Linux distros log a TON about what you’re doing by default.

Tonnes of software uses systemd-journald to log errors, the bash shell saves everything you type into the terminal, and wtmp, btmp, utmp all track exactly who is logged in and when, and the kernel uses dmesg to log a bunch of stuff.

While the system isn’t sending these logs to Microsoft or Google, anyone who gets into your system like police or hackers can see almost everything that you have been doing.

If you want to be private, you must disable them.

  • mlfh@lemmy.sdf.org
    15·
    8 hours ago

    I’m reading this post as a well-intended PSA for those who might not know that their computers keep logs, and I appreciate the poster for that. But also I got a laugh from it sounding kind of like this:

    If you want to avoid providing incriminating evidence during a possible police interrogation, you must disable your brain’s long-term memory functions by lobotomizing yourself

    • FG_3479@lemmy.worldOP
      2·
      5 hours ago

      That is the point. I know it doesn’t read very well but I wrote it as most people don’t know what their PC is secretly recording.

      They turn off file history in the DE settings and always use incognito mode so they think their PC is amnesic except for the files they explicitly save, however it is not.

      If a Cellebrite can dump the storage of a locked iPhone, intelligence agencies almost certainly can grab your logs.