Netfuture: The future is networked

Category: Open Source

  • Intel BE201: Getting Bluetooth to work on my Vivobook 14 Flip with Linux

    Intel BE201: Getting Bluetooth to work on my Vivobook 14 Flip with Linux

    While trying to connect a Bluetooth device to my Asus Vivobook 14 Flip running under Debian Trixie, I noticed that Bluetooth did not work. Here’s an easy way to fix it.

  • SMTP Smuggling Status

    SMTP Smuggling Status

    «SMTP Smuggling» is a vulnerability that allows to circumvent some mail checks at the receiver and therefore will allow additional spam and/or phishing messages through. Here is the list of what we currently know.

  • Kensington PowerPointer for Linux LibreOffice

    Kensington PowerPointer for Linux LibreOffice

    Navigating the slides works perfectly with the Kensington PowerPointer for LibreOffice under Linux, no questions asked. The extra functions (“laserpointing”, drawing, and screen blanking) are not well supported. Here is how to fix them.

  • chrony NTS certificate reload

    chrony NTS certificate reload

    The chrony NTS daemon has no way to automatically reload its NTS certificate. A quick hack fixes this.

  • Data lifecycle questions, not only for Blockchains

    Data lifecycle questions, not only for Blockchains

    In any data-centric applications, understanding the data lifecycle (also as part of the product lifecycle) is important, especially when trust or traceability are also goals. If Blockchain should play a role, then the requirements associated with the data lifecycle can even become a decisive factor: Either adapt the data model or the processes, or, if…

  • Debugging NTS problems

    Debugging NTS problems

    Debugging is hard, debugging security protocols doubly so. And there are not many tools and how-to’s available for NTS yet. So, here’s a (short) list of NTS problems I have seen and some tricks for debugging them.

  • NTS and dynamic IP addresses

    NTS and dynamic IP addresses

    Good news is that NTS relies on DNS names, no longer “naked” IP addresses. But what happens when the DNS name changes, pointing to a different IP address? A look at the protocol, the Chrony source, and the implications.

  • Configuring an NTS-capable NTP server

    Configuring an NTS-capable NTP server

    The choice of Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers supporting NTS is still very limited. Here is some advice to get it to run smooth and trustworty.

  • Transparent, Trustworthy Time with NTP and NTS

    Transparent, Trustworthy Time with NTP and NTS

    «Time is Money», as the old adage says. Who controls the time, controls all kinds of operations and businesses around the world. And therefore, controls the world. Today, we all take accurate time for granted. Even though, today, it is delivered over the Internet mostly unsecured. But this is easy to change.

  • Array Thickening: More can be less

    Array Thickening: More can be less

    When turning flexible file formats into data structures, the consensus seems to be to avoid using arrays whenever possible. However, more arrays may reduce code and coding errors. A plea against the extinction of arrays.