Soluții

How to install and use Linux Apps on a Chromebook

With a foundation of Linux, ChromeOS has the ability to install Linux apps with just a few small commands. Linux on a Chromebook is fairly full-featured. You have a full Linux environment, capable of installing apps designed for Debian pretty easily. This can be through the terminal, through app stores, or any other method that typically works on Debian.

Having Linux on your Chromebook also lets you use traditional Linux commands, like SSH, telnet, SCP, and many others. With Linux on your Chromebook, you’ll be able to extend the affordable and ultraportable system even more than ChromeOS typically allows. Linux has transformed how I use my Chromebook, and I honestly couldn’t imagine using the laptop without it at this point.

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How to install and configure Solus Budgie

1. Download Solus Budgie

  1. Go to the official Solus website: https://getsol.us.

  2. Click Download → Select Budgie edition (the flagship desktop).

  3. Download the .iso file — about 2 GB.

  4. After download, verify checksum (optional but recommended):

    • On Linux:

      bash
      sha256sum Solus-*.iso

      Compare with the checksum on the website.

    • On Windows: Use a tool like CertUtil in Command Prompt:

      cmd
      certutil -hashfile Solus-*.iso SHA256

2. Create a Bootable USB

You’ll need an empty USB (≥4 GB).

  • On Windows: Use Rufus

    1. Insert your USB.

    2. Open Rufus → Select the Solus ISO → Leave partition scheme as GPT (for UEFI).

    3. Click Start.

  • On Linux: Use balenaEtcher or the dd command:

    bash
    sudo dd if=Solus-*.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress
    sync

    (Replace /dev/sdX with your USB device — be very careful!)

3. Install Solus Budgie

  1. Boot from USB: Restart your PC, open BIOS/UEFI boot menu (F12, Esc, or F2 usually), select your USB drive.

  2. Live environment: Choose “Start Solus” to boot into the live desktop.

  3. Launch installer (icon on desktop).

  4. Go through installer screens:

    • Language & Region

    • Keyboard Layout

    • Time Zone

    • Installation Type:

      • Erase disk (wipes all data — easiest)

      • Manual partitioning (if you dual-boot — you’ll need at least / and swap partitions; optionally /home)

    • User Setup:

      • Create username, password, computer name.

    • Summary → click Install.

  5. Wait until installation completes (~5–15 min).

  6. Reboot and remove the USB when prompted.

4. Post-Installation Configuration

a. Update the system

Open Terminal and run:

bash
sudo eopkg upgrade

This fetches the latest packages and security patches.

b. Install additional drivers (if needed)

  • Open DoFlicky (Solus Hardware Driver tool) from the menu.

  • It will suggest proprietary GPU/Wi-Fi drivers if required.

  • Install, reboot.

c. Enable firewall

Solus includes ufw (Uncomplicated Firewall):

bash
sudo eopkg install ufw
sudo systemctl enable --now ufw
sudo ufw enable

d. Essential apps

Solus uses eopkg as its package manager. Examples:

bash
# Web browsers
sudo eopkg install firefox
sudo eopkg install chromium# Office suite
sudo eopkg install libreoffice

# Media player
sudo eopkg install vlc

Or use Software Center for a GUI approach.

e. Budgie desktop tweaks

Install Budgie settings:

bash
sudo eopkg install budgie-desktop-view budgie-extras

Then open Budgie Desktop Settings:

  • Change Panel Layout

  • Add Applets (e.g., system monitor, workspace switcher)

  • Adjust Theme (icon packs, GTK theme)

5. Optional Customizations

Themes & Icons

bash
sudo eopkg install arc-theme papirus-icon-theme

Then switch in Budgie Desktop Settings → Style.

Enable Night Light

  • Settings → Devices → Displays → Night Light

  • Adjust schedule and warmth.

Performance tweaks

  • Disable unneeded startup apps: Settings → Startup Applications

  • Install preload (caches frequently used apps):

    bash
    sudo eopkg install preload
    sudo systemctl enable --now preload

Snap & Flatpak support

Solus supports them for extra software:

bash
# Flatpak
sudo eopkg install flatpak
flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo# Snap
sudo eopkg install snapd
sudo systemctl enable –now snapd

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How to secure Media Files on your Website

1. Understand the Risks Behind Media Files

While formats like PNG and JPEG are generally safe, some file types can contain executable code or external resource calls, making them a potential security risk:

  • SVG – Can embed JavaScript and CSS, enabling cross-site scripting (XSS) attacks

  • PDF – May include malicious scripts or embedded executables

  • Office documents – Can contain harmful macros

  • Video files – Sometimes exploited via codec vulnerabilities.

If your website allows users to upload files, every file type you accept needs to be treated as potentially dangerous.

2. Sanitize and Validate File Uploads

Before storing any uploaded file, you should:

  • Check the file extension and MIME type to ensure it matches the intended format

  • Sanitize SVGs by removing <script> tags, onload events, and any inline JavaScript

  • Use antivirus scanning on all uploaded files

  • Block disallowed file types unless explicitly needed.

Example for SVG sanitization:
Use libraries like DOMPurify or SVGO to strip malicious code before storing or serving the file.

3. Limit How Media Files Are Served

Even clean files can be abused if served incorrectly. To minimize risk:

  • Serve media from a separate domain or subdomain (e.g., media.example.com) to isolate cookies and session data

  • Set correct Content-Type headers so browsers interpret files correctly

  • Apply Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict what media can execute or load

  • Disable inline script execution for formats like SVG.

4. Convert High-Risk Formats to Safer Alternatives

If your platform doesn’t absolutely need an SVG to remain in vector form, convert it to a PNG or WebP before display. This eliminates the risk of script execution while preserving the visual appearance.

5. Keep Your Platform Updated

Many attacks exploit old vulnerabilities in CMS platforms, plugins, or file-handling libraries.
Regularly updating your software stack ensures that known exploits are patched before attackers can use them.

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