Questions tagged [privacy]
Questions related to privacy management with Ubuntu OS, network, apps, etc. and related issues.
181
questions
118
votes
5
answers
73k
views
How can I read and remove meta (exif) data from my photos using the command line?
Just looked this up. Figure I'd share it here for future reference.
- 3,889
56
votes
4
answers
15k
views
How to hide recent files and most used apps?
How can I hide recent files that my Ubuntu Netbook's unity menu shows when I click on the files and folder icon?
Okay ! I watch porn sometimes and right after that it appears in the files and folder ...
- 881
56
votes
7
answers
46k
views
Why can other users see the files in my home folder?
I just added a new, underprivileged "desktop user," and I was surprised to discover that it can see the files in my home folder.
What is the rational for setting up such lax permissions?
- 76.8k
55
votes
11
answers
79k
views
How to install Tor?
I tried to install Tor on my new version of Ubuntu, but it seems that Tor is not available in the repositories.
How else can I install and use Tor?
- 707
54
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Will all Dash input in 12.10 be sent to Amazon?
It seems like all user input to the Dash home lens is send to Amazon by default in Ubuntu 12.10, is this correct?
- 4,341
47
votes
5
answers
19k
views
I have permanent connections to Canonical servers, what are they for and how can I turn them off?
After the recent upgrade to 12, I notice permanent connections to canonical servers.
Running netstat -tp gives:
Foreign Address State PID/Program name
mulberry.canonical:http ...
- 693
45
votes
2
answers
14k
views
Why does Ubuntu require us to register an account on Ubuntu website to be able to install a Snap package?
Today I wanted to install a Snap Package on Ubuntu Xenial, but it prompted me to register an account on Ubuntu Single Sign-On.
Why does Ubuntu ask us for such a thing?
Installing a Snap Package:
...
- 561
32
votes
3
answers
5k
views
How to block input to webcam? [duplicate]
When I was running Windows 7 on my Lenovo machine there was a pre-installed Lenovo utility which would make it so that anyone trying to see what my webcam sees would instead see a still image of a ...
user364819
30
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Explicit pictures show when searching "gedit" in Ubuntu Dash
Recently at work I searched the Unity Dash for gedit and there were explicit pictures in the search result. The picture shows in "Reference" field when I search "gedit" only..
It was very ...
- 372
28
votes
5
answers
62k
views
Which free VPN providers support Ubuntu? [duplicate]
Can't find any free VPN provider for Ubuntu. I tried looking into old questions but they seem to be outdated.
- 283
27
votes
6
answers
47k
views
Is ubuntu-geoip (GeoClue) used for tracking?
I am happily learning Ubuntu more closely now. I came across the process ubuntu-geoip-provider in system monitor.
Is is used for tracking or for gathering nearest server info, or for syncing time ...
- 12.8k
21
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Why does my Ubuntu 14.04 desktop light up my Webcam on startup and login?
My privacy feels invaded by the "active" light on my webcam turning on when I boot Ubuntu, and again when I login. It stays on for 3-4 seconds, then turns back off.
It's a Creative HD 1080p webcam ...
- 642
18
votes
7
answers
21k
views
How do I prevent the file 'recently-used.xbel' from being created?
I want to permanently prevent Ubuntu 12.10 from creating a "recently used" file list. This list seems to be stored in the file:
/home/user/.local/share/recently-used.xbel
I have tried deleting this ...
- 447
17
votes
2
answers
53k
views
Enabling, disabling camera from terminal
How do I enable and disable the laptop's camera from the terminal? And how will I know if it is on or of?
- 7,100
17
votes
1
answer
9k
views
List and remove unofficially installed CA certificates
This article expose how around 18% of HTTPS connections are being detected as intercepted by MITM proxies. As the great related paper states:
To circumvent this validation, local software injects a ...
- 15.7k
15
votes
6
answers
5k
views
Encrypted home folder still accessible after logout
I you have an account with an encrypted home folder, you can't access the user's plain text data in their home folder if that user hasn't logged in, yet, since the system last booted up. This is what ...
- 5,710
15
votes
5
answers
6k
views
Privacy: Record activity ON?
In Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, System Settings > Privacy > Files, 'Record Activity' is ON by default.
What does this mean exactly?
Which activities are being recorded?
Where can I find the recorded data?
- 2,324
12
votes
5
answers
8k
views
How to make firefox ask for master password only when trying to show passwords
I have set up a master password on firefox and the browser asks for it at unexpected time. Not every time in the start (so it isn't useful to "lock" the browser. Someone may auto-login to a website ...
- 1,102
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is there a technical reason why a Ubuntu One account is needed for livepatching?
In order to set up Livepatch on Ubuntu 18.04, one needs to have a Ubuntu One account. Clearly this choice has privacy implications, and possibly also security ones (for instance, in theory, Canonical ...
- 637
11
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Is there a way I can block a folder from Gnome and/or Unity search?
I sometimes browse erotic media files, and I have some of them stored in my hard drive. All said content is saved in one specific folder.
Is there a way I can block this folder from Gnome and/or ...
- 131
10
votes
4
answers
22k
views
Is there a way to create a hidden account?
For privacy reasons I want to create an account that is invisible to other users (even another administrator) and can be only reached by directly typing the user name in. Is that possible?
- 213
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
RFC7217 (stable privacy addresses) implementation in Ubuntu 16.10
I'm the author of IETF RFC7217, and I'm trying to figure out whether Ubuntu 16.10 implement support for RFC7217.
It seems that there is no support in the version of NetworkManager Ubuntu is using, or ...
- 101
9
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Is there a way to stop Chrome/Firefox record history of a 'particular' website?
I want Chrome/Firefox NOT to record history of a 'particular' website. Is it possible to do so? I searched in preferences, but couldn't find a solution.
- 11.7k
9
votes
2
answers
457
views
Does the Boot Repair output contain private information?
I have successfully recovered my system with the help of a software called Boot Repair. After the recovery, it sent some information to Ubuntu Pastebin, something like this one.
Does this kind of ...
- 95
8
votes
3
answers
11k
views
Is it safe to use an Ubuntu VM on Windows 10 from a privacy perspective?
My question is basically in the title - We all know about the telemetry bullcrap that windows 10 comes with and about NSA spying on everyone. Considering all that stuff, is it (from a privacy ...
- 93
8
votes
1
answer
6k
views
gsettings - change privacy settings via command line
I know how to change privacy settings via GUI (System Settings > Security & Privacy), but I'd like to be able to do it from command line.
What I did to find out
I ran the command:
dconf watch /
...
- 81
8
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Should I be asked for my password when a bug report is sent?
First thing in the morning I started Ubuntu, and the Chrome browser. In the browser I visited a page with a password-field on it. So the password-ring popped up. Then a dialog popped up asking for a ...
- 81
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Install and run Zoom Client inside a sandbox
With COVID-19 pandemic there was a boom of video conferencing. Although there are good free and open source alternatives like Jitsi (with e2ee coming soon), Zoom became popular. Is not a secret that ...
- 15.7k
8
votes
2
answers
852
views
Ubuntu 18.04: Missing Problem Reporting option in Privacy Settings
I am missing the Problem Reporting option in Privacy Settings, and I wanted to set it as manual. It was there when I installed Ubuntu, but now it's gone.
To clarify, I have Ubuntu 18.04 with the Pop ...
- 459
8
votes
1
answer
184
views
How can I stop my email address displaying in the Software Center comments?
Whenever I leave a comment in USC, my email address is displayed. This is not the case for other commenters. How can I prevent this?
Example: https://apps.ubuntu.com/cat/applications/precise/folder-...
- 1,234
8
votes
1
answer
461
views
Apport error reporting privacy issues
As apport is enabled by default since 12.04 I thought it would be important to get some much needed clarifications on certain privacy questions that have been bugging me.
How paranoid is apport about ...
- 81
7
votes
2
answers
12k
views
How to stop .NET Core from collecting data to protect privacy?
Today Microsoft announced that .NET Core is available for installation on various platforms. Here's the website for .NET Core
https://dot.net/core
And this is the download section for Ubuntu 14.04 ...
- 3,810
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is there a way to look at the raw logs of zeitgeist?
Zeitgeist logs your activity in Unity. Is there a way to look at the raw logs it creates?
- 18.8k
6
votes
3
answers
4k
views
Can ecryptfs-setup-private be made to use a 256 bit AES key (instead of the default 128 bit key length)?
ecryptfs-setup-private will by default use an AES 128 bit key.
Can I make it use a 256 bit key (32 bytes key length)?
Of course, I could do the whole process manually as described here: https://wiki....
user12681
6
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Where will my full name be used?
During installation, the installer told me my name would be used for things like the default 'from' in emails. So now I'm wondering:
Where else will my name be used?
What benefits do I get from using ...
- 2,324
6
votes
2
answers
210
views
How can I reset recent documents on every login?
I want to create a script that allow the recent document to be reset every time i log.
I have 10 public computer (internet café) using ubuntu.
now, i have 10+ documents in my recent documents on ...
5
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Does Ubuntu Server 18.04.2 LTS "track" users in any way?
I am considering Ubuntu Server 18.04.2 LTS for a personal home server. Though, reading online about things like Zeitgeist and Unity Dash (Online Search Results) I became a bit concerned about privacy. ...
user762164
5
votes
2
answers
628
views
How to delete private data from log files?
I have heard that log files contains private data. How can I remove it and what files should I remove from them?
Those are very long files so maybe if I know what to remove I can use a script or ...
- 1,533
5
votes
1
answer
148
views
Privacy option not available in 12.10 after update?
I just updated to ubuntu 12.10 from 12.04. After update I could not see the privacy option available in the settings menu. Did I miss anything during installation?
- 473
5
votes
1
answer
24k
views
How to install the LibreWolf Browser (incl. DRM support)?
There is a newer browser, called LibreWolf, an independent fork of Firefox, with the primary goals of privacy, security and user freedom. It is the community run successor to LibreFox.
LibreWolf uses ...
- 13k
5
votes
1
answer
614
views
Disable partners key in url bar [duplicate]
How I can disable in Google client=ubuntu (in DDG t=canonical) in Firefox 47?
See screenshot:
UPD:
That's all what i find about subj,
>strings /usr/lib/firefox/libxul.so | grep "client=" -n
...
- 669
4
votes
3
answers
496
views
How much do Canonical track Ubuntu One-users behaviour?
I realised today when signing in, that everytime i use my computer I send some data back and forth to the Ubuntu One service, for obvious reasons, and that would actually mean Canonical could save us ...
- 685
4
votes
2
answers
4k
views
How to be anonymous on IPV6 protocol by not using MAC address in EUI-64?
The IPV6 protocol has a feature called "Extended Unique Identifier" or EUI-64 witch in short uses the MAC address of the network card when choosing an IPV6 Adress.
Proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?...
- 677
4
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How to clear Weather location on Ubuntu 18.04 (GNOME)
On my Ubuntu 18.04 system with GNOME 3.28 on it I have set in the top-panel's calendar pull-down the weather location so it checks with the gnome-weather application the weather information for my ...
user364819
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How can I delete the command line history from the dash?
When accessing the command line by pressing Alt+F2 it opens the dash and displays a history of previous commands which have been entered. How can this history be removed?
I've tried using Activity ...
- 6,366
4
votes
1
answer
520
views
How to prevent a kiosk running Ubuntu 13.10 showing the update dialog popup window?
In my KIOSK i have Ubuntu 13.10.
How to remove/suspend/blacklist/hide/disable completely from the Ubuntu 13.10 this following popup via command line? (even with GUI when i click settings and insert ...
user25165
4
votes
2
answers
2k
views
I would like to delete an accidental post I did on paste.ubuntu.com while using Bootrepair
I wanted to find out were the MBR physically is (I have a multiboot PC with several HD) and Bootrepair has done its job.
I then discovered that beyond my control private information was send to http:/...
- 41
4
votes
1
answer
6k
views
How to show .Trash and hidden files on USB sticks but not in $HOME?
In my home directory, there is a lot of files beginning with a dot, and I like the fact that Nautilus hides them. But when Nautilus hides .Trash on a USB disk, I risk leaking confidential documents ...
- 11.6k
4
votes
1
answer
478
views
How do I modify the empathy notifications to only show generic messages?
Is there a way to customize the popup notifications for Empathy in Ubuntu 12.04 so that instead of displaying the message contents and the sender, they only say "New Message" or something like that? I ...
- 41
4
votes
1
answer
3k
views
How can I prevent certain directories/files from appearing in Unity's dash?
This question may sound similar to the following for which solutions are documented:
How can I keep recent files from appearing in Unity?
But my problem is that the Dash (in 10.10) not only lists ...
- 89