Fortifying Debian With SELinux by Enforcing Mandatory Access Control for Ultimate System Security

1 month 2 weeks ago
by George Whittaker

In an era where cyber threats are evolving rapidly, securing Linux systems goes far beyond basic user permissions. Traditional security mechanisms like Discretionary Access Control (DAC) offer limited safeguards against privilege escalation, compromised applications, and insider threats. To address these limitations, Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) offers a powerful, fine-grained framework for Mandatory Access Control (MAC) — and it's not just for Red Hat-based distributions anymore.

In this article, we'll explore how to integrate SELinux into Debian, one of the most widely used and respected GNU/Linux distributions. We'll break down its architecture, setup procedures, policy management, and troubleshooting techniques. Whether you're running a mission-critical server or seeking to harden your desktop environment, this guide will show you how SELinux can elevate your system security to enterprise-grade standards.

Understanding the Foundations of SELinux What Is SELinux?

SELinux is a kernel security module initially developed by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) in collaboration with the open-source community. It introduces the concept of mandatory access controls by enforcing policy-based rules that strictly define how processes and users can interact with files, directories, sockets, and devices.

Unlike DAC, where file owners control access, MAC policies are imposed by the system administrator and enforced by the kernel, regardless of user ownership or permissions.

Core Components of SELinux
  • Subjects: Active entities (usually processes).

  • Objects: Passive entities (like files, directories, devices).

  • Contexts: Security labels assigned to subjects and objects.

  • Types/Domains: Used to define access rules and behavior.

  • Policies: Written rulesets that determine access control logic.

Enforcement Modes
  • Enforcing: SELinux policies are applied and violations are blocked.

  • Permissive: Policies are not enforced, but violations are logged.

  • Disabled: SELinux is turned off entirely.

SELinux on Debian: A Reality Check

Debian has traditionally favored AppArmor for its simplicity and ease of integration. However, SELinux support is fully present in Debian’s repositories. As of Debian 12 (Bookworm) and later, integrating SELinux is more streamlined and better documented than ever.

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George Whittaker

The Open Source Legacy and AI’s Licensing Challenge

1 month 2 weeks ago

Open source licensing revolutionized software development, creating a thriving ecosystem built on shared innovation and collaboration. Licenses like MIT and Apache-2.0 gave developers a standard, legally robust way to share code, reducing friction and accelerating adoption.

Matt White

awk Command in Linux

1 month 2 weeks ago
Learn how to use the awk command in Linux with real-world examples. Master advanced text processing, pattern scanning, data extraction, and scripting with awk.
Adnan Shabbir

Linux Networking: Mastering VLAN Trunking, Bonding, and QoS for High-Performance Systems

1 month 3 weeks ago
by George Whittaker Introduction

In today's fast-paced IT environments, performance, reliability, and scalability are critical factors that determine the effectiveness of a network. Advanced Linux networking techniques such as VLAN trunking, interface bonding, and Quality of Service (QoS) are key tools in the hands of system administrators and network engineers who aim to build robust and efficient systems. Whether you're managing a data center, configuring high-availability clusters, or optimizing bandwidth for critical services, these technologies provide the foundation for high-performance networking on Linux.

This article explores each of these advanced networking capabilities, explaining their benefits, configurations, and practical use cases. By the end, you will have a comprehensive understanding of how to implement VLANs, bonding, and QoS effectively on your Linux systems.

Understanding VLAN Trunking in Linux What is VLAN Trunking?

Virtual LANs (VLANs) allow the segmentation of a physical network into multiple logical networks. VLAN trunking is the process of transporting multiple VLANs over a single network link—typically between switches or between a switch and a server. This allows a single network interface card (NIC) to handle traffic for multiple VLANs, optimizing resource usage and simplifying cabling.

Trunking is crucial in virtualized environments where multiple virtual machines (VMs) or containers need to reside in separate VLANs for security or organizational reasons.

Why Use VLAN Trunking?
  • Isolation: Separates traffic for security and compliance.

  • Efficiency: Reduces the number of physical interfaces needed.

  • Scalability: Makes it easy to add or modify VLANs without physical changes.

Linux Support for VLANs

Linux supports VLANs natively via the kernel module 8021q. The modern toolset uses the ip command from the iproute2 package for configuration. Older systems may use the vconfig utility, though it's now deprecated.

Ensure the module is loaded:

sudo modprobe 8021q

Creating VLAN Interfaces

Use the ip command:

sudo ip link add link eth0 name eth0.10 type vlan id 10 sudo ip addr add 192.168.10.1/24 dev eth0.10 sudo ip link set dev eth0.10 up

Persistent Configuration

On Ubuntu (netplan):

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George Whittaker

[Testing Update] 2025-05-20 - Kernels, Firefox, NVIDIA

1 month 3 weeks ago

Hello community, here we have another set of package updates.

Current Promotions
  • Find out all about our current Gaming Laptop the Hero with Manjaro pre-installed from Spain!
  • Protect your personal data, keep yourself safe with Surfshark VPN: See current promotion
Recent News Valkey to replace Redis in the [extra] Repository (click for more details) Previous News Finding information easier about Manjaro (click for more details) Notable Package Updates Additional Info Python 3.13 info (click for more details) Info about AUR packages (click for more details)

Get our latest daily developer images now from Github: Plasma, GNOME, XFCE. You can get the latest stable releases of Manjaro from CDN77.

Our current supported kernels
  • linux54 5.4.293
  • linux510 5.10.237
  • linux515 5.15.183
  • linux61 6.1.139
  • linux66 6.6.91
  • linux612 6.12.29
  • linux614 6.14.7
  • linux615 6.15-rc7
  • linux61-rt 6.1.134_rt51
  • linux66-rt 6.6.87_rt54
  • linux612-rt 6.12.16_rt9
  • linux613-rt 6.13_rt5
  • linux614-rt 6.14.0_rt3

Package Changes (Tue May 20 08:26:38 CEST 2025)

  • testing core x86_64: 15 new and 17 removed package(s)
  • testing extra x86_64: 950 new and 1068 removed package(s)
  • testing multilib x86_64: 5 new and 5 removed package(s)

A list of all package changes can be found here.

Click to view the poll.

Check if your mirror has already synced:

5 posts - 4 participants

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Yochanan

[Stable Update] 2025-05-19 - Firefox, Thunderbird, KDE Gear, KDE Frameworks

1 month 3 weeks ago

Hello community, here we have another set of package updates.

Current Promotions
  • Find out all about our current Gaming Laptop the Hero with Manjaro pre-installed from Spain!
  • Protect your personal data, keep yourself safe with Surfshark VPN: See current promotion
Recent News Valkey to replace Redis in the [extra] Repository (click for more details) Previous News Finding information easier about Manjaro (click for more details) Notable Package Updates Additional Info Python 3.13 info (click for more details) Info about AUR packages (click for more details)

Get our latest daily developer images now from Github: Plasma, GNOME, XFCE. You can get the latest stable releases of Manjaro from CDN77.

Our current supported kernels
  • linux54 5.4.293
  • linux510 5.10.237
  • linux515 5.15.182
  • linux61 6.1.138
  • linux66 6.6.90
  • linux612 6.12.28
  • linux613 6.13.12 [EOL]
  • linux614 6.14.6
  • linux615 6.15-rc6
  • linux61-rt 6.1.134_rt51
  • linux66-rt 6.6.87_rt54
  • linux612-rt 6.12.16_rt9
  • linux613-rt 6.13_rt5
  • linux614-rt 6.14.0_rt3

Package Changes

  • core x86_64: 25 new and 25 removed package(s)
  • extra x86_64: 2037 new and 2078 removed package(s)
  • multilib x86_64: 17 new and 17 removed package(s)

A list of all package changes can be found here.

Click to view the poll.

Check if your mirror has already synced:

53 posts - 36 participants

Read full topic

Yochanan

Vivaldi 7.4 Update Adds New Keyboard Shortcut Controls

1 month 3 weeks ago

A new version of the Vivaldi web browser is available to download, carrying changes said to make our collective “everyday browsing smoother, faster, and just a little more delightful.” How does Vivaldi 7.4 make browsing the increasingly gamified, algorithmically manipulative and AI slopified modern web more ‘delightful’? Shortcuts. More specifically, Vivaldi 7.4 gives you the ability to “fine-tune” how shortcuts behave on a per-site basis. If you want a website’s shortcuts to take priority over Vivaldi’s, you can. “It’s about putting you in control, making sure your shortcuts work where and when you need them most”, says Jon von Tetzchner, […]

You're reading Vivaldi 7.4 Update Adds New Keyboard Shortcut Controls, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

Joey Sneddon

12 Best Linux Browsers in 2025

1 month 3 weeks ago
Linux has evolved over time, from a minimalist interface and tools to supporting state-of-the-art interfaces and applications. In today’s modern era, a Browser is one of the most required applications on any system. Linux distros that come with a GUI by default have some browsers pre-installed, i.e., Firefox, Chromium. Other than the default installed browser, […]
Adnan Shabbir