Re: Disable connections to Internet without user's consent
On 5/17/22, Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> Andrea Monaco wrote:
>>
>> I wonder all the ways a standard installation and configuration connects
>> to the Internet without the user's consent, and how to disable it.
>>
>> I can think of the automatic check for updates and the automatic
>> security updates. Any other? Is there a manual page that lists all of
>> them?
>
> Neither one of those is automatic. Someone with root privileges
> needs to install a package like apticron to get that.
>
> I believe, but have not confirmed: if you install a base Debian
> stable system, no extra packages, it will not initiate any
> connection without user action.
>
> An interface configured to use DHCP would ask for a new one on
> lease expiration.
What about popularity-contest? Regardless of whether it fits in here,
am hoping it maybe triggers thoughts of other packages that quietly
phone home.
As fast as I typed that, I remembered something I experienced a number
of years ago. Certain screensavers used to pull from websites without
my initial knowledge. I don't know how I eventually tripped over the
fact that they did, but it was a momentarily frightening discovery. It
was one of those times that TRUST in Debian Developers' thorough
testing of packages came consciously to mind.
Upon still more reflection, I was on dialup at the time. Maybe I was
offline, and the screensaver some error message that it couldn't
connect to the website.. or it just flat out failed.. or something.
Very odd, scary moment in all this. That TRUST kept things
copacetic... :)
Cindy :)
--
Talking Rock, Pickens County, Georgia, USA
* runs with birdseed *
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