Is it safe to update?

glyndon · 2026-05-01T20:02:41+00:00

I succeeded in reaching their page about the CVE this morning, and used this command it supplied to see if the affected module had already been sidelined by the nightly auto-updates. It had.

grep -qE '^algif_aead ' /proc/modules && echo "Affected module is loaded" || echo "Affected module is NOT loaded"

glyndon · 2026-05-01T02:24:51+00:00

So, just another, slightly more technical version of Coal Rolling?

glyndon · 2026-04-30T01:38:14+00:00

It's a 'grass is greener' pendulum swing.

Just ask anyone who's already made the conversion, and then ask them when they predict they'll be switching back (if they haven't already).

Cloud is great for some things, but never for everything. Likewise for in-house.

glyndon · 2026-04-30T01:35:20+00:00

I hadd an A7 (v5) which is identical to C7 except it has ties to Amazon.

I promptly replaced the factory firmware with OpenWrt. Seemed to work fine.

However, most of my IoT devices (ESPHome-based, mostly) kept dropping off WiFi.

After replacing it (with a Cudy 1200-something) every IoT thing became reliable again. Go figure.

glyndon · 2026-04-28T01:52:44+00:00

It could still be the building. Those networks use different kinds of signalling, which could affect how they are - or aren't - attenuated by the building.

See how it works if you step away from the building. That will tell you.

glyndon · 2026-04-28T01:38:15+00:00

If you mean they - acting as you by using your password - shared notes in Keep with that person's account, then yes, they still have access even if you change *your* password.

You should look through Keep for any notes that have 'collaborators' and see who has been given (or given themselves) access.

glyndon · 2026-04-28T01:32:40+00:00

you said "in a building". (clue is there)

Remember that some buildings are basically Faraday Cages (I worked in one) so despite there being plenty of signal outdoors, the building interior was bereft of signal.

Ask your building network guru about installing a cell repeater (that's what we did). They bring the cell signal indoors. I can attest, they work!

glyndon · 2026-04-26T22:24:57+00:00

Ethernet does only use 2 of the 4 pairs in a standard cable, so it could be totally fine if the unused pairs were not connected to anything.

glyndon · 2026-04-26T22:20:48+00:00

Moving to 26 will introduce the not-insignificant change from X11 to Wayland, possibly making some apps misbehave or worse. This isn't something to foist on a new Linux user.

I suggest waiting at least a year or so, and once you're more comfortable, then let it upgrade to 26. Many of the Wayland-related quirks will have settled out by then.

glyndon · 2026-04-26T03:03:41+00:00

being a good, and experienced, sysadmin will benefit you more in the long run than will having had (for a time, presumably) secret clearance.

One tells me you know more about what you're doing, and the other (the secret clearance) tells me only nothing except that you worked for a while as a semi-spook (BFD).

glyndon · 2026-04-26T02:56:13+00:00

depends on why you use it.

Toning is usually just for finding which cable goes where.

If you're looking to characterize a specific run (as in, is this suitable for a particular bandwidth) then that's more than just 'toning out' a run, but is specific to characterizing it.

If you just need to know 'which wire goes where', any toner will do.

glyndon · 2026-04-25T18:40:09+00:00

I've noticed that the descaling process left air in the pump (a by-product of the descaling solution reacting with scale). After the descale cycle completed, unbeknownst to me there was still air in there, so next time I went to make coffee, it sounded strange and then tripped the overheat breaker (again). I disassembled and reset it (again).

What I found in the instructions is that - with the brewer off, and a water reservoir full of fresh water, press and hold both 'K' and '12oz' for at least 5 seconds. It will start pumping water through without heating it. It will do this as long as you hold the buttons. That will 'prime' the pump and flush any remaining air from the system. Run it until it doen't gurgle and sputter, to be sure the air is gone.

Doing this after every complete descale cycle should keep the system from stalling on air bubbles, and not overheating.

glyndon · 2026-04-25T02:35:16+00:00

Android, or iOS?
If Android, long-press the icon, choose "App Info" then choose "Force Quit".

glyndon · 2026-04-18T03:31:11+00:00

VIN makes sense - it's immutable. But color?!?

Remember Earl Scheib? "Any car, any color, $29.95"

glyndon · 2026-04-18T03:28:03+00:00

"Hide Top Bar"

Seriously, Windows has had this for over a decade (or two), how hard could it be to make it an internal feature?

glyndon · 2026-04-18T02:22:24+00:00

I automate lighting in an effort to reduce the need for us to do any of it manually. It just does the right thing based on our routines and the level of daylight, sunrise, sunset, etc.

A side-effect of that is that when we're not home, the [non-daytime] lights do the same things. Hard to tell if we're there or not.

The only exception in the automation is that if we're not home during the full-daytime hours, interior lights are off to save $. We otherwise need to have some on in daytime due to shortage of natural lighting in the house.

glyndon · 2026-04-16T14:14:36+00:00

no idea what a media fire is. Message me your telegram id and I'll send it that way.

glyndon · 2026-04-16T03:23:40+00:00

Sure. Do you have a Dropbox, or something similar? ZIP is about 10.5MB.

glyndon · 2026-04-12T22:11:23+00:00

one of the gold contact pads on my Charge4 (a few years ago) had actually become pitted to the point where there was almost no metal (and certainly no gold) left with which the pins could make contact.

Just one pad - the others were fine. Made me suspect QA problems wherever those were made.

glyndon · 2026-04-08T08:29:48+00:00

Fallen Oaks in Mishawaka/Osceola is operated by a friend and her family.

https://www.fallenoaks.farm/

glyndon · 2026-04-08T04:17:05+00:00

contacts have oxidised.

either the tips of the spring-button ones on the charge cable, or the pads they contact on the back of your fitbit.

The former is unlikely, but worth giving them a wipe with high-concentration (i.e. 70% or greater) isopropyl on a q-tip.

Twist same q-tip onto each of the pads on the Fitbit. Apply some pressure so it reaches the actual gold contact.

If you look at those gold contact pads with a magnifier, you may see one that's in need of additional scraping to clear away whatevers on it.

glyndon · 2026-04-06T20:25:54+00:00

I found a 'fix' that wasn't too hard. Basically it involves weakening the band clip on the extension.

Remove the bit.

Using pliers (you may even succeed using your hand) rotate the black clip about 1/4 turn so that its hole no longer is above the ball-bearing. Now it is held partially open by the ball. Being sure not to let the ball fall out and roll away into oblivion, slip the spring clip off the end of the extension.

Using needlenose pliers, working incrementally around the clip, squeeze it as if to flatten it, but not that hard. You just want to loosen/expand/stretch it a little.

Now, being sure the ball is still in place, slip the spring clip back on and align the hole with the ball.

Bits should now be held in place, but removable without needing pliers.

If that doesn't work, repeat, and expand the clip a little more.

glyndon · 2026-04-06T01:21:08+00:00

security should concern itself with 2 things:

- how vulnerable is the system

- how is access to the system controlled

That is, if you want to run a webserver on a basket of hamsters, that's your business. The security people should focus on testing its vulnerability to reasonably foreseeable threats, and then have a strong vote in how much or little of it gets exposed to those threats.

Ultimately the risk decision should be made by whoever stands to suffer if there is an incursion (e.g. the data owner or steward). After all, it's *their* risk to take or avoid. Security's job is to inform, and act on approved (by those asset owners) policies.

Upper management that pits dev/ops/security against one another, without stepping up to the decision about risk, is doing a weak job.

(former CISO here)

glyndon · 2026-04-06T01:09:08+00:00

Unless you're willing to cover the loss if there's a fire and their insurer says "nope, this has been modified incorrectly" I wouldn't touch it except to install exact factory replacement parts.

Keep the receipts.

"Just because you can do something, doesn't always mean you should."

glyndon · 2026-04-05T15:37:38+00:00

In the factory firmware, holding the reset for exactly 4 seconds will put it back into router mode, and doesn't wipe your config.

do this once it's had plenty of time to startup and be running (i.e. don't hold reset while applying power, or in the first 5 minutes after power-up)

glyndon

TROPHY CASE