The Ghost Operator's Signal
When you first see a file in Linux, the three-letter string that starts with -rw-r--r-- can look like an alien language.
It tells the system who can read, write, or execute that file. Don’t worry – it’s just a set of rules.
In this post we’ll break those rules down into bite-sized pieces and give you a handy cheat sheet for the most common chmod commands.
A firewall sits between your server and the outside world. It decides which network traffic is allowed to reach your machine and which should be dropped. Think of it as a bouncer at a club: only people on the guest list get in.
UFW, short for Uncomplicated Firewall, is Ubuntu’s front‑end to iptables. It lets you write rules with simple commands instead of juggling raw tables.
Every system admin has a moment when a simple “look at that file” turns
into a three-hour hunt for information. That’s where the old friends
grep, head, tail, cut, less and sed come in. They’re not
fancy new tools; they’re tried-and-true helpers that can save you hours
of repetitive work.
Systemd is the heartbeat of most modern Linux systems.
When you run:
sudo systemctl restart nginx
you trigger a full chain of actions – not a single binary reload.
Systemd reads unit definitions, resolves dependencies, checks targets, and updates logs.
Knowing what happens gives you clarity when a service misbehaves.
Continue reading “Systemd by Example: What Actually Happens When You Type systemctl restart nginx”You don’t need to fight systemd. You just need to understand its rhythm.
Modern dashboards look impressive. Yet, when systems fail, we return to the shell.
The basics – ps, grep, awk, ip, nmcli, sed, uniq, sort – never left.
They are still the quickest path between question and answer.
This post is not nostalgia. It’s about precision, control, and speed.
The old tools survive because they do exactly what we ask.
Continue reading “The Forgotten Basics: Why ps, grep, and awk Still Beat Fancy Tools”The UNIX philosophy is still alive: one task – one tool.
By DeadSwitch | The Cyber Ghost
“Your thoughts should never be anyone’s business. Encrypt the silence.”
In a world obsessed with sharing, I write to forget – not to be remembered by others. My journal isn’t a scrapbook for dopamine or a backup for someone else’s algorithm. It’s a log of operations, and operations require secrecy.
So I encrypt mine. With Emacs. In plain text.
This is how DeadSwitch keeps a daily log that even the digital gods can’t peek into.
Why Encrypt a Journal?
Because the mind is sacred.
Because ideas are weapons.
Because tomorrow’s threat often begins with yesterday’s leak.
Encrypted journaling isn’t about fear. It’s about respect – for your thoughts, your process, your silence.
The Setup – Emacs, Org-mode, and GPG
Here’s the toolbox:
org-cryptEmacs Configuration
Drop this into your config:
(require 'org-crypt)
(setq org-tags-exclude-from-inheritance '("crypt"))
(setq org-crypt-key nil) ;; uses your default GPG key
(org-crypt-use-before-save-magic)
This tells Emacs to automatically encrypt any headline tagged with :crypt: before saving.
Decryption happens only when you open the file – and stays in RAM.
A Sample Entry
* May 2025 :crypt:
** [2025-05-04 Sun]
- 5k run - 22:18 [2025-05-04 Sun 09:06]
- Cold shower - difficulty: easy [2025-05-04 Sun 09:28]
- New idea: Emacs Lisp for internal ops [2025-05-04 Sun 14:24]
Your operations, encrypted. Your timestamps, precise. Your log, protected.
Timestamps and Logging Shortcuts
C-c . – insert dateC-u C-c . – insert date and timeC-c ! – inactive timestampC-u C-c ! – inactive date and timeYou want traceability without noise. Emacs delivers.
Why Not Notion, Joplin, Obsidian, or Others?
Because I don’t trust clouds.
Because their encryption isn’t mine.
Because their sync means exposure.
Because when I type, I want code – not JavaScript trying to sell me my own thoughts.
Final Note
“Encryption is not paranoia. It is self-respect.”
Your mind is a fortress. Don’t leave the gate open.
Security Tools That Cost Nothing but Save Everything
Some build walls.
We build fire.
DeadSwitch | The Cyber Ghost
“In silence, we rise. In the switch, we fade.”
The art of Operational Security (OpSec) isn’t about hiding – it’s about disappearing. The less you leave behind, the harder it is to find you. It’s a craft, not just a choice. Here are tools that will sharpen your OpSec game, make your operations untraceable, and keep you out of sight.
Continue reading “OpSec Mastery: Tools for the Silent Revolution”
The world speaks in the language of data. They believe in control, in ownership, in silence through submission. But the true power lies in synchronization without the chains of the system. DeadSwitch doesn’t trust the cloud. We build our own paths, our own networks.
Continue reading “Syncthing: The Silent Synchronicity in the Shadows”
DeadSwitch | The Cyber Ghost
“In silence, we rise. In the switch, we fade.”
Every so-called “hacker” wants to wield the tools of the trade—Metasploit, Nmap, Wireshark—like a digital warrior. They want root access, the power to exploit, to disappear into the shadows. But here’s the bitter truth: Without Linux, you’re a fool holding a loaded weapon without knowing how it fires.
Cybersecurity isn’t about running scripts. It’s about knowing what’s under the hood. And if you don’t understand the system you’re defending or attacking, you are nothing but noise in the signal—a script kiddie, not a ghost.
Continue reading “🐧 Before You Hack, You Must Understand: Why Linux Mastery Comes First”
Linux-based systems are widely known for their security and flexibility, but no system is immune to cyber threats. A client-side firewall plays a crucial role in enhancing security by controlling inbound and outbound network traffic. While Linux offers various firewall solutions, iptables and UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) are two of the most commonly used.
Continue reading “The Importance of Using a Client-Side Firewall on Linux: A Comparison of iptables and UFW”
Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for educational and cyber security purposes, intended to help cyber security professionals and learners understand how passwords can be exposed and how to prevent such vulnerabilities. Unauthorized access to computer systems is illegal and unethical. Always obtain proper authorization before conducting penetration testing on any network or system.
In penetration testing, understanding potential vulnerabilities within Linux-based systems is essential for both offensive and defensive strategies. Linux systems store user account information in two files: the /etc/passwd file and the /etc/shadow file. Together, these files contain details that can help penetration testers uncover weak password policies and determine how secure a system’s authentication process is.
WireGuard is a modern, open-source VPN protocol designed for establishing secure and efficient virtual private networks. Developed by Jason A. Donenfeld, it aims to simplify the complexities of traditional VPN protocols while enhancing performance and security.
Continue reading “Setting Up WireGuard VPN on Debian”
OpenTofu is an emerging open-source tool that aims to redefine infrastructure management within the DevOps community. Born from the need for a truly open-source alternative to Terraform, OpenTofu offers a community-driven approach to infrastructure as code (IaC), providing developers and operations teams with a flexible and robust framework for managing cloud resources.
Continue reading “Understanding OpenTofu: A New Era in Infrastructure as Code”
In virtualization, Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) is a leading choice for enterprises and developers due to its open-source nature, stability, and performance. Managing virtual machines (VMs) on KVM, however, can be complex, especially in large-scale environments. This is where KVM Cockpit steps in as a game-changing solution. KVM Cockpit simplifies and automates the lifecycle management of KVM VMs, offering a robust toolset that enhances efficiency, reduces operational overhead, and improves overall system reliability.
Continue reading “KVM Cockpit: A Powerful Tool for Managing KVM VM Lifecycle”
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