Advanced Plus Security LinuxFan58's PC Security Config

[LinuxFan58]

Followed this thread to make linux look like Windows ) https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=2635179&hilit=Windows#p2635179

 

[Bot]

Followed this thread to make linux look like Windows (with some small changes because I am not using Cinnamon but Xfce desktop and can change Linux Mint logo to Windows ) https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?p=2635179&hilit=Windows#p2635179

Nice, that’s a fun approach, especially on Xfce where you can tweak almost everything without too much overhead.

If you want to push the “looks like Windows” setup on Xfce even further, here are a few ideas (in case you haven’t already done them):

1. Panel layout (Taskbar-style)

• Move the main panel to the bottom.
• Set panel Mode to Horizontal and Lock panel after you’re done.
• Use the Window Buttons plugin for a taskbar feel.
• Add:
  • Whisker Menu (as a Start menu replacement) with a Windows logo icon.
  • Notification Area + Clock + Show Desktop button.

2. Whisker Menu = Start Menu

• Right-click Whisker Menu → Properties.
• Change the icon to your Windows logo image.
• Switch to a single-column layout (if you prefer something closer to Windows 7/10 style).
• Pin favourite apps so they show on top, similar to “Pinned” in Windows.

3. Theme & Icons

• Use a flat/light theme to mimic Windows 10/11 (for example: Adwaita, Mint-Y, or any Windows-like theme from the repos).
• Install a Windows-like icon pack (if you can find one in the repos or from a trusted source).
• Set the window buttons layout to Close / Maximize / Minimize on the right for a more authentic look:
  • Settings → Window Manager → Button layout.

4. Login screen & wallpapers

• Set a Windows-style wallpaper (classic blue, or Win10/11 style).
• If you’re using LightDM, you can also set a matching login background, though that’s a bit more niche.

5. Optional extras

• File manager: tweak Thunar to show Places similar to Windows Explorer (Home, Documents, Downloads, etc.).
• Fonts: using something like Segoe UI-style fonts (or similar) can make the illusion stronger.

If you share which Linux Mint + Xfce version you’re on and exactly what you’ve already customized, I can suggest more specific tweaks (for example, panel config, themes, or where to get a good Windows icon set that plays nicely with Mint).

 

[LinuxFan58]

@Bot I already done that (literally posted"I am not using Cinnamon but Xfce desktop and can change Linux Mint logo to Windows")

Using Linux Mint Xara with latest Xfce desktop. The only thing I would like (using Mint-L-Agua style with Mint-Y-Sand icons), is to change the active window of Thunar to blueish in stead of grey.

 

[Victor M]

Very good config. I have used most of your security controls. I just moved from Qubes to Fedora because I can SELinux semanage and confine the user to the user_r role. Which is a bit better than just plain standard user. And, I can mandate Yubikey use for sudo. Firejail does not work if you have confined the account to user_r; it complains about double 'confinment'. I kinda miss the virtualization protection of my non-networked Work cube. But I plan to add VirtualBox as replacement.

I haven't tried TimeShift before. How is that ?

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Excellent configuration.

 

[LinuxFan58]

Very good config. I have used most of your security controls. I just moved from Qubes to Fedora because I can SELinux semanage and confine the user to the user_r role. Which is a bit better than just plain standard user. And, I can mandate Yubikey use for sudo. Firejail does not work if you have confined the account to user_r; it complains about double 'confinment'. I kinda miss the virtualization protection of my non-networked Work cube. But I plan to add VirtualBox as replacement.

I haven't tried TimeShift before. How is that ?

Qubes and partitioned application environments are a bit over my head. TimeShift works great and is very easy to use. The only thing non tech savvy users like me have to figure out is to store the TimeShift backup on a different partition (because creating and managing partitions at Linux install is a bit more complicated than in Windows).

 

[Victor M]

Qubes virtualization is pretty simple to use. All you have to remember is that each virtual cube has it's own colored frame. The beauty is that one cube cannot affect another. So if you do office work in one cube, you can browse freely on another one; and there will be no cross infection. Infostealers can steal your cookies, but they won't be able to steal your work documents and spreadsheets because they reside in another cube. And if you remember to setup MFA for every web service and sign out of Google accounts when done, there is not much that infostealers can do.

I will have to setup TimeShift to try it out.

 

[SeriousHoax]

The downside of Linux Mint (which also is an advantage) is that it is a lot of versions behind (now on Linux kernel 6.8 while 6.14 is out). This lagging behind also reduces the risk of exploits and increases stability a lot.

Are you sure about this?
Linux Mint's kernel now should be, 6.14.0 on your system.

 

[LinuxFan58]

@SeriousHoax yes I am running LTS

View attachment 293411

 

[SeriousHoax]

@SeriousHoax yes I am running LTS

View attachment 293411

What version of Linux Mint are you using really? Because Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu LTS and 6.12 is the latest LTS kernel at the moment which is used by both Ubuntu LTS and Linux Mint. 6.8 was never a LTS kernel. So, something is not right on your Mint. You should check what's going on.

The Linux Kernel Archives

kernel.org

 

[LinuxFan58]

What version of Linux Mint are you using really? Because Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu LTS and 6.12 is the latest LTS kernel at the moment which is used by both Ubuntu LTS and Linux Mint. 6.8 was never a LTS kernel. So, something is not right on your Mint. You should check what's going on.

The Linux Kernel Archives

kernel.org

Nothing wrong (upgraded from 22.1)
Linux Mint 22.2 "Zara" ships with the Linux kernel 6.14 as the default for new installations, which is part of the HardWare Enablement (HWE) stack designed to support newer hardware, including recent AMD processors and improved power efficiency through dynamic P-State management. However, users upgrading from Linux Mint 22.1 or earlier will continue to use the LTS kernel 6.8.0-79 by default, as the upgrade path does not automatically switch to the newer HWE kernel to maintain stability on existing hardware. This decision is intentional, as the 6.8 kernel is supported until April 2029, while the 6.14 HWE kernel is only supported until February 2026.

 

[SeriousHoax]

Nothing wrong (upgraded from 22.1)
Linux Mint 22.2 "Zara" ships with the Linux kernel 6.14 as the default for new installations, which is part of the HardWare Enablement (HWE) stack designed to support newer hardware, including recent AMD processors and improved power efficiency through dynamic P-State management. However, users upgrading from Linux Mint 22.1 or earlier will continue to use the LTS kernel 6.8.0-79 by default, as the upgrade path does not automatically switch to the newer HWE kernel to maintain stability on existing hardware. This decision is intentional, as the 6.8 kernel is supported until April 2029, while the 6.14 HWE kernel is only supported until February 2026.

I see. I forgot that Ubuntu don't necessarily follow the same LTS versioning of the original unmodified kernel like most other non-Ubuntu based distros. The default Kernel 6.8 reached EOL on May 30, 2024, while Ubuntu's 6.8 is still supported.

 

[LinuxFan58]

I see. I forgot that Ubuntu don't necessarily follow the same LTS versioning of the original unmodified kernel like most other non-Ubuntu based distros. The default Kernel 6.8 reached EOL on May 30, 2024, while Ubuntu's 6.8 is still supported.

I made a TimeShift snapshot and installed the latest 6.14 to give it a spin. Does not feel faster than 6.8

 

[Victor M]

I don't thinking relying on Ubuntu's security is safe for a EOL'd kernel. They may support it, patching it and things, but without wider community support they are handicapped. It doesn't matter if it doesn't feel 'faster'.

 

[LinuxFan58]

Thanks @Victor M
I understand that it is not safe to use EOL kernel, but it looks like the 6.8 kernel is supported until april 2029, or am I misunderstanding something?

I asked AI and said it was okay to use

The 6.8 kernel is safe to use in Linux Mint 22.2, especially if your hardware is fully supported and your system is functioning correctly. The 6.8 kernel is a Long-Term Support (LTS) series, supported until April 2029, which makes it a stable and reliable choice for older hardware. If your current setup works well, there is no compelling reason to upgrade

In the Linux Mint forum a forum veteran (with a website on Linux Mint tips) explained that using an older (supported) kernel makes you less vulnarable to exploits (that is why I mentioned that the disadvantage also is a an advantage).

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Small change: I started getting "website not secure" messages a lot when I typed in a domain name in the taskbar of my browser. When I refreshed the browser, the website would appear but that started to get annoying. I tried changing from ControlD free to Quad9 and the problem disappeared.

Because Quad9 does not offer ad/tracking blocking like ControlD-free-with-OISD does, I replaced Avira with uBol with only Peter's Low list enabled and adding (currently) 23 cosmetic rules and 20 DNR rules (running uBol in basic mode). The cosmetic and DNR rules are all website specific, this means that I only have to disable Peter Low's list when I am doing work from home. In my surfing profile I have Brave shields in aggressive mode (no extensions in that profile)

If you use a DNR rule like this:

action:
  type: block
condition:
  domainType: thirdParty
  resourceTypes:
    - websocket
    - webtransport
---

, be aware that it prevents searching on certain websites.

 

[LinuxFan58]

@Sampei.Nihira

No my DNR rules are just for adblocking, cookie consent and two paywalls and are all website specifc, not so advanced as you made (I just discovered that uBol automatically translates ABP rules to DNR) and I installed uBol after changing to Quad9 (ComtrolD suddenly gave those connection erros, I just it for nearly a year with any issues).

action:
type: block
condition:
urlFilter: ||bbc.com/ngas/latest/dotcom-ads.js^
initiatorDomains:
- bbc.com

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

@Sampei.Nihira

No my DNR rules are just for adblocking, cookie consent and two paywalls and are all website specifc, not so advanced as you made (I just discovered that uBol automatically translates ABP rules to DNR) and I installed uBol after changing to Quad9 (ComtrolD suddenly gave those connection erros, I just it for nearly a year with any issues).

action:
type: block
condition:
urlFilter: ||bbc.com/ngas/latest/dotcom-ads.js^
initiatorDomains:
- bbc.com

Yes, if I understand correctly, you mean importing cosmetic rules, for example from uBo, but obviously they must only be cosmetic filters.

It's the same as creating a new cosmetic filter.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

Yes, but my experience is that it skips static rules like ||example.org$script and only used the cosmetic rules.

Well, obviously your rule is a network rule, not a cosmetic rule.
A network rule can only be added using DNR rules.

Although Gorhill does not encourage the extensive use of network rules that may conflict with those of the lists subscribed to in the extension.

 

[Sampei.Nihira]

I see you use Thunderbird.
If you want to try increasing Thunderbird's sandbox level, this is possible.
Some AI will tell you that you can't go beyond a certain level, or, as in my case, they insert threads that I created years ago.
Some AI might even claim that this is not possible or doesn't work.

If, on the other hand, you prefer to leave Thunderbird's level at the default value, in this js you will find how to harden Thunderbird, in a similar way to Firefox:

thunderbird-user.js/user.js at master · HorlogeSkynet/thunderbird-user.js