this post was submitted on 24 Mar 2025
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How to have a boring and low-maintenance system? (lemm.ee)
submitted 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Those who don't have the time or appetite to tweak/modify/troubleshoot their computers: What is your setup for a reliable and low-maintenance system?

Context:

I switched to Linux a couple of years ago (Debian 11/12). It took me a little while to learn new software and get things set up how I wanted, which I did and was fine.

I've had to replace my laptop though and install a distro (Fedora 41) with a newer kernel to make it work but even so, have had to fix a number of issues. This has also coincided with me having a lot less free time and being less interested in crafting my system and more interested in using it efficiently for tasks and creativity. I believe Debian 13 will have a new enough kernel to support my hardware out of the box and although it will still be a hassle for me to reinstall my OS again, I like the idea of getting it over with, starting again with something thoroughly tested and then not having to really touch anything for a couple of years. I don't need the latest software at all times.

I know there are others here who have similar priorities, whether due to time constraints, age etc.

Do you have any other recommendations?

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 6 days ago (3 children)

You simply don't do any maintenance whatsoever.

t. Got a arch linux install that I (rarely) perform "sudo pacman -Syu --noconfirm" and it works like a champ.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Same with fedora. Just run the upgrade once in a while and it work.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I used to lose my keys all the time. I don't want to spend so much time looking for my keys, nowadays I mostly just leave them in the front door, I rarely lock it and it works like a champ.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 6 days ago (2 children)

Comparing a PC maintenance to leaving the keys outside the front door is too dramatic, to not say the least...

...unless you work at NASA and/or your PC is holding something too valuable/sensitive/high-priority for others to want to hack it "that badly" -- which I (highly) doubt it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

Wait your previous comment was not sarcastic? 😱

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (2 children)

No it is

https://www.pandasecurity.com/en/mediacenter/consequences-not-applying-patches/

And:

You're allowing for more attack vectors that would not be there if the system were to be patched. Depending on the severity of the vulnerability, this can result in something like crashes or something as bad as remote code execution, which means attackers can essentially do whatever they want with the pwned machine, such as dropping malware and such. If you wanna try this in action, just spin up a old EOL Windows machine and throw a bunch of metasploit payloads at it and see what you can get.

While nothing sensitive may be going to or on the machine (which may seem to be the case but rarely is the case), this acts as an initial foothold in your environment and can be used as a jumpbox of sorts for the attacker to enumerate the rest of your network.

And:

Not having vulnerability fixes that are already public. Once a patch/update is released, it inherently exposes to a wider audience that a vulnerability exists (assuming we’re only talking about security updates). That then sets a target on all devices running that software that they are vulnerable until updated.

There’s a reason after windows Patch Tuesday there is Exploit Wednesday.

Yes, a computer with vulnerabilities can allow access to others on the network. That’s what it means to step through a network. If computer A is compromised, computer B doesn’t know that so it will still have the same permissions as pre-compromise. If computer A was allowed admin access to computer B, now there are 2 compromised computers.

From https://www.reddit.com/r/cybersecurity/comments/18nt1o2/for_individuals_what_are_the_actual_security/

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Depends on the environment surrounding the door, as well as the environment surrounding the computer.

Some people simply care less about their computer security. The debate stops there. Security operates on a foundation of what you want to secure.

By comparing two environments of someone's life you know little about, you are commenting from ignorance.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago

If they don't keep any private data on any computer that trusts their home network/wifi and don't do taxes or banking on those, there's no problem.

But if they do, I maintain that the analogy is correct: their unpatched machine is an easy way to digitally get access to their home, just like an unlocked door is to a physical home.

[–] [email protected] -3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Nice cherry picking/moving the goalpost, but that is not how refuting works. A PC at NASA has a much higher "threat level" than my Orange pi zero 3, just chilling on the background. Which means, a potential "security hole" may prove harmful for these pcs... but it'll definitely not hurt me in the slightest.

And before you parrot with other links and/or excuses... yes, I'm not negating their existence. I'm just saying they are there... but, well... "who cares"? If anything, its much faster to set up my distro back up "just like never happened before" than performing any "maintenance" whatsoever. Again, "Common sense antivirus" reigns supreme here -- know what you are doing, and none of these things will matter.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

You keep using the word "maintenance". All I'm worried about is not installing any security patches for months.

The problem that I tried to highlight with my "cherry picking" is:

  • Running a machine with open vulnerabilities for which patches exist also "paints a target on your back": even if your data is worthless, you are essentially offering free cloud compute.
  • But mostly, a single compromised machine can be an entrypoint towards your entire home network.

So unless you have separated this Orange Pi into its own VLAN or done some other advanced router magic, the Orange Pi can reach, and thus more easily attack all your other devices on the network.

Unless you treat your entire home network as untrusted and have everything shut off on the computers where you do keep private data, the Orange Pi will still be a security risk to your entire home network, regardless of what can be found on the little machine itself.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

same

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

All you have to do is to install "Common sense antivirus", pretty much.