Little Snitch comes to Linux, but the core logic is closed source (the.unknown-universe.co.uk)

by TheIPW 26 comments 80 points
Read article View on HN

26 comments

[−] lapcat 36d ago
See "Little Snitch for Linux" https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47697870

Also:

> Little Snitch is not there to replace OpenSnitch. It's just an additional option you can choose from. Some people might prefer it, others not.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47701918

> But I currently can't make the entire project Open Source. My other option would be to keep it completely private (wrote it mostly for myself in the first place).

> I think it's still better to make it public and only partially Open Source so that some people can benefit from it. If you don't trust us, that's completely reasonable, just don't install it.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47701740

[−] roscas 36d ago
Glad you also talk about OpenSnitch. It is critical to have it installed.

OpenSnitch and PiHole are simply a must on every network.

[−] klueinc 36d ago
for folks on the mac, Lulu has been a great option too. https://github.com/objective-see/LuLu
[−] Barbing 36d ago
objective-see is carrying an immense weight for Mac users

Security: BlockBlock, KnockKnock, RansomWhere...

System/Productivity: TaskExplorer...

Yes times 4

[−] braingravy 36d ago
They really are… and it’s just one person too, right?

They’re doing the lord’s work.

[−] Barbing 34d ago
How is that possible!
[−] mystraline 36d ago
[flagged]
[−] hagbard_c 35d ago
You're apparently also not that well versed in English idioms given that "doing the Lord's work" is a well-known phrase which does not need explaining to the average speaker (native or not) of that language.

Doing the Lord’s Work

When someone handles a task that benefits everyone — especially something inconvenient, uncomfortable, or ignored by others. Often used humorously. Doesn’t always refer to religion. Can describe someone sacrificing time, energy, or sanity to improve a situation nobody else wanted to deal with.

“Whoever fixed the Wi-Fi before the meeting started is doing the Lord’s work.”

https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Doing+the+Lo...

[−] benf76 36d ago
Can you elaborate on ideal pairing?
[−] TheIPW 36d ago
[dead]
[−] senojsitruc 36d ago
I wrote GlowWorm ~20 years ago, duplicating much of the LittleSnitch functionality at the time.

I remember discovering remote kernel debugging across ethernet; it was magical.

https://glowworm.us

[−] guessmyname 36d ago
I’m as paranoid as the next person but what’s the purpose of this article?

If you don’t like closed source software and don’t trust the developer(s), then don’t use the software. Why waste time writing an article that all it does is critize the developer’s decision?

If you care so much about the software you run in your computer, then do what I do: open a disassembler and reverse engineer the code, inspect every single HTTP(S) call, every network packet, every system call, and then maybe you will feel at ease.

[−] zahlman 36d ago
[−] kelsey98765431 36d ago
last thing in the world i want is to install proprietary software on linux. even less so is something meant to be security software and interacting directly with my network stack.
[−] knowaveragejoe 36d ago
One nice thing about LittleSnitch on linux is that it comes with a web UI by default. Is there anything like that for headless systems using OpenSnitch?
[−] bornfreddy 36d ago

> ...my primary line of defence is AdGuard Home. By handling privacy at the DNS level...

To each their own, I guess, but that would be a hard pass from me. One example from mobile: FF on android keeps trying to connect to its various services (like firefox.settings.services.mozilla.net). For privacy reasons, I use NetGuard to block this and other similar domains. But there is a gotcha: there are sites (like seekingalpha.com) who refuse to load if access to these same domains is blocked - even on a completely different browser! With NetGuard I can still visit those sites in the secondary browser while blocking Mozilla tracking. With DNS blocking I wouldn't be able to do that.

[−] TheIPW 35d ago
[dead]
[−] melon_tusk 36d ago
How anyone could trust OpenSnitch is beyond me.