hardened Fedora KDE; primary on Forgejo
1881c14ea7
Critical install bug fix + cosmetic round-up + first formal test procedure document. ## Critical: LUKS unlock on first boot Generated installer kickstart's %post was injecting `rd.luks.uuid=…` into `/etc/default/grub` only. Fedora 43 uses BLS (Boot Loader Specification) entries in `/boot/loader/entries/*.conf`; those are NOT regenerated by `grub2-mkconfig`. Result: the kernel boots without `rd.luks.uuid=`, dracut's cryptsetup-generator never spawns the unlock unit, plymouth has no password to ask for, and dracut-initqueue loops on dev-disk-by-uuid for ~3min before dropping to emergency shell. The fix layers both write paths: - `/etc/default/grub` — keeps the args around for future kernels (kernel-install reads this when adding new entries). - `grubby --update-kernel=ALL --args=...` — rewrites the `options` line of every existing BLS entry so the kernel that boots NEXT actually has the args. Verified by reading `/proc/cmdline` from the dracut emergency shell on a v0.5.26 install; old cmdline had only `root=UUID=… ro rootflags=subvol=root` and was missing the LUKS arg entirely. ## GRUB / branding - `/etc/default/grub` is sed'd to `GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR="veilor-os"` (was already there, kept). - BLS entries' `title` line is rewritten in-place to "veilor-os (<kver>)" for every kernel — `grub2-mkconfig` does not touch BLS titles, so this is the only path. - `/boot/loader/entries/*-0-rescue-*.conf` is removed: the auto-built rescue entry was leaking "Fedora Linux" into the GRUB menu and showing a second boot option that nobody asked for. The rescue kernel image itself is left in /boot. - Hostname defaults to `veilor` (was inheriting the `localhost-live` name anaconda writes when the kickstart's network directive is ignored under cmdline mode). - `/etc/machine-info` adds `PRETTY_HOSTNAME="veilor-os"` so `hostnamectl status` and any consumer reading machine-info see the brand. ## Boot UX - `fbcon=nodefer` added to live-ISO bootloader cmdline. On real laptops with a hardware GPU, the kernel modeset blanks the framebuffer console mid-boot; without `nodefer` the installer banner draws into a frozen framebuffer and the user sees a black screen with a blinking cursor for ~30s. virtio-vga in QEMU doesn't trigger this so it never reproduced in VM. Symptom report on v0.5.26 was the trigger to investigate. ## Installer cosmetics - `GUM_CHOOSE_CURSOR` and `GUM_INPUT_PROMPT` switched from `❯ ` to `> `. The unicode arrow falls back to a fixed-width block on the linux fbcon font and lipgloss then duplicates that block at col +23, producing the "Install Install" double-render and the stray-T artifact in password fields. Plain ASCII renders identically across fbcon, virtio-vga, and X/Wayland gum runs. - `VERSION_ID` bumped 0.5.8 → 0.5.27 in the os-release drop-in. The installer banner reads this at runtime, so the live ISO + installed system both now show "veilor-os 0.5.27". ## Test procedure - `test/TESTING.md` — first canonical test procedure document. Splits VM (cheap iteration, hybrid sendkey + human passwords) from real hardware (mandatory for tag). Documents the standard test passwords (`veilortest1` for both LUKS and admin), the kill-and-relaunch step to skip CD on second boot, and the per-step pass/fail contract. - `test/METHOD-CHANGELOG.md` — append-only audit trail for changes to the procedure. Future releases that alter the test method must add an entry here with the why. - `test/test-runs/_TEMPLATE.md` — per-run report template. Each tagged release should land a filled report alongside it. ## test/run-vm.sh Decoupled QEMU monitor sock setup from auto-inject. Previously `NO_INJECT=1` (used to suppress autotype noise into prompts) also killed the monitor sock, leaving the VM undriveable. Monitor sock is now always exposed; only the inject helper is gated on the pubkey detection. |
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|---|---|---|
| .github | ||
| assets | ||
| build | ||
| docs | ||
| kickstart | ||
| overlay | ||
| scripts | ||
| test | ||
| upstream | ||
| .gitignore | ||
| CHANGELOG.md | ||
| CONTRIBUTING.md | ||
| LICENSE | ||
| README.md | ||
veilor-os
Hardened minimal Fedora KDE spin. Black-on-black. Locked down by default.
veilor-os is a Fedora 43 KDE Plasma remix for operators who want a clean, fast, opinionated desktop with serious hardening already wired in. Boot the ISO, set an admin password, work. No installer wizard. No initial-setup screen. No telemetry. No "would you like to enable X" prompts.
Status
Pre-release v0.2.5 — first feature-complete ISO that actually applies
the veilor-os overlay to the installed system. The build pipeline is green
on CI; the live ISO boots to KDE on KVM and bare metal. See
CHANGELOG.md for the full v0.2.0 → v0.2.5 story (it is
worth reading — five real bugs caught and documented).
What is done: hardening (SELinux, sysctl, USBGuard, fail2ban, firewalld), KDE black theme, Fira Code system font, 3-mode power management, single-prompt LUKS install, first-boot admin password flow, reproducible CI build, EFI+BIOS bootable live ISO.
What is planned (see docs/ROADMAP.md): Plymouth black theme, SDDM theme, signed ISOs (own MOK + GPG), AppArmor + nftables, veilor-update / veilor-doctor helpers, public docs site.
Quick install
# 1. Download the ISO (after public release; CI artifact for now)
sha256sum -c veilor-os-43-*.iso.sha256
# 2. Flash to USB. Replace /dev/sdX with your USB device — triple-check.
sudo dd if=veilor-os-43-*.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress conv=fsync
sync
# 3. Boot from USB, pick "Install veilor-os" from the menu.
# 4. Set a strong LUKS passphrase — the only prompt during install.
# 5. Reboot, remove USB.
# 6. On first boot: TTY prompts for an admin password (≥14 chars, mixed case,
# digit, symbol). Once accepted, SDDM starts. Log in as `admin`.
Full install + first-boot walkthrough: docs/INSTALL.md.
What veilor-os ships
| Layer | Hardening |
|---|---|
| Boot | Secure Boot, lockdown=integrity, slab_nomerge, randomize_kstack_offset=on, vsyscall=none. LUKS2 (aes-xts-plain64, argon2id, mem=1GB). zram swap (no disk swap, no cold-boot leak). |
| Kernel | Locked sysctls: ptrace=2, kptr_restrict=2, dmesg_restrict=1, perf_event_paranoid=3, BPF JIT hardening, full ASLR, no SUID core dumps. |
| MAC | SELinux enforcing, targeted policy + custom veilor-systemd module. |
| Network | firewalld zone = drop, ssh only inbound. systemd-resolved with DNS-over-TLS (Cloudflare/Quad9 fallback), LLMNR off. NTS-authenticated chrony time. |
| SSH | password auth off, root login off, single admin user, X11 forwarding off, MaxAuthTries 3. |
| Auth | root locked, single admin user with sudo. pwquality minlen=14, 4 character classes. First-boot password forced via chage -d 0. |
| Audit | auditd rules covering passwd/shadow/sudoers/ssh/cron/sysctl/kernel modules and all privileged binaries. |
| IDS | fail2ban with sshd + pam-generic jails, journal backend, firewalld rich-rule action. |
| USB | USBGuard daemon, default-block, empty allowlist on first boot. |
| Services off | abrt*, cups, geoclue, avahi-daemon, bluetooth, ModemManager, gssproxy, atd, pcscd, kdeconnectd, PackageKit. |
| UX | KDE Plasma minimal, BreezeBlackPure colour scheme, Fira Code system font, veilor-power save | mid | perf with udev AC/battery auto-switch. |
Full reference: docs/HARDENING.md.
60-second tour — what's different from stock Fedora KDE
- No Anaconda Initial Setup wizard after first boot. Single LUKS passphrase prompt is the entire install interaction. Admin user is pre-created; password is set once on TTY1, then SDDM starts.
- Root is locked.
passwd -S rootreportsL. There is nosu -to root, ever. Usesudo. - No PackageKit, no Flatpak by default. Updates happen with
sudo dnf upgradeon your terms, not in the background. - Default firewall zone is
drop, notFedoraWorkstation. The only thing your machine answers is sshd on its assigned port. - USBGuard blocks every USB device by default. First-boot procedure:
plug in everything you trust, run
usbguard generate-policy, done. - Black-on-black KDE. Wallpaper, panel, Konsole all match. No "white flash" anywhere in the session.
veilor-power save | mid | perfswaps the full tuned profile, CPU governor, EPP, battery threshold, and screen-dim policy in one command. Wired to AC/battery udev events too — laptop drops tosavewhen unplugged automatically.
How veilor-os compares
| Feature | veilor-os | Stock Fedora KDE | Kicksecure |
|---|---|---|---|
| SELinux enforcing OOTB | yes | yes | yes |
| AppArmor | planned (v0.5) | no | yes |
| Secure Boot | yes (Fedora keys) | yes (Fedora keys) | configurable |
| LUKS2 with argon2id | default | optional | default |
| Single-prompt install (LUKS only) | yes | no | no |
| Root account locked by default | yes | no | yes |
| firewalld default zone = drop | yes | no | n/a (uses nftables) |
| USBGuard default-block | yes | no | yes |
| fail2ban + auditd OOTB | yes | no | partial |
| DNS-over-TLS by default | yes | no | yes |
| NTS-authenticated NTP | yes | no | yes |
init_on_alloc/free (post-install) |
yes (planned re-enable) | no | yes |
| Telemetry / phone-home | none | minimal | none |
| KDE Plasma branded theme | yes (black) | Breeze | n/a (XFCE) |
| Power-profile CLI | yes (3-mode) | partial | no |
| Reproducible kickstart-built ISO | yes | yes | yes (from Debian) |
| Base distro | Fedora 43 | Fedora 43 | Debian |
veilor-os is not trying to compete with Whonix-style anonymity or Qubes-style isolation. It is a hardened daily-driver desktop — fast, clean, locked down, with no manual post-install hardening required.
Repo layout
kickstart/ veilor-os.ks full kickstart definition
build/ Containerfile + build-iso.sh reproducible ISO builder
overlay/ files dropped into installed root via %post
scripts/ hardening, SELinux policy, theme apply, firstboot
assets/ fonts, KDE colour scheme, branding, plymouth (planned)
docs/ BUILD / INSTALL / HARDENING / POWER / ROADMAP
test/ boot-checklist + KVM runner
.github/ CI workflows + PR template + CODEOWNERS
Build instructions: docs/BUILD.md. Roadmap: docs/ROADMAP.md. Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md. Changelog: CHANGELOG.md.
License
MIT — see LICENSE. Fira Code ships from Fedora's
fira-code-fonts package under SIL OFL 1.1. Fedora packages remain
under their respective licences. Kickstart, overlay, scripts, and
docs in this repo are MIT.