What all we require to make ssh run.

• Here, in our scenario, we gonna use Ubuntu 20.04 as OS.
• Open TCP port 22 on firewall, if required.
• Create local users.
• Control user access with directory server-PAM, or manually in /etc/sshd/sshd_config

Install SSH Services

Lets install application first.

#apt-get update

Install required package.

#apt install openssh-server

Check what is the IP address of ssh server.

# ip a | grep inet 

SSH server IP is 192.168.1.62

Check service status.

# systemctl status ssh

Local port forwarding with ssh server.

A tunnel can be created with SSH to forward a port on another server. SSH can be used to provide the proxy, which can be used to send web traffic.

Let’s see how to use ssh to protect the network by using port forwarding.

Scenario: –

Here we have,

• A web server- 192.168.1.161 installed with ssh service as well.
• An SSH server- 192.168.1.62
• Localhost – 192.168.1.268, where local port forwarding required to configure, installed with ssh service.

As described, in the illustrated diagram below, a local host machine wants to connect with the web server over the internet. A firewall is protecting that webserver. But for a web server, problem is that all communication taking place is in plain text. A secure tunnel protected with ssh can resolve the security issue here and we can establish secure communication with any remote user. We will establish a secure ssh tunnel between ssh server sitting next to the web server and all our communication from localhost will be via ssh.

To run our test lets install webservices on 192.168.1.161

# apt update 

# apt-install apache2

Check if service are running or not, on webserver.

#systemctl status apache2

Note: Refer previous steps, for how-to install ssh.

Enable local port forwarding

On server 192.168.1.161 let’s have a look at the webserver status, working fine.

Let’s Login to our local host machine i.e. 192.168.1.268 to establish a secure ssh tunnel.

# ssh -L 9090:192.168.1.161:80 ubnt@192.168.1.62

Where -L is the localhost machine we are logged in. 9090 any free port we can use, 192.168.1.161:80 is the address of HTTP server, 192.168.1.62 is ssh server with which localhost will establish a tunnel.

Now, we will see that webserver is available on localhost magically. Have a look:

Even if we disconnect ssh session, port forwarding will be still effective.

Lets close that tunnel, get ssh process id.

ps -x | grep ssh
864 ? Ss 0:00 sshd: /usr/sbin/sshd -D [listener] 0 of 10-100 startups
5131 pts/0 S+ 0:00 grep --color=auto ssh

Kill ssh process

pkill -9 5319   

Is service up now ? No, its not!

Conclusion:

SSH enable a secure tunneling, which help to protect webservices and enable local host to access as if they are installed locally. SSH tunnel can be stopped or stopped as and when required.

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after 1 year of continuous and tireless work, the Elementary OS development team has released a new version. Recently Elementary OS 5.1 has been released with the key name “Heda”.

This version has important new features and further consolidates the distribution that had earned a reputation for instability. Well, today we’ll show you what some of those new features are.

Elementary 5.1 Features

The first thing to say is that the distribution is more stable than ever. Since this version is based on Ubuntu 18.04.3 with all the work behind it. That is to say, many bugs in the Ubuntu base have already been fixed. Besides this, since this version of Ubuntu is based, the graphical stack and the kernel have been updated.

On the other hand, the Flatpak bet increases because they have managed to integrate it with the AppCenter. At least in an initial way but quite well achieved. And although they always recommend installing applications from the AppCenter, thanks to Sideload you can learn more about the implications of installing Flatpak applications. Also, the AppCenter is much faster now and its performance is better.

Another element to keep in mind is that this new version of Elementary OS improves Greeter and Onboarding. Greeter is the name given to the login and lock screen in Elementary OS. Textually citing the development team:

“The newly redesigned login and lockscreen greeter looks sharper, works better, and fixes many reported issues with the previous greeter including focus issues, HiDPI issues, and better localization”

And in the case of Onboarding, it has now been improved to be more than just a welcome assistant. In fact, every time an important novelty arrives at Elementary OS, it will be shown using Onboarding. Something very interesting for newbies.

There are many more improvements concerning the performance and use of distribution. For example, support for HiDPI and Accessibility options is improved.

Where to Download Elementary and Conclusion

Of course, you need to download the Elementary OS ISO to install and enjoy it on your PC. If you would like to do so, please visit the project website and set up an amount of money you would like to collaborate with. In case you choose 0 you can do it for free always recommending Torrent to not saturate the servers.

Finally, it must be said that Elementary OS 5.1 is a distribution designed for the novice. It is quite innovative and brings freshness to the Linux world. Let’s hope it’s a success and we’ll keep an eye on it.

If you want more information about this release, it’s best to read the release notes.

Note: All images were taken from the release notes.

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Linux systems are always some of the lightest weight operating systems available. With less RAM and processor power, you can enjoy the same performance as you would on some of the most powerful systems. Of course, for heavier workloads, you need enough hardware resource that will be able to handle the load.

Today, let’s check out some of the lightest weight Linux distros to check out in the year 2019!

Lightweight Linux distros

• Arch Linux

It may surprise a lot of you but Arch Linux is one of the lightest weight Linux distros available in the world of Linux. The classic Arch Linux is a difficult choice for new users, of course. However, there are a number of other Arch-based, user-friendly distros like Manjaro Linux and Antergos.

All of them offers very easy-to-use environments along with support for popular desktop environments like GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Xfce etc.

• Lubuntu

The list wouldn’t be complete if there was no Ubuntu system. Ubuntu, by far, is one of the most commonly used Linux systems because of its simplicity and user-friendliness. In the case of Lubuntu, it takes the step further and makes it way more suitable becoming another lightest weight distro.

“L” in the name Lubuntu originally was “lightweight”. Lubuntu comes up with LXDE – a super lightweight desktop environment that’s less hardware hungry and overall, more power efficient than the more popular ones.

I love Lubuntu as it runs without any problem on even the oldest machines of the dinosaur period!

• Linux Lite

Just like the name suggests, it’s a real “light” distro to pick up. The interesting part is, its interface is custom designed to match with Windows XP. If you are a Windows guy/gal and planning to switch to Linux, then don’t forget to check it out!

With the system, you get all the essential tools like VLC Media Player, Netflix, and LibreOffice etc. Another interesting feature is zRAM. This tool, by default, compresses the data in the memory for a faster overall performance.

The distro is specially designed for older machines. You can easily multi-boot Linux Lite with your existing OS, letting you get used to the new environment while still working with your older one.

• Linux Mint

It’s another strongly recommended Linux distro for new Linux users as it’s designed for simplicity. It uses Ubuntu at its core, so you’re also assured of almost all the popular apps available.

The interface of Linux Mint is also highly compatible with Windows users. It also comes up with all the essentials pre-installed. Ubuntu has officially ditched support for the 32-bit platform but Linux Mint still offers 32-bit system and software.

Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions!

Enjoy!

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Debian

Debian is one of the most popular Linux systems available. Ubuntu and other major distros are based on Debian. It’s quite a popular choice for having a big group of community and support behind it.

The latest release of Debian 9.4 was released on March 10, 2018. According to Debian’s official statement, this isn’t a major released. Instead, it includes a lot of updated software packages and other system tweaks + fixes. You don’t have to delete your Debian 9 installation media. Instead, you can simply update your system to the latest version.

The latest installation images are updated everywhere. You can download Debian 9.4 ISO. The entire changelog of Debian 9.4 can be found here.

If you’re a Debian user, you don’t have to completely re-install the OS. Run the following commands and you’re good to go!

Fedora

Fedora is another awesome and powerful Linux distribution. The power of stability and performance makes Fedora a really good choice for both personal and professional usage. Fedora 28 is currently in beta stage and will follow the following time schedule of release –

Here’re all the new features in Fedora 28.

• Better battery life on laptops – several power management tweaks
• Improved & easier installation process, like Ubuntu
• Better support for VirtualBox, one of the best solution for virtual machine
• More supplemental wallpapers

Here’s a big list of other proposed and implemented features for Fedora 28.

If you’re looking for other Linux distros to try out, we have the best Linux distros of 2018.

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At the first look, the OS will feel like Android. The desktop environment is a custom design from GNOME 3 and it’s highly optimized for a user-friendly experience. It’s entirely designed to be very simple and easy-to-install. Get Endless OS.

The base of Endless

Endless OS is built from Debian, one of the most popular choices. However, Endless OS devs also mentioned that it’s not the same thing as being based on Debian Linux. The distro uses OSTree/libostree combined with Flatpak that manages the base system and other apps. Debian & Debian-based distros use .deb packages for the system and apps. OSTree isn’t a package manager in this sense. Instead, it’s a system used for performing atomic upgrades of complete file system trees.

The goal of Endless OS is to create a global platform for digital literacy. The usage, simplicity, and others make it very suitable for new Linux users as it eliminates the barrier for them.

Interface

For any PC user, the interface is quite simple to understand. The far left button on the taskbar doesn’t act like the main menu button. Instead, it’s used to show up the desktop. The general layout and functionality resemble Android experience very well. In addition to Android, there’s a taskbar at the bottom. If basic Android is familiar to you, you’ll have no difficulty in mastering this Linux distro. The learning curve is very simple. However, don’t confuse yourself – it’s not an Android emulator,

The App Center contains 2 different categories – “Installed Apps” and “Available Programs”. It’s more like the “Play Store” in Android. You can get new apps and update the existing apps very easily. There’s a search bar on the home screen, very simple and powerful that can be used to search on both offline and online.

Endless OS is mostly a one-size-fits-all configuration. That’s why there are very simple customization settings available throughout the system. For example, the customizable options include power, mouse/touchpad, background etc.

Endless versions

There’re 2 options available for Endless OS – Basic and Full. Users might get confused, but both are relatively the same. The Basic version is a lightweight edition of the installation package. It comes up with a very few pre-installed apps and suitable to run from an 8GB USB flash drive. The Full version is a rather heavy package, containing around 100+ apps pre-installed on the system. This takes up to 16GB of disk space to download, and 32GB minimum free disk space to install.

The hardware support, like any other Linux distros, is very good. NVIDIA users will have a slight advantage as it uses the driver developed by NVIDIA instead of running the open-source graphics driver.

Endless OS keeps itself up-to-date as long as internet connection is available. That saves up a lot of works for new users. For example, Ubuntu requires that you run the “sudo apt-get” commands frequently to keep all the apps updated. In this case, Endless OS is a life saver.

Interested in Endless OS? Get Endless OS now! If you don’t wish to switch your OS, at least, give it a try. Are you looking for a challenging Linux distro? You can try out Arch Linux – a very challenging one. Less terrifying editions of Arch are also available, such as Anarchy Linux.

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But keep in mind that the primary target of Q4OS isn’t the casual/general users. With the powerful system interface (highly modified Trinity Desktop) quite similar to Windows XP/7, their target is the businesses/enterprises that are looking for an alternative to Windows while having the same interface and power. As you know, Windows XP, 7, 8 & 8.1 is obsolete now. Microsoft discontinued the mainstream support for these OS, which means they’re obsolete and will be supported via Extended Support program (not Windows XP). Businesses adapted to those operating systems and Q4OS targets to be the dominant part there.

However, this shouldn’t (and must not) prevent general users from having the feeling of this powerful and beautiful distro. Get Q4OS today!

Features

The first and most important feature of Q4OS is the interface. In a word, it’s splendid. As a Windows user, I must admit – it’s very assuring. The system complexity of Linux is huge, and switching from Windows isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Now, the Linux features. Q4OS is based on Debian, the same base as Ubuntu. Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distros, ensuring that almost all the popular software is available without any trouble. Moreover, all the popular commands are usable.

The built-in software packages are pretty much everything you need for your everyday life, but those are relatively old version. To stay safe, you must update all the software. Here’s the list of installed major programs.

• LibreOffice
• Thunderbird
• Firefox
• VLC
• Google Chrome
• Shotwell
• Konqeror
• Synaptic

Security

If you’re an experienced Linux user, prepare to get shocked. It’s a bit disappointing to see such a critical issue. When you install any software from the package manager (Synaptic Package Manager), it asks for the root password. But when running any command with “sudo”, for example, “sudo apt-get install firefox”, it won’t ask for the password!

In the attempt to make Q4OS more like Windows, the developers made this modification. Moreover, Windows users are more likely to install software from the GUI tool instead of the command line. That doesn’t make sense. If you’re interested in Q4OS or using it now, please fix this issue (or feature?) now. I also recommend taking a backup of the file before making the modification.

• Open the file from the following directory path – /etc/sudoers.d/30_q4os_apt
• Comment out these lines from the file:

%sudo    ALL = NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/apt-get *

%sudo    ALL = NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/apt-key *

%sudo    ALL = NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/dpkg *

• Save the file.

Now, the “sudo” from the terminal will ask for a password.

It’s a nice Linux distro in my opinion and I believe that others will find it very interesting. Whether you’re a Windows user or a master Linux user, don’t forget to try out Q4OS.

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Namib Linux is a Linux distro based on the Arch Linux. It’s relatively new to the distro world, with the latest release (v17.11) in the last year. However, this has already proved its worth by compensating the delay with blazing performance and simpler system. Get Namib Linux now!

Namib Linux is developed and maintained by Meerkat Software based in Tokelau, New Zealand. This distro is currently available in two languages – English and French. More locale is supported, but you have to add them manually through the “Namib Settings Manager”.

Features

The features of Namib Linux are numerous. Here’re some of the core and important features.

• Rolling Update – Rolling update was never a widespread practice for Linux distros. However, Namib Linux follows rolling updates, ensuring that the system is always up-to-date without re-installing the complete operating system. This saves up a lot of time and effort for everyone.
• Interface – Namib Linux comes up with a very simple user interface. It’s highly customizable, flexible and of course, user-friendly. It doesn’t matter whether you’re new to Linux or an experienced user, you’ll never feel like a fish out of water. Namib Linux uses MATE desktop environment, pretty similar to Windows 7 interface.
• Installation – Arch Linux has always been one of the notorious distros for the installation process. Even mediocre users would become puzzled while installation. However, Namib Linux has simply transformed the entire process. With soothing GUI and easy-to-understand instructions, it has removed the stress for good. The installation is optimized for newbies. Take a look at the two different screenshots of original Arch Linux and Namib Linux.

• Performance – Namib Linux gets the most out of the hardware to ensure the best possible performance. The ISO is ~1.5GB, somewhat lightweight, to be honest. However, like any other Linux distro, it consumes very less hardware resource and runs smooth. It’s highly flexible & resource efficient.
• Software – Arch Linux is generally designed to provide the core only; users have to install each and every other software manually. But Namib Linux changes this approach. It comes up with a good collection of built-in programs to make your life easier. It includes LibreOffice suite, GIMP, Eye of MATE Image Viewer etc.
• Compatibility – Hardware is a big issue when your PC is obsolete. Namib Linux comes up with a very good collection of hardware drivers, ensuring the most portability. You can even create a live USB and use it on any hardware!

Why use Arch?

It’s a good question and many Linux users (including me) ask this. Arch Linux is from a better Linux OS family line. Unfortunately, due to its rough and tough environment, it didn’t gain much popularity. However, Arch is getting more and more user-friendly and available for every type of users, thanks to the efforts of the community.

Namib Linux definitely eases Arch’s complexity. With default software and other tweaks, it’s not so distinguishable than any other Linux distro. If you’re an Arch fan or willing to try Arch for a while, take a look at Namib Linux. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.

Arch is trying to reach more people, and there’s another nice Arch-based distro – Anarchy Linux. Have a look at Anarchy Linux.

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This distro is exceptional what it sets out and what it achieves. If you had the fear of Arch Linux, put your fear aside and get a grab on the Anarchy Linux. It’s a bitter truth that Arch Linux isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s very scary for new Linux users, even to some intermediate users. The installation of it alone is scary enough. Here, distros like Anarchy come in to help out general users with a user-friendly environment.

Installation

The installation process of Arch Linux is very challenging. However, Anarchy isn’t that much of a difficulty, but not an easy one either. Comparing to other mainstream Linux distros like Ubuntu, Linux Mint, openSUSE etc., Anarchy Linux installation takes a good focus and understanding.

The default installer uses the Xfce4 graphical interface but doesn’t make thing easy for others. You have to have an experience and understanding to go through the text-based installer. For example, the very first step of installer asks you to update the list of mirror servers. Many experienced users will stumble a bit, let alone the newbies.

Let’s go a bit deeper. Select “Download & Rank New Mirrors”, tab down to “OK” and hit Enter. You can choose the nearest mirror to your location and it’s done. The next few screens are normal and simple (language, time zone, keyboard layout etc.).

The next part is overwhelming for many Arch users. Anarchy Linux comes up with an option to “Auto Partition Drive”.

Here, I’m choosing the “Auto Partition Drive” option. Next option will allow you to choose the drive to install the OS. If you have only one drive, it’s just a matter to hit Enter. Otherwise, select the drive, choose the file system (ext2/3/4, xfs, btrfs etc.), tab down to OK, hit Enter. Then, you can choose whether you want the SWAP space. If you want to have (recommended to have), specify the size (recommended 2GB minimum). The choice between GPT and MBR is available as well.

Installation types

Now, you’ll have to choose the desired installation of Anarchy Linux. 5 options are available here:

• Anarchy-Desktop
• Anarchy-Desktop-LTS
• Anarchy-Server
• Anarchy-Server-LTS
• Anarchy-Advanced

The LTS stands for Long Term Support. If you’re a general user, use the Anarchy-Desktop (the default choice).

The installation will also guide to install various software packages to install. Don’t worry; if you miss anything, you can install it later.

There’re two desktop environments I like – GNOME and Budgie. Although the home interface doesn’t look so distinct, the “Apps” page surely looks different.

Here, GNOME is on the left and Budgie on the right.

Why use Arch Linux without the “Arch”?

It’s a nice question but revealing. Arch Linux, being optimized for an advanced user, promotes the feeling of “elitism”, like Gentoo. However, the complexity of Arch is below Gentoo. Anarchy Linux, making everything as simpler as possible, targets to reach more users. If you’re looking for something not that challenging, Anarchy is your right choice. It’s well-maintained, extremely stable and most of all, based on a highly regarded Linux arch.

If Anarchy doesn’t ring the bell of your heart, don’t worry. We have listed the best Linux distros of 2018. Choose what you love the most!

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The history

SolydXK’s history goes back to another popular Linux distro – Linux Mint. The KDE and Debian edition was most favorite of the key developer, Arjen Balfoort. It was his expectation of two of these flavors blended into one. As it didn’t happen officially, Balfoort decided to make his own distribution.

This gave the birth of “The unofficial LMDE Xfce”. With the help of the community, the Xfce version was derived. When the unofficial editions were not becoming official, Arjen Balfoort decided to put these 2 great distros on their own feet.

Features

Since the initial release of SolydXK in 2013, it’s always been pretty amazing. SolydXK comes in 2 different environments – KDE and XFCE. That’s where the name comes in – SolydX with XFCE desktop and SolydK with KDE Plasma desktop. Both of them are pretty awesome and nice looking. However, due to the simplicity of XFCE, I’m mostly attracted to SolydX edition. KDE is a nice one but their recent changes to the system & organization force me a lot of work.

Another thing I like about Xfce is the lightweight environment. Everything is organized in a neat & clean way.

Unless you’re an experienced KDE user or willing to put time on re-arranging everything, KDE is better left alone.

Keeping the system up-to-date is a most important feature of every Linux distro. The most important feature SolydXK provides is the rolling update system. It’s not a common feature of other Linux distros except a few ones. It saves a lot of time-consuming procedures for performing manual updates. Moreover, when a major update is released, you don’t have to re-install the entire OS – everything is right on the spot.

Things not inside

SolydXK ships with the minimum programs installed like a browser (Firefox), multimedia support (VLC) and office suite (LibreOffice). The sparse selection of apps is only bare necessities. It’s more a convenience than a drawback.

If you need any toolkit or program, you can simply install it through the Software Manager. Another important thing is, you need to update all your packages to the latest version. The default installation of Firefox is 52, where Firefox 58 is released. It’s just a simple process – nothing big of a deal, right?

Security is, nowadays, an important factor for everyone. Especially the Meltdown and Spectre has shaken the world. The latest update of SolydXK contains the kernel patch for the flaw. For rolling update system, you don’t have to manually update or download the entire OS from scratch.

The bottom line

Personally, I love the SolydXK. Those who love stability, a well-designed & well-managed Linux distro, SolydXK is their perfect choice. Currently, I’m sticking with SolydX, the Xfce edition. The KDE edition seems a bit uninviting but if you have the time to spare, it’s worth it with the tons of graphic embellishments.

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Major features

An interesting feature is Wayland support. Wayland is intended as a better and simpler replacement for the widely used X server that’s responsible for the visual interface of Linux. This new replacement is targeting simplicity, easier to develop and maintain. It’s written in C and we can expect that GNOME & KDE, 2 mainstream desktop environment will be ported to it. In RHEL 7.5, Wayland support in GNOME is present as the tech preview. It’s confirmed by the 7.5 release notes.

With this implementation, we’re expecting that Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.0 will offer a GNOME Wayland session by default. However, it’s not too surprising as RHEL is providing the support with several latest releases. The GNOME Wayland experience is continuing further refining but yet to prove as very solid. Red Hat also wishes for supporting Mutter EGLStreams code for NVIDIA Linux driver support.

Alongside other updates, Red Hat Linux Enterprise (RHEL) comes up with initial Heterogeneous Memory Management (HMM) support in the kernel. You can enable the feature with “experimental_hmm=enable”. RHEL 7.5 beta implements “kexec” system call and its fast reboot capability, KASLR address space layout randomization is also in the form of tech review.g

Additional features

Other key features include –

• Security improvements – more securely unlocking Network Bound Disk Encrypted devices during boot.
• Integrated Red Hat Ansible DevOps Automation with OpenSCAP – easier to automate compliance issue remediation. Admins can reliably and efficiently scale policies across servers and clouds.
• Compliance improvements with PTP (Precision Time Protocol) and NTP (Network Time Protocol).
• Easier-to-use admin console Cockpit – easier system management covering almost everything.
• Ability to auto-generate a “know-good” bootable snapshot. This feature allows faster recovery and rollback after patching.
• VDO (Virtual Data Optimizer) to reduce data redundancy through inline compression and deduplication. According to Red Hat, VDO can increase effective capacity by up to 6 times.

These awesome features are in testing phase but expected to come out with the next stable release. The codes are refining and evolving. Feel free to check out the beta. You can download Red Hat Enterprise Linux here. If you’re looking for a personal & powerful Linux distros, check out our top 10 Linux distros.

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