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Why is Trilium so unknown? (github.com)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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I mean Trilium is fantastic app, lots of potential but the developer is struggling on his own, maybe it's because it's younger than logseq or maybe because is open source compared to obsidian. I think it's the best note-taking/knowledge-base/second-brain i know it virtually could link everything you posses toghter to create a gigantic wiki, so much potential. Plus it has its own self hostable syncing server and web app. Guys give it a look and tell me what you think

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (2 children)

Ah, if it's only available on flatpaks, that's why few people know about it.

Flatpak is a very insecure method to download software BTW, you probably should avoid it

Edit: It's curious that I'm getting downvoted for stating a fact. It seems a lot of flatpak users don't understand security. But that's kinda the point: even the flatpak developers don't understand the difference between integrity and authenticity

https://github.com/flatpak/flatpak-builder/issues/435

Flatpak currently does not provide authenticity, and one developer made it clear that he doesn't understand why that matters in the above ticket that requested signatures of packages back in 2016. It's been 7 years and still they haven't fixed this. I don't think the flatpak team understands or cares about security.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Flatpaks aren't any less secure than any other installation option, where did you get that idea from?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

This is misinformation. Flatpaks are far less secure than installing from apt. All packages installed from apt are cryptographically signed. This isn't the case with flatpaks.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

Hey, let's just have a discussion without calling each other misinformation. I have made my claim and you have made yours.

Now, it is true that apt packages are signed with GPG. However, the same is also true for Flatpak packages. https://docs.flatpak.org/en/latest/flatpak-builder.html#signing

You can see Flathub's GPG key by downloading https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo and cating it.

When it comes to supply chain security, Flathub's centralized nature allows for additional security than traditional distro packaging, as packages can come directly from app developers. https://docs.flathub.org/docs/for-app-authors/verification

Of course, I would love to see also reproducible builds like nix, and/or SBOMs like Docker, but these are not very popular security tools at the moment.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 children)

I'm not calling you names, I'm calling you out on misinformation. There is such a thing as facts, and it's important that we don't misconstrue them.

Optional signing of commits in git is not the same thing as mandatory signing of all packages.

Fact: If I download software with apt in Debian, It's 100% going to verify the cryptographic authenticity of that package. If the signature doesn't match, it won't proceed with the install (unless I choose to override the warning).

Fact: If I download software with flatpak, it may download maliciously modified software and install it without verifying its authenticity.

I'm not aware of any way to configure flatpak to force it to verify the signature of releases between download & install (so if the signature is unavailable or invalid, it does not install the software). Again, flatpak is not a safe way to download software, and I don't think it's possible to configure it to be safe.

If I'm the one spreading misinformation, then show me the documentation from flatpak that indicates that all packages are verified by their PGP key after download.

I think it's a fairly reasonable expectation that a software repo won't download malicious software. Flatpak doesn't do that.

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

The first link I sent says that flatpak does not allow users to override GPG and allow unsigned flatpaks unless they are root.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 years ago

That's not users of flstpak, that's developers. This applies to developers uploading to flstpak. There isnot security for end-users downloading from flatpaks.

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

I don't think it is, I remember something like rpm, but im really new to Linux.

Why is that? Could you elaborate further? you peaked my interest.

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

Cryptographic signatures of releases are not required for all packages in flatpaks. They are for packages installed in apt.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Thanks for the heads up man, appreciate it.