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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Running a business using linux (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I've run a small business for over 10 yeas. I use linux. I'm grateful to the community and I use FOSS where possible.

I have had some issues over the years, but have always been able to get around them (except CAD in 2013), but recently I've had issues with my government (UK). First they introduced 'making tax digital' and told me for years that I would have to buy windows only software (there was no legal option on linux until a few weeks before the deadline (https://www.comsci.co.uk/100PcVatFreeBridge saved the day). The UK Government didn't create a free solution or any route to that as they don't want the source to be open for making tax digital so accounting software companies have made a killing!

This week my internet banking stopped allowing payments, it no longer works in firefox (I'm guessing). On the telephone they asked me 'what search engine I was using'^+^ and advised to use google.

What is the best UK business bank to use if you use linux to run a small business? Do I have to use Chrom(e)ium? Does anyone else use linux for business admin? Is anyone (Freesoftware foundation, etc) thinking about the creeping legislative changes that make it literally illegal to use FOSS and linux?

I wanna be an ally, but its so tiring.

^+^ browser ≠ search engine. Yes, I'm pedantic, at least I didn't confuse them by saying 'quant' or 'duck duck go', OK!?

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago (3 children)

online banking shouldn't be done whilst you're sharing a browser with tiktok (as an example)

Why? Be specific because unless something has gone horribly wrong sites can't access data from other sites or tabs unless they're cooperating. In which case they do so with session data.

And you could simply have a separate Firefox profile rather than spinning up an entire virtual machine.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago

Neat, Mozilla’s VPN supports setting servers on a per-container basis.

Though gotta watch for DNS leaks apparently.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

XSS springs to mind.

And spinning up a VM (or container) is not that hard nowadays.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

This does absolutely nothing to defend against XSS.

This is the problem with paranoia-based security. You create needless overhead thinking you're "more secure," but you're not. Not in any way that really matters, at least.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

So if i spin up a container to run just that browser for just that site i do nothing against XSS? Interesting.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

I can't tell if you're being facetious or not...

XSS is an attack within a site. For example - if I were to embed JavaScript in this post, and your lemmy website didn't properly sanitize it, then it would be executed by your browser. This would let me run code on lemmy with your credentials. I could then rewrite posts, delete your account, maybe send your data to another site where I could capture your session or credentials.

It has nothing to do with any other tabs and it would be limited to lemmy and the page that executed the script. I couldn't have that script read data from your bank on another tab, for example.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

And you could simply have a separate Firefox profile rather than spinning up an entire virtual machine.

This is what I do. Even though there is nothing wrong with the Qubes approach, I think it's overkill unless you are hiding from nation-state attackers.