I am running Linux Mint 19.3 Cinnamon in a ASUS NB..
Something happened an hour ago that seems Cinnamon and Nemo are a hacker exploit hole backend.
Please tell me what is an honest secure safe reliable quiet desktop handler. Turns out Cinnamon desktop isn't quite as secure as was hoped and expected.

I am a pioneering scientist and university professor.. I have been having a lot of problems from data-miner thieves and cyber-attacks messing-up my files and the OS's, forcing me to reinstall Linux Mint every three to seven days to clean out their new hack exploit-glitches. Plus the bully(s) destroy files in my junker net-notebook, but only copies, as all my valued files are stored safe in several external hard drives and several backup notebooks. I Can't lose any data, but the bullies sure do try. Last week I found my real-time temporary backup ext hard drive had 300-gigs of video data hack-destroyed. Not a problem, as it's all in the many backup ext hd's, and in duplicate in the many backup notebooks and in the box of fifty high-capacity accessory hard drives.

This is why I suspect Nemo is an exploit hole: I was viewing a series of YouTube vids about 'real mean nasty angry out of control enraged fierce people being harshly incarcerated. They acted like trapped wild fierce creatures. Wouldn't want to be there. Wouldn't want to meet them. It was interesting but way way too much reality for me to handle. I needed a break from seeing That much over the top reality, so I shut down Firefox, including deleting history and cookies, then left this crapper expendable notebook net-connected for about 20-minutes..
When I returned, there was a strange popup on the screen, which read:
"An application is attempting to perform an action that requires privileges. Authentication is required to perform this action. Your authentication attempt was unsuccessful. Please try again." I sure didn't do that thht.

I clicked 'Details' in the popup, and saw two messages about something using Nemo and the Nemo Project in trying to break-into my files. It was strange that I couldn't get 'details' to do a screenshot. It seems that the bully hacker that has been hounding and ghosting me is using Nemo to infiltrate the OS, and to get into notes to mess them up, like how he or she always deletes my copied password files and copied critical notes, but this time the hacker didn't know my files encryption passwords. It seems Nemo is an exploit backdoor hole for knowledgeable hackers. I read that Nemo operates the Cinnamon Desktop base. So to neutralize the hacking it seems I need to dump Cinnamon and Nemo, and run a different desktop in Linux Mint that doesn't rely on Nemo, a safer cleaner hack-free desktop. What is the BEST safest cleanest most honest reliable desktop handler for Ubuntu and Mint? Cinnamon is super dooper nice running, I love it, but it seems to be connected to the same nasty stuff Mr.Snowden and many top activists are whining and nagging about. Please recommend a quality desktop handler system and OS that isn't intentionally exploitable, nor connected to and vulnerable to: Intel snooping, data collecting, corporate spies, vandals, and bully hackers.
I just want a simple safe clean computer operating system that moralless unscrupulous baddies aren't infiltrating and damaging for their weird evil games and out of control egos and sickie jollies. Is there such a thing as a secure safe honest computer operating system? How do you experts do it? I don't hear you experts complaining like me. What's the big secret? What's the very best desktop handler and OS?
Who owns Mint now?
Who owns Ubuntu?
Who owns Canonical?
Who owns Firefox?
Who owns Mozilla?
Why does Bleachbit always take so long to clean out Libre Office registry?

Since you are a university professor you should consult the relevant experts in your department.

Evo2.

1 members found this post helpful.

Dump desktop environments & use a window manager instead, less to go wrong; but Ideally, you need to look at your security options with your IT team.

I think the IT team need to write a more convincing bot. If this is the writing of a University professor, I'm the Queen of Sheba.

Yes, I would second those two recommendations. If your institution still has an IT department (and a security teams consisting of other than "certified" poseurs) then consult with them. Also, scaling down and using a Window Manager instead of a full-blown Desktop Environment can help a bit.

However, we are still missing the key details of exactly how your systems are getting compromised and if meaningful corrective measures are being taken afterward. That includes contacting your nearest (competent) support team who can walk you through a proper "incident response".

Generic recommendations are to minimize use of the web browser since it is the weak point these days and getting worse instead of better. In addition, add-ons like NoScript (or equivalent) and Privacy Badger ought to be in use. Maybe sites are sorely afflicted by javascript so you'll have to work out which ones to allow.

Linux Mint is still an independent project but based on Ubuntu, with a Debian option available instead. For what it's worth, PeppermintOS has a Devuan option which would have a slightly smaller attack surface due to avoidance of systemd.

Ubuntu is run by Canonical which is partially staffed by microsofters.

Firefox is owned by Mozilla which is almost entirely funded by Google.

You should be running a firewall denying incoming. Ufw is simple to set up and should be in your distro's repository.

sudo ufw default deny incoming
sudo ufw default deny outgoing
sudo ufw allow out 53,67,68,123,137,465,993,995/udp
sudo ufw allow out 53,80,443,465,993,995/tcp
sudo ufw disable && sudo ufw enable

--glenn

Wow...this sounds VERY familiar. Same 'pioneering scientist', 'honest' system to protect against 'bullies' who are trying to steal your work. Also down to the misspellings, things about 'too much reality/truth', etc.

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ttacks-852814/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...27s-me-859333/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ml#post4218517

Read posts by Cosmicbrat and cosmicb. Nothing new here, most likely no problems either. OP, which university are you with?? If you're a 'pioneering scientist', they surely have you on their website, right?? After all, in order for you to be a target, someone has to KNOW about you already...and since you claim you ARE a target, sharing such things wouldn't be much of a risk, would it??

2 members found this post helpful.

Naah cosmicbrat would be promoting his blog about "occult magic" (which I strongly suspect was a euphemism for drugs).

Also:

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...4/#post4791667

2 members found this post helpful.

Not at first...if you look at their previous pattern, it's always a post or two that sounds sort-of-ok (??), then comes the UFO/bigfoot posts.
Good catch. This particular post applies:
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...9/#post4785535

Same things; firefox, pop-up boxes, 'bullies' who hack, etc....and it started out with a not too unreasonable first post.

You can just say "desktop".

I'd assumed OP meant "file manager" when they wrote "desktop handler".

Not that it matters, since they do appear to be a troll.

Evo2.

After reading the "professor's" next post, I checked whether cosmicbrat had the same ending-sentences-with-two-periods tic. Huh. He did.

And the same formatting in general, along with the claims of 'holes' in <WHATEVER THEY USE>, along with references to 'bully hacks', etc.

Enlightenment is a pretty sweet and feature rich Window Manager, if you can even call it that anymore.