Kyle Rankin

Linux security & infrastructure professional, FOSS advocate, public speaker, author of How To Write A Tech Book, Linux Hardening in Hostile Networks and many other books, ex-Linux Journal columnist, weaver.

Personal Site: https://kylerank.in
Personal Bibliography: https://kylerank.in/writing.html
Previous Mastodon Account: https://social.librem.one/@kyle

Last Notes

2026-01-12 15:17:53 GMT

I haven't ever maintained a blog, but since Linux Journal folded and I no longer work at Purism, I miss having an outlet for longer-form thoughts.
Over the last five years or so, I've observed a Renaissance in innovation on the Linux desktop that hearkens back to the Golden Era of the desktop from the mid-1990s into the aughts.
In this (pretty long, likely controversial) post, I talk through the Golden Era, Dark Ages, Renaissance, and what's next.
#linux #LotD
https://kylerank.in/blog/linux-desktop-renaissance.html

2025-09-10 15:20:59 GMT

- reply

Here are a few tips I passed along to this new Linux user, based on over 20 years of experience both as a Linux user and writer:
* The best distro *for you* isn't the one I/we prefer, but the one you get support on--either choose one w/ formal support or what your friend uses.
* Hardware support is important, pick a model known to be supported well (if new: Framework, on a budget: used Thinkpads). If new, ideally pick one w/ a distro supported by the vendor. 1/x
#Linux #LinuxTips

2025-09-10 14:04:22 GMT

I still regularly attend a local Linux Users' Group I joined over 20 years ago. Last night something happened I hadn't seen in some time--a brand new Linux user showed up with their Thinkpad looking for advice.
She was a Windows 10 user who drew the line at Windows 11 AI's invasion of privacy, and wanted a clean break. Apparently many of her friends are watching her to see how the switch goes. Interesting times...
#Linux #LUG

2025-08-17 13:42:14 GMT

I use old laptops as my primary home server instead of mini PCs because they come with a built-in multi-hour UPS and a crash cart.
Using old phones offers similar advantages, in particular if your alternative was a Raspberry Pi.
https://hackaday.com/2025/08/16/from-smartphone-to-a-home-server/

2025-08-05 01:37:17 GMT

- reply

In my experience, Windows has always been more difficult to install than Linux, unless you were using some sort of image from the vendor that matched the hardware. It just seemed easier because most people never installed Windows from scratch--it was pre-installed and set up, or with an image already customized for the hardware.

2025-08-05 00:00:29 GMT

I love this. Engineer sets up free previously-payphones in his community to cover cellular dead zones:
https://www.npr.org/2025/08/04/nx-s1-5484013/engineer-restores-pay-phones-for-free-public-use

2025-06-23 13:45:08 GMT

It was bound to happen some day--I'm starting my dive into Home Assistant.
My wife wanted a doorbell for our house, I wanted to protect our privacy, so it was the gateway project to set things up. Now my wish list is full of various home automation widgets, and I'm trying to decide how far I want to go with home automation.
What are your favorite Home Assistant devices?
#HomeAssistant #SmartHome

2024-12-12 21:21:12 GMT

We need more sensible conversations about how non-free firmware is treated while we promote and advance free software. We should also acknowledge that FSF’s current approach with RYF is less than ideal. This post by @npub1jpf…vqhj is an example of a sensible discussion of the issues:
https://mjg59.dreamwidth.org/70895.html
If you are interested in how these issues impacted a real company who tried to make freedom-respecting hardware, check out a talk I gave at SCALE20x:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xbvMtFLOmE
#FOSS #firmware #RYF

2024-12-05 02:26:28 GMT

Overall, reading T-Mobile’s CISO talk about how their defenses worked against Salt Typhoon is interesting, but the effectiveness of frequent credential rotation when FIDO2 isn’t available was particularly interesting:
“In the case of credentials where FIDO2 can't be deployed, T-Mobile US rotates the credentials "extremely regularly, and we see this directly impacting the attacker," Simon told The Reg.”
https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/05/tmobile_cso_telecom_attack/
#infosec #SaltTyphoon

2024-12-01 03:56:20 GMT

Software Freedom Conservancy is partnering with OpenWRT (and Banana Pi) to create a wireless router (OpenWRT One) that is focused on right to repair and software freedom.
I’m interested to see this how this new proactive approach to free-software-backed hardware by SFC pans out compared to FSF’s more passive RYF program.
https://sfconservancy.org/news/2024/nov/29/openwrt-one-wireless-router-now-ships-black-friday/
#FOSS #RightToRepair