Arch Linux

Anatta

Member

Registered: 2012-04-13

Posts: 4

Secure arch install

Hey!

Today i was checking how far the package signing has
progressed in a vm. I did a full install with my usual packages
and everything i need seems to be signed now, so i decided
to install arch on my machine again.

To do a real secure install i need a current core iso image i think.
I guess the netinstall iso is not checking package signatures or
has any security machanism. So i tried to get a current image from
releng.archlinux.org/isos/

I tried nearly all of them, but it looks like every single one is broken.
When formatting and setting mount points, every partition is shown
two times and if i try to modify them, it has no effect at all.

Is there anything else i could do or anything to fix the issue with the core images?

Thanks
Anatta

Gcool

Member

Registered: 2011-08-16

Posts: 1,456

Re: Secure arch install

Welcome to the forums.

If your goal is to do a "secure install", why don't you simply use a netinstall iso and setup keysigning before installing?

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Burninate!

Anatta

Member

Registered: 2012-04-13

Posts: 4

Re: Secure arch install

I sure would do that, if i knew that this
was possible. ^^

So if i just setup key signing this will be considered
by the installer?

Edit: Doesn't this mean that i have to use one of the current isos again?
After all pacman needs to be at version 4

Thanks

Last edited by Anatta (2012-04-13 20:53:58)

Gcool

Member

Registered: 2011-08-16

Posts: 1,456

Re: Secure arch install

So if i just setup key signing this will be considered
by the installer?

Yes. The installer basically uses the pacman (and config) that's included in the aif.

Edit: Doesn't this mean that i have to use one of the current isos again?
After all pacman needs to be at version 4

I completely overlooked that fact. You're right, pacman will indeed need to be at version 4. However, the daily snapshots should contain pacman 4 by default.

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Burninate!

Anatta

Member

Registered: 2012-04-13

Posts: 4

Re: Secure arch install

So i did a try with a daily snapthot of the netinstall iso.
Sadly it contains the same bug as the core images (see my first post).

alphaniner

Member

From: Ancapistan

Registered: 2010-07-12

Posts: 2,810

Re: Secure arch install

If you're just doing a test, try the auto-prepare.

Alternatively, use LVM.  I just installed from the 04.12 netinstall, and LVM lvs were not affected by the bug.  I had to configure the partition for /boot manually, but that was easy enough.

Last edited by alphaniner (2012-04-13 21:55:44)

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But whether the Constitution really be one thing, or another, this much is certain - that it has either authorized such a government as we have had, or has been powerless to prevent it. In either case, it is unfit to exist.
-Lysander Spooner

Anatta

Member

Registered: 2012-04-13

Posts: 4

Re: Secure arch install

Yes, that's how i did test and that works
fine. But now i want to acutally install arch
on my hd so i need to do it manually.