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Linux is a single user system and should be treated as such. Run your services as root. Don't rely on unix user primitives for security.

by xxpor 6mo ago

wolttam 6mo ago
Running as root opens you up to a class of vulnerabilities (denial of service, mainly) that you can avoid by not running as root. That said, running every process in its own micro VM is looking more attractive by the minute.
- xxpor 6mo ago
  Half the point is that you should always assume that there exists a complete LPE bug. But yes, micro VMs are a great idea!
amarant 6mo ago
Everything in this comment is wrong.
- xxpor 6mo ago
  Technically yes. Practically, I disagree.
  - eqvinox 6mo ago
    The part where you run everything as root is particularly stupid. But yes, user isolation has been weakened quite a bit.
256_ 6mo ago
I agree with the general sentiment. I treat anything running arbitrary machine code as if it has full access to a machine. I don't know where you get "run your services as root" from that, though. The principle of least privilege doesn't just apply to running malicious code, but running buggy code whose attack surface is exposed to evil-doers.
Sohcahtoa82 6mo ago
This carries the same energy as "People will break into your car no matter what, so just leave your doors unlocked."
- tptacek 6mo ago
  The energy here is "so don't leave anything valuable in your car".
  - angry_octet 6mo ago
    Unfortunately that is not what they proposed. To stretch the automotive analogy too far, you could say: if you invite a carjacker in, their seatbelt is not going to stop them from carjacking you.
    - tptacek 6mo ago
      "Avoid shared-kernel attack surfaces" is not an unreasonable proposition in 2026.
      - __float 6mo ago
        It is very good practical advice. It also saddens me greatly, imagining what computing could look like if systems evolved differently.
      - JackSlateur 6mo ago
        Virtual machines are still the best design and has been for something like 20 years Containers are good, as long as they all share the same purpose (read: same application, no multi-tenant) We all know that multi-users systems (and thus, containers) have a very wide attack surface, while VM attack surface is very limited .. This is why I am totally convinced that: - redhat and friends are a terrible idea (licencing forces collocation which reduces segmentation) - per-instance pricing (read: cloud public, but not only that) are terrible: for the same reason. Paying per consumed CPU/ram is sane, paying per VM unit is damageful
      - 6mo ago
fragmede 6mo ago
https://xkcd.com/1200/ https://xkcd.com/1200/

Linux is a single user system and should be treated as such. Run your services as root. Don't rely on unix user primitives for security.

by xxpor 6mo ago

Linux is a single user system and should be treated as such. Run your services as root. Don't rely on unix user primitives for security.

wolttam 6mo ago

Running as root opens you up to a class of vulnerabilities (denial of service, mainly) that you can avoid by not running as root. That said, running every process in its own micro VM is looking more attractive by the minute.

xxpor 6mo ago
Half the point is that you should always assume that there exists a complete LPE bug. But yes, micro VMs are a great idea!

amarant 6mo ago

Everything in this comment is wrong.

xxpor 6mo ago
Technically yes. Practically, I disagree.
- eqvinox 6mo ago
  The part where you run everything as root is particularly stupid. But yes, user isolation has been weakened quite a bit.

256_ 6mo ago

I agree with the general sentiment. I treat anything running arbitrary machine code as if it has full access to a machine. I don't know where you get "run your services as root" from that, though. The principle of least privilege doesn't just apply to running malicious code, but running buggy code whose attack surface is exposed to evil-doers.

Sohcahtoa82 6mo ago

This carries the same energy as "People will break into your car no matter what, so just leave your doors unlocked."

tptacek 6mo ago
The energy here is "so don't leave anything valuable in your car".
- angry_octet 6mo ago
  Unfortunately that is not what they proposed. To stretch the automotive analogy too far, you could say: if you invite a carjacker in, their seatbelt is not going to stop them from carjacking you.
  - tptacek 6mo ago
    "Avoid shared-kernel attack surfaces" is not an unreasonable proposition in 2026.
    - __float 6mo ago
      It is very good practical advice. It also saddens me greatly, imagining what computing could look like if systems evolved differently.
    - JackSlateur 6mo ago
      Virtual machines are still the best design and has been for something like 20 years Containers are good, as long as they all share the same purpose (read: same application, no multi-tenant) We all know that multi-users systems (and thus, containers) have a very wide attack surface, while VM attack surface is very limited .. This is why I am totally convinced that: - redhat and friends are a terrible idea (licencing forces collocation which reduces segmentation) - per-instance pricing (read: cloud public, but not only that) are terrible: for the same reason. Paying per consumed CPU/ram is sane, paying per VM unit is damageful
    - 6mo ago

fragmede 6mo ago

https://xkcd.com/1200/ https://xkcd.com/1200/