This is not ArchLinux’ fuckup. The AUR’s popularity exploded after certain Arch-based distros (and software) decided to treat the AUR as an additional software repository, even part of package management, and automate the process of installation. Which also slows the process of discovering the malware. And makes panicky users wave their arms.
May I remind everyone of Arch core principles and statements wrt AUR - several quotes from their wiki:
Whereas many GNU/Linux distributions attempt to be more user-friendly, Arch Linux has always been, and shall always remain user-centric:
The distribution is intended to fill the needs of those contributing to it, rather than trying to appeal to as many users as possible.
It is targeted at the proficient GNU/Linux user, or anyone with a do-it-yourself attitude who is willing to read the documentation, and solve their own problems.
The Arch User Repository (AUR) is a community-driven repository for Arch Linux users. It contains package descriptions (PKGBUILDs) that allow you to compile a package from source with makepkg and then install it via pacman.
Note how the crucial PKGBUILD is mentioned in the first sentence, and dozens of times in the article that follows.
Warning
AUR helpers are not supported by Arch Linux. You should become familiar with the manual build process in order to be prepared to troubleshoot problems.
The AUR even includes PGP signing; not perfect, but a useful additional step. But, alas, many AUR helpers include “skip PGP check”.
Archlinux devs, maintainers and users have been saying this for over a decade, and warning against using the AUR in such ways. But short of shutting the whole thing down, what can they do? The few things that can reasonably be done I’m sure are being implemented right now.
Warning
AUR helpers are not supported by Arch Linux. You should become familiar with the manual build process in order to be prepared to troubleshoot problems.
Ah now I read this far. Unfortunate, if easy to use Archy distros are un-Archy due to this political dispute that goes undisclosed.
It doesn’t sound like their victims are panicky users, though. Sounds like their normal computer users, the kind of person who would typically want use Windows instead. The kind of people who are, and should be safe to remain, totally agnostic to these internal political divides.
I wouldn’t really categorise it as a fuckup. These are unofficial packages from the AUR. You should trust them as much as random install scripts from a no-name website or git repo.
It’s no arch fuckup. The AUR is not an arch linux redponsibility and has always been “untrusted” - you should always verify what you’re downloading and building.
Problem is that bazzite and cachy are arch-based, but targeted at a group of people that arch doesn’t target. So you have users that just blindly download scripts from the AUR without doing proper verification.
This is more the fault of those distros and AUR helpers than arch.
Yep. There’s no AUR for bazzite since it’s based on fedora immutable, unless I’m mistaken and there’s a way to do so anyway somehow. Still, bazzite and AUR do not go hand in hand AFAIK as it’s meant to be an immutable system.
Haven’t seen an arch fuckup like this since they switched to signed packages.
This is not ArchLinux’ fuckup. The AUR’s popularity exploded after certain Arch-based distros (and software) decided to treat the AUR as an additional software repository, even part of package management, and automate the process of installation. Which also slows the process of discovering the malware. And makes panicky users wave their arms.
May I remind everyone of Arch core principles and statements wrt AUR - several quotes from their wiki:
Note how the crucial PKGBUILD is mentioned in the first sentence, and dozens of times in the article that follows.
The AUR even includes PGP signing; not perfect, but a useful additional step. But, alas, many AUR helpers include “skip PGP check”.
Archlinux devs, maintainers and users have been saying this for over a decade, and warning against using the AUR in such ways. But short of shutting the whole thing down, what can they do? The few things that can reasonably be done I’m sure are being implemented right now.
Nothing in that warning is related to security
Ah now I read this far. Unfortunate, if easy to use Archy distros are un-Archy due to this political dispute that goes undisclosed.
It doesn’t sound like their victims are panicky users, though. Sounds like their normal computer users, the kind of person who would typically want use Windows instead. The kind of people who are, and should be safe to remain, totally agnostic to these internal political divides.
“Political”?! 🤪
As in “office politics” or “workplace politics,” yes
I wouldn’t really categorise it as a fuckup. These are unofficial packages from the AUR. You should trust them as much as random install scripts from a no-name website or git repo.
It’s no arch fuckup. The AUR is not an arch linux redponsibility and has always been “untrusted” - you should always verify what you’re downloading and building.
Problem is that bazzite and cachy are arch-based, but targeted at a group of people that arch doesn’t target. So you have users that just blindly download scripts from the AUR without doing proper verification.
This is more the fault of those distros and AUR helpers than arch.
I thought bazzite was based on an atomic version of fedora?
it is
Yep. There’s no AUR for bazzite since it’s based on fedora immutable, unless I’m mistaken and there’s a way to do so anyway somehow. Still, bazzite and AUR do not go hand in hand AFAIK as it’s meant to be an immutable system.