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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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I have a question about flatpak (lemm.ee)

submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

32 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I see that it can be slower because of having all the dependencies included with the flatpak itself instead of relying solely on whats installed on the system. I read that this means it isolates or sandboxes itself from the rest of the system.

Does this not mean that it can't infect the rest of the system even if it had malware?

I have seen people say that it isnt good for security because sometimes they force you to use a specific version of certain dependencies that often times are outdated but I'm wondering why that would matter if it was truly sandboxed and isolated.

Do they mean that installing flatpak itself is a security risk or that also specific flatpaks can be security risks themselves?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I see that it can be slower because of having all the dependencies included with the flatpak itself instead of relying solely on whats installed on the system.

No. Packing its own libraries wouldn’t make it slower. If anything it would be the extra access checks added by the sandbox (which is optional FWIW, apps don’t have to use it). I haven’t ever used Flatpak but I would assume the sandbox impact is minimal if at all noticeable.

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

There aren't any "extra access checks" to my knowledge. It's just the same regular access checks applied to a different set of circumstances.

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

It is a container so any access to the outside system is passed though.

There are XDG portals but those are just standard ways of accessing a resource.