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2026.07.10-rc3 layer 02: Protocol 7 Pre-release
released this
2026-07-10 23:21:54 +02:00 | 30 commits to main since this release####INSTALLATION####
lainOS layer 02 user guide(access with 'lainos-help' in the terminal.)
lainOS layer 02 ~ 2026.07.10-rc3 Changelog
Third release candidate to fix issues in second release candidate
All interfaces pass clean. This RC phase will continue for another week or two, and layer 02 will be released as stable thereafter.
protocol7-core-Security Analysis(new valgrind and static analysis sections~zero mem leaks detected)
⚠️ To preserve privacy, WiFi does not autostart on first boot(read below for usage).
WiFi (
iwd) no longer starts automatically at first boot. Usewifi-autostart enableto activate wifi autostart on each boot. This is a deliberate change, consistent with lainOS's default-private posture elsewhere in the system (WiFi MAC randomization, ephemeral machine-id, boot clock randomization, IPv6 disabled by default).To activate WiFi interface:
wifi-toggle on
To Scan for networks, use
wifi(this tool prompts you to select your network and enter your password):wifi
To activate WiFi autostart (start WiFi automatically at every boot):
wifi-autostart enableSee
lainos-helpfor full documentation, orlainos-privacy-helpfor a guided walkthrough of using this alongsidelainos-sdwdateand the newlainos-obfs4/lainos-snowflakebridge toggles for sensitive work.
New Tools (lainos-utils)
Tor Bridges ~
lainos-snowflake/lainos-obfs4Toggle scripts to enable/disable obfs4 or Snowflake pluggable transports, disguising Tor traffic to evade network-level censorship or hide Tor usage from your local network. Each writes a working bridge configuration on first use and toggles it on subsequent runs.
lainos-snowflake enable # or lainos-obfs4 enable lainos-snowflake disable lainos-snowflake statusWiFi Control ~
wifi-toggle/wifi-autostartwifi-toggle {on|off|status}~ fully powers the WiFi radio on/off (service + hardware rfkill block), not just disconnects.wifi-autostart {enable|disable|status}~ controls whether WiFi starts automatically at boot. Disabled by default for privacy (see warning above).
Time Sync ~
lainos-sdwdateToggle between
chrony(default) andsdwdate(Tor-based). See New Packages below for details.Privacy Guide ~
lainos-privacy-helpOpens a new, dedicated step-by-step privacy guide for sensitive work sessions, covering the correct order to enable WiFi controls, sdwdate, and bridges before connecting to any network, downloading Tor Browser safely over Tor, and returning to a clean default state afterward.
New Packages
sdwdate(new)Secure Distributed Web Date ~ Tor-based, fingerprint-resistant time synchronization. A LainOS port of Kicksecure's sdwdate, fetching time from multiple independent Tor onion services and cross-validating against Tor's own network consensus data, instead of trusting plaintext, unauthenticated NTP.
- Installed by default, but not enabled by default ~
chronyremains the active time-sync service out of the box. sdwdate has no fallback time source; if Tor is unreachable, it cannot sync time at all. Switching methods is a deliberate, local action:lainos-sdwdate enable # switch to Tor-based sync lainos-sdwdate disable # switch back to chrony (default) lainos-sdwdate status # check which is active - Verified working end-to-end on a fresh ISO install: real onion sources contacted, Tor consensus sanity checks passing, correct gradual clock correction applied via
sclockadj. - Fresh-install log permission bug found and fixed during ISO testing ~ log file creation moved from the install-time hook into the init script's
start_pre(), since the former was found not to reliably survive Calamares' chroot-based install process. - A separate first-sync permission bug was found and fixed after publishing: sdwdate's first-ever successful sync (or any hard clock jump) shells out to
/bin/datedirectly rather than the gradualsclockadjpath, and needed the sameCAP_SYS_TIMEcapability grant. - See the package README for full technical details on what was ported, what was reimplemented for lainOS, and what was deliberately left out (AppArmor, privleap, Qubes-specific components).
bootclockrandomization(new)Randomizes the system clock by a small amount (up to ±180 seconds) early in boot, before networking or Tor come up, so the machine's clock is never exactly aligned with another machine's during the boot window. A LainOS port of Kicksecure's bootclockrandomization.
- Installed and enabled by default ~ fully passive, no user decision or network dependency required.
- Verified via a real reboot on baremetal (T480): fires correctly before networking, subsequently corrected to real time by the active time-sync service.
snowflake-pt-client(new)Tor's official Snowflake pluggable transport client, packaged from upstream source. A dependency of
lainos-snowflake.python-sdnotify(new)Small MIT-licensed Python implementation of the systemd sd_notify protocol, packaged from upstream source since it isn't available in Arch's official repos. A dependency of
sdwdate.
Bug Fixes
makepkg/doas:PACMAN_AUTH=(doas)is now shipped in the ISO's default/etc/makepkg.conf.- Tor control-port cookie access:
DataDirectoryGroupReadable 1(required alongsideCookieAuthFileGroupReadable 1for group-based access to Tor's control cookie, used by bothnyxandsdwdate) confirmed present in the ISO's shipped torrc.
Documentation
- User guide fully updated: new "Pluggable Transports ~ Bridges," "Time Sync ~ sdwdate," and "Privacy Guide for Sensitive Work" sections; WiFi section updated with
wifi-toggle/wifi-autostart; stale notes about LESME auto-configuring obfs4 removed. - New dedicated Privacy Guide for Sensitive Work, covering the correct sequencing of WiFi controls, sdwdate, bridges, and
torbrowser-launcherfor a single sensitive session.
Known issues
• Some Nvidia cards have trouble with Sway.Get connected
• LainOS Matrix Chat: https://matrix.to/#/#lainos:catgirl.cloud
• Discord Server (Discord violates your privacy by spying on you): https://discord.gg/JdMQvkHqwH
• Onion XMPP Server and Chat: private-chat-c75bebbc-50f3-447d-811f-41f83de11811@conference.glcuf4hcwbm3lt6grg7jfwwus7sqpuojozfsnbzzcsf7vbm2jcfqckid.onion + full setup guide at https://lain.rocks (and our anon community lainboard)
• Website: https://lainos.net
• Onion Service: http://lainos3cbhrlsc4qyzu6o7jwhvnvakdtohcc46ds5aohdagakddftbid.onion
• irc.libera.chat ~ #LainOSLALL<3
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