util-linux
Util-linux is an open-source collection of Linux utilities that provides various security-related features, including password management and disk encryption.
Util-linux is a popular open-source collection of Linux utilities that provides various essential system tools to manage and maintain the Linux operating system. It includes more than 70 different utilities, such as fdisk, login, mount, and many others, that are commonly used by system administrators and end-users alike.
One of the critical utilities included in Util-linux is the security tool, which provides several security-related features for Linux systems. These features aim to secure the system against unauthorized access, prevent data loss, and maintain the system's integrity. In this article, we will discuss the different security-related features provided by the security tool in Util-linux.
One of the most crucial security features of the security tool is the password management utility. This utility allows administrators to manage user passwords and ensure that they are stored securely. It provides different password management options, such as setting password expiration dates, password length, and password complexity requirements. Additionally, the utility also provides a way to create new passwords, modify existing passwords, and verify password strength.
Another essential security feature provided by the security tool is the cryptsetup utility. This utility allows administrators to encrypt and decrypt the file system to protect sensitive data stored on the system. It supports different encryption methods, such as AES and Twofish, and provides various authentication options, such as passwords, keyfiles, and tokens. Additionally, cryptsetup also supports creating encrypted volumes on external devices such as USB drives.
Util-linux's security tool also includes a number of utilities that can be used to secure the boot process. The mkinitrd utility, for example, allows administrators to create a custom initramfs image, which can include different kernel modules and scripts that are required to boot the system. This can be used to ensure that only authorized users can boot the system, and that the system is protected against unauthorized modifications.
Finally, Util-linux's security tool also includes several utilities that can be used to audit the system and monitor its security. For example, the auditctl utility allows administrators to configure the Linux Audit System, which can be used to track system events and detect security-related issues. Additionally, the logname utility can be used to display the current user's login name, which can be useful for auditing purposes.
In conclusion, Util-linux's security tool provides several critical security-related features for Linux systems. These features aim to protect the system against unauthorized access, prevent data loss, and maintain the system's integrity. By using these tools, administrators can ensure that their Linux systems are secure and protected against potential security threats.
Packages and Binaries:
This package contains some extra BSD utilities: col, colcrt, colrm, column, hd, hexdump, look, ul and write. Other BSD utilities are provided by bsdutils and calendar.
Installed size: 337 KB
How to install: sudo apt install bsdextrautils
col
Filter reverse line feeds from input
:~# col --help
Usage:
col [options]
Filter out reverse line feeds from standard input.
Options:
-b, --no-backspaces do not output backspaces
-f, --fine permit forward half line feeds
-p, --pass pass unknown control sequences
-h, --tabs convert spaces to tabs
-x, --spaces convert tabs to spaces
-l, --lines NUM buffer at least NUM lines
-H, --help display this help
-v, --version display version
For more details see col(1).colcrt
Filter nroff output for CRT previewing
colrm
Remove columns from a file
column
Columnate lists
hd
Display file contents in hexadecimal, decimal, octal, or ascii MFM/IDE hard disk devices
hexdump
Display file contents in hexadecimal, decimal, octal, or ascii
look
Display lines beginning with a given string
ul
Do underlining
write
Send a message to another user
bsdutils
This package contains the bare minimum of BSD utilities needed for a Debian system: logger, renice, script, scriptlive, scriptreplay and wall. The remaining standard BSD utilities are provided by bsdextrautils.
Installed size: 355 KB
How to install: sudo apt install bsdutils
logger
Enter messages into the system log
renice
Alter priority of running processes
script
Make typescript of terminal session
scriptlive
Re-run session typescripts, using timing information
scriptreplay
Play back typescripts, using timing information
wall
Write a message to all users
eject
This program will eject CD-ROMs (assuming your drive supports the CDROMEJECT ioctl). It also allows setting the autoeject feature.
On supported ATAPI/IDE multi-disc CD-ROM changers, it allows changing the active disc.
You can also use eject to properly disconnect external mass-storage devices like digital cameras or portable music players.
Installed size: 132 KB
How to install: sudo apt install eject
eject
Eject removable media
fdisk
This package contains the classic fdisk, sfdisk and cfdisk partitioning utilities from the util-linux suite.
The utilities included in this package allow you to partition your hard disk. The utilities supports both modern and legacy partition tables (eg. GPT, MBR, etc).
The fdisk utility is the classical text-mode utility. The cfdisk utilitity gives a more userfriendly curses based interface. The sfdisk utility is mostly for automation and scripting uses.
Installed size: 479 KB
How to install: sudo apt install fdisk
cfdisk
Display or manipulate a disk partition table
fdisk
Manipulate disk partition table
sfdisk
Display or manipulate a disk partition table
libblkid-dev
The blkid library allows system programs such as fsck and mount to quickly and easily find block devices by filesystem UUID or label. This allows system administrators to avoid specifying filesystems by hard-coded device names and use a logical naming system instead.
This package contains the development environment for the blkid library.
Installed size: 875 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libblkid-dev
libblkid1
The blkid library allows system programs such as fsck and mount to quickly and easily find block devices by filesystem UUID or label. This allows system administrators to avoid specifying filesystems by hard-coded device names and use a logical naming system instead.
Installed size: 398 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libblkid1
libfdisk-dev
The libfdisk library is used for manipulating partition tables. It is the core of the fdisk, cfdisk, and sfdisk tools.
This package contains the development environment for the fdisk library.
Installed size: 77 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libfdisk-dev
libfdisk1
The libfdisk library is used for manipulating partition tables. It is the core of the fdisk, cfdisk, and sfdisk tools.
Installed size: 533 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libfdisk1
libmount-dev
This device mounting library is used by mount and umount helpers.
This package contains the development environment for the mount library.
Installed size: 81 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libmount-dev
libmount1
This device mounting library is used by mount and umount helpers.
Installed size: 454 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libmount1
libsmartcols-dev
This smart column output alignment library is used by fdisk utilities.
This package contains the development environment for the mount library.
Installed size: 61 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libsmartcols-dev
libsmartcols1
This smart column output alignment library is used by fdisk utilities.
Installed size: 289 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libsmartcols1
libuuid1
The libuuid library generates and parses 128-bit Universally Unique IDs (UUIDs). A UUID is an identifier that is unique within the space of all such identifiers across both space and time. It can be used for multiple purposes, from tagging objects with an extremely short lifetime to reliably identifying very persistent objects across a network.
See RFC 4122 for more information.
Installed size: 79 KB
How to install: sudo apt install libuuid1
mount
This package provides the mount(8), umount(8), swapon(8), swapoff(8), and losetup(8) commands.
Installed size: 393 KB
How to install: sudo apt install mount
losetup
Set up and control loop devices
mount
Mount a filesystem
swapoff
Enable/disable devices and files for paging and swapping
swapon
Enable/disable devices and files for paging and swapping
umount
Unmount filesystems
rfkill
rfkill is a simple tool for accessing the Linux rfkill device interface, which is used to enable and disable wireless networking devices, typically WLAN, Bluetooth and mobile broadband.
Installed size: 97 KB
How to install: sudo apt install rfkill
rfkill
Tool for enabling and disabling wireless devices
util-linux
This package contains a number of important utilities, most of which are oriented towards maintenance of your system. Some of the more important utilities included in this package allow you to view kernel messages, create new filesystems, view block device information, interface with real time clock, etc.
Installed size: 4.85 MB
How to install: sudo apt install util-linux
addpart
Tell the kernel about the existence of a partition
agetty
Alternative Linux getty
blkdiscard
Discard sectors on a device
blkid
Locate/print block device attributes
blkzone
Run zone command on a device
blockdev
Call block device ioctls from the command line
chcpu
Configure CPUs
chmem
Configure memory
choom
Display and adjust OOM-killer score.
chrt
Manipulate the real-time attributes of a process
ctrlaltdel
Set the function of the Ctrl-Alt-Del combination
delpart
Tell the kernel to forget about a partition
dmesg
Print or control the kernel ring buffer
fallocate
Preallocate or deallocate space to a file
findfs
Find a filesystem by label or UUID
findmnt
Find a filesystem
flock
Manage locks from shell scripts
fsck
Check and repair a Linux filesystem
fsck.cramfs
Fsck compressed ROM file system
fsck.minix
Check consistency of Minix filesystem
fsfreeze
Suspend access to a filesystem (Ext3/4, ReiserFS, JFS, XFS)
fstrim
Discard unused blocks on a mounted filesystem
getopt
Parse command options (enhanced)
getty
Alternative Linux getty
hardlink
Link multiple copies of a file
i386
Change reported architecture in new program environment and/or set personality flags
ionice
Set or get process I/O scheduling class and priority
ipcmk
Make various IPC resources
ipcrm
Remove certain IPC resources
ipcs
Show information on IPC facilities
isosize
Output the length of an iso9660 filesystem
last
Show a listing of last logged in users
lastb
Show a listing of last logged in users
ldattach
Attach a line discipline to a serial line
linux32
Change reported architecture in new program environment and/or set personality flags
linux64
Change reported architecture in new program environment and/or set personality flags
lsblk
List block devices
lscpu
Display information about the CPU architecture
lsipc
Show information on IPC facilities currently employed in the system
lslocks
List local system locks
lslogins
Display information about known users in the system
lsmem
List the ranges of available memory with their online status
lsns
List namespaces
mcookie
Generate magic cookies for xauth
mesg
Display (or do not display) messages from other users
mkfs
Build a Linux filesystem
mkfs.bfs
Make an SCO bfs filesystem
mkfs.cramfs
Make compressed ROM file system
mkfs.minix
Make a Minix filesystem
mkswap
Set up a Linux swap area
more
File perusal filter for crt viewing
mountpoint
See if a directory or file is a mountpoint
namei
Follow a pathname until a terminal point is found
nsenter
Run program in different namespaces
partx
Tell the kernel about the presence and numbering of on-disk partitions
pivot_root
Change the root filesystem
prlimit
Get and set process resource limits
readprofile
Read kernel profiling information
rename.ul
Rename files
resizepart
Tell the kernel about the new size of a partition
rev
Reverse lines characterwise
rtcwake
Enter a system sleep state until specified wakeup time
runuser
Run a command with substitute user and group ID
setarch
Change reported architecture in new program environment and/or set personality flags
setpriv
Run a program with different Linux privilege settings
setsid
Run a program in a new session
setterm
Set terminal attributes
su
Run a command with substitute user and group ID
sulogin
Single-user login
swaplabel
Print or change the label or UUID of a swap area
switch_root
Switch to another filesystem as the root of the mount tree
taskset
Set or retrieve a process’s CPU affinity
uclampset
Manipulate the utilization clamping attributes of the system or a process
unshare
Run program in new namespaces
utmpdump
Dump UTMP and WTMP files in raw format
wdctl
Show hardware watchdog status
whereis
Locate the binary, source, and manual page files for a command
wipefs
Wipe a signature from a device
x86_64
Change reported architecture in new program environment and/or set personality flags
zramctl
Set up and control zram devices
Tools commonly found on systems where humans login interactively, or are needed with non-standard system configurations.
Installed size: 366 KB
How to install: sudo apt install util-linux-extra
fincore
Count pages of file contents in core
hwclock
Settings that affect the behaviour of the hwclock init script Time clocks utility
lsfd
List file descriptors
lsirq
Utility to display kernel interrupt information
util-linux-locales
This package contains the internationalization files for the util-linux package.
They are needed when you want the programs in util-linux to print their messages in other languages than English.
Installed size: 7.78 MB
How to install: sudo apt install util-linux-locales
uuid-dev
The libuuid library generates and parses 128-bit Universally Unique IDs (UUIDs). See RFC 4122 for more information.
This package contains the development environment for the uuid library.
Installed size: 113 KB
How to install: sudo apt install uuid-dev
uuid-runtime
The libuuid library generates and parses 128-bit Universally Unique IDs (UUIDs). A UUID is an identifier that is unique within the space of all such identifiers across both space and time. It can be used for multiple purposes, from tagging objects with an extremely short lifetime to reliably identifying very persistent objects across a network.
See RFC 4122 for more information.
This package contains the uuidgen program and the uuidd daemon.
The uuidd daemon is used to generate UUIDs, especially time-based UUIDs, in a secure and guaranteed-unique fashion, even in the face of large numbers of threads trying to grab UUIDs running on different CPUs. It is used by libuuid as well as the uuidgen program.
Installed size: 174 KB
How to install: sudo apt install uuid-runtime
uuidd
UUID generation daemon
uuidgen
Create a new UUID value
uuidparse
A utility to parse unique identifiers
Updated on: 2023-Mar-08
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