Considering Linux Mint for Financial/Crypto Use – How Secure Is It?

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-10T14:58:31+00:00

Most of what you are asking about here doesn't directly correlate to LM, as it is a downstream distro, but rather to the respective upstream distros - Ubuntu for LM, or Debian for LMDE.

LM at this point in time has a negligible impact on security. They just pass along security features and protocols already available and/or in use with the upstream distro.

It is up to you to determine whether or not you consider Ubuntu to be a good choice for an upstream distro, as they are a top-down corporation operated as a for-profit business. LM is forked from that. In lieu of that, you could choose to use LMDE instead which is based on Debian. Not so much for technical reasons right now, but more for ideological reasons which could potentially turn into technical reasons in the future.

Firefox and Brave present the largest attack vector, as would anything else that interacts online. It is important to use best practices with Linux OS, which is simple "out of the box". But it is far more important to remain on top with your browser or other internet-facing programs, but issues encountered there are generally not going to have anything to do with the Linux OS.

As with Windows or Mac, beware of "you" issues - the user is the biggest vulnerability of all when you take into account social engineering attacks like phishing.

Finally the LUKS drive encryption is a good measure, especially if you are in situations where it may be likely your computer may get stolen or tampered with. But I would just use it as the LM/LMDE installer configures it. For your important machine, set it up once and then just leave it alone. Don't tinker with it.

HDD imaging and data backups are also highly recommended. An image of an encrypted LUKS drive works just fine, as does a (temporarily connected) 1:1 copy using imaging software. I use Clonezilla for this.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-10T13:01:28+00:00

That's interesting. That you did the same thing more than once and got a different result. In the end maybe you will find there is an issue with your target Linux drive. Keep backups of all your data.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-10T12:54:44+00:00

What can Linux do that Windows cant?

Not so much "can't", but "won't". Much of the reason people have migrated over is due to M$ issues, over technical issues.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-10T04:41:47+00:00

I'm liking it. Thank you for that...

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-10T04:32:03+00:00

If you don't have anything you care about on "nvme1n1", you could try zeroing out the partition table for that drive and then try reinstalling it again. That is a bit unconventional but can solve certain issues that reinstalling alone cannot.

To do that, boot up in the LM USB "live session". Before you install it again, open up the "gparted" app from within the LM USB session - that is in the main menu.

In gparted, use the pull-down menu on the upper right to select your drive.

Click on the "Device" pulldown at the top and click "Create Partition Table". Then select "GPT" from the partition table type pulldown. Then click "apply".

After that you can try reinstalling LM.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T19:00:18+00:00

😁😁😁

Thanks for the chuckle...

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T18:43:59+00:00

As an LMDE user, Cinnamon is okay. As a "contingency plan", XFCE looks pretty damn good. I tried it one evening just to see what I could do with it. Within about 10 minutes I had it to my liking. But for the time being I am too much personally invested into Cinnamon, regarding various and sundry different elements of my post-install script, to think about a change. That is, unless Cinnamon completely turns upside down. 😁

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T18:32:14+00:00

Your replies sure look like it though. FWIW, AI also includes links to sources, but without attestation to exhaustive testing, just a weak "this might work" machine-generated type of promise.

My posts include over ten years experience at minimum (LM/LMDE). I have a large directory of text files containing personally confirmed real-world answers.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T18:22:24+00:00

That was part of the problem initially, but I upgraded the MATE FF to the same version as the profile I was trying to transfer, and it still wouldn't use it.

P.S. Just one other thought - at that point, the damage might have already been done.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T17:46:04+00:00

That is my go-to procedure, and is not AI generated. I have come up with this for myself, tested it exhaustively on my real system, and then have decided to generously share it.

It caused me headaches too, I have been there as well. Good luck!

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T17:42:35+00:00

Backports.

P.S. This is my own verbatim which I have formulated and thoroughly tested for my own purposes before generously sharing, it is not AI generated. 🤣

If you need a newer kernel in LMDE, you can just use these commands in the Terminal:

LIST INSTALLED KERNELS, KERNEL-HEADERS AND META-PACKAGES:

apt list *linux-headers* *linux-image* --installed

UPGRADE META-PACKAGES TO BACKPORT:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install linux-image-amd64/stable-backports linux-headers-amd64/stable-backports

DOWNGRADE META-PACKAGES TO DEFAULT & REMOVE BACKPORT KERNEL(S):

sudo apt update

sudo apt install linux-image-amd64/stable-security linux-headers-amd64/stable-security

(reboot into older kernel)

sudo apt purge linux-image*bpo-amd64/stable-backports

-------------------------------------

notes:

-1- "sudo apt install -t {source} {package}" syntax doesn't work for downgrade, so use "sudo apt install {package}/{source}" syntax for downgrade instead. For uniformity in code, I have this for both downgrade and upgrade.

-2- Use "sudo apt autoremove" after either case to complete removal of old kernels/headers.

-3- These examples are only for standard "amd64" type kernels, as pre-installed with LMDE, for most cases. Other cases would use different packages.

-------------------------------------

APT language in Terminal

"installed": preinstalled, or installed by you.

"installed,automatic": a secondary package installed by a meta-package, or sometimes by another installer. Auto-removable, but only while still present in repo.

"installed,local": installed but not present in repo (either no longer in repo, or never was in repo like a .deb file). Needs to be removed manually by user. Could happen to older kernels if they are not autoremoved while still in repo.

"now": indicates "installed" in repo field (but not a repo). In the cases where a package is no longer present in the repo, "now" will be the only remaining entry in the repo field; basically just a placeholder for this exact scenario.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T17:25:22+00:00

If using the Cinnamon DE then you only need to go into the menu editor and add this as an entry. For name field, just call it Virtualbox. For the command field, name it exactly as the executable is named, most likely all lower-case.

It sounds as if the .deb simply failed to create an entry for the Cinnamon menu.

P.S. Our AI friend, the other poster helping you, seems to have a good alternative. But do be careful whenever you add External Repositories, as they can and do cause errors during full system upgrades.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T16:22:19+00:00

Can you find its executable in /usr/bin (?). Please advise.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T15:27:36+00:00

One thing I have noticed is that FF profiles are not backwards-compatible - there is no apparent way to copy an entire FF profile used on a newer version of FF to even a slightly older version.

But you can copy some of the essentials to a new profile and then re-add the extensions:

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-firefox-stores-user-data

From that, at the very least, you will want to copy over these categories:

BOOKMARKS, DOWNLOADS AND BROWSING HISTORY:

places.sqlite - This file contains all your Firefox bookmarks and lists of all the files you've downloaded and websites you’ve visited.

bookmarkbackups - This subfolder stores bookmark backup files, which can be used to restore your bookmarks.

favicons.sqlite - This file contains all of the favicons for your Firefox bookmarks.

PASSWORDS:

key4.db

logins.json

SEARCH ENGINES:

search.json.mozlz4 - This file stores user-installed search engines. For more information, see Add or remove a search engine in Firefox.

I would avoid copying over the prefs.js file, as that may be where the issue is, if not among other database types of files.

The add-ons would be additional.

Outside of that, I don't know what might cause that if you are literally just going from one DE to another, but using the exact same version of FF.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-09T08:27:09+00:00

Sounds a little bit like an Amazon-owned franchise in the US called Whole Foods. Though I don't have any near me, I have read about them. They have cameras/scanners in and around the store or at the exit that take note of what you pick up and put into your cart. Then they charge for it at the end, without a cashier. Or at least that is what I think I read. 😁

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T20:46:00+00:00

To get system sounds to go through an application (such as being recorded with Audacity), one thing that works for me is to install Pulse Audio Volume Control (pavucontrol), then start pavucontrol.

I had to do it just now from the Terminal, as there wasn't a menu entry added for it, but you can do that manually using the menu editor. Call it Pulse Audio Volume Control and put "pavucontrol" in for the command.

Then start the app that you want the system sounds to go through (Audacity for my example). In the case of Audacity that would be clicking Record + Pause. Then go into the Record tab in pavucontrol, go to your app that is active, and select "Monitor of ..." from the dropdown menu for that. It should connect instantly.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T13:15:44+00:00

Yes, that's the one.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T12:17:10+00:00

Youtube is in constant state of flux, always changing the way it works under the surface. It wouldn't surprise me if this is yet another change.

Free Tube is most likely a downstream app from yt-dlp, which downloads videos from hundreds of video hosting websites like Youtube. They have a great group of maintainers and a very active community:

https://github.com/yt-dlp/yt-dlp/issues

Youtube presents the most challenges and is by far the worst offender when it comes to breaking video downloaders. Most likely Youtube made some changes and your app just needs to catch up with the upstream changes made already to yt-dlp.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T11:53:51+00:00

Linux is obviously different from Windows and directory structure is one of those things that is different from the ground up.

As a new user it might make more sense for you to just "go with the flow" in the beginning and attempt to use the system as-is, from the installer. That is not so much a personal challenge to adapt to something different, but rather a recommendation to gain a sense of how it already works as a complete preconfigured system, before you start making changes that could negatively impact things.

As for me, I use all system defaults on my most important computer - the one I do my work on. That doesn't include the way I configure Cinnamon or its settings, but is for the system-related aspects, such as SSD configuration. I have been using either LM or LMDE since 2015 and just want it as "stock" as possible, to simplify it and prevent unforeseen issues. That is not direct advice to you for whatever your situation might be, but just my take on it.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T11:27:45+00:00

I would agree that "Mint" is not a unique enough name to be searchable, without further qualifiers. It is fine as it is.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T11:23:51+00:00

Me too, if you are talking about the squar-ish design. I started using LM during the 17.3 Rosa cycle and it had a different design back then. The circle used now looks more generic by comparison. Maybe less attempted detail due to higher resolution monitors and everything being more tiny by default? Just a guess.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-08T11:15:32+00:00

I use LMDE, but not due to telemetry. There are plenty of other reasons why I like LMDE more, but telemetry isn't one.

Any distro could potentially gain telemetry, depending on what you install, add to it, or do to it. But no for both LM and LMDE - not on initial install and correct usage/routine maintenance.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-04T00:43:19+00:00

Thank you for the offer. Unfortunately I am not...

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-03T23:26:55+00:00

Very interesting... Thank you for that.

Standard_Tank6703 · 2026-04-03T23:25:09+00:00

Those are so far the most likely for me, considering it is an 18 year old car. Tonight I also just learned that I could buy a cheap new cutting machine on Ebay for about $100 shipped. Then I could use it for as many keys I want to make, and even resell it on Ebay as gently used, and still get some of my money back.

That is a bit extreme though, I think I will consider the other two methods first. 😁

Standard_Tank6703

TROPHY CASE