
AMD Ryzen 7 (5700U) laptop with 1 TB SSD and 16GB RAM
Notable changes
To many :)

After jumping back and forth, I finally decided for:
  • Changed from ControlD free to Cloudflare free ZT
  • Replaced 7-zip (unsandboxed) with PeaZip in Flatpak
  • Moved from LibreOffice in Flatpak to LibreOffice in Firejail
  • Moved from Thunderbird to Evolution (both in Flatpak sandbox)
  • Moved from Xfce desktop with X11 to Cinnamon desktop with Wayland
What I'm looking for?

Looking for maximum feedback.