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LWN Coverage From DebConf25 in Brest
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Understanding Debian's security processes
Providing security updates for a Linux distribution, such as Debian, involves a lot of work behind the scenes—and requires much more than simply shipping the latest code. On July 15, at DebConf25 in Brest, France, Samuel Henrique walked through the process of providing security updates to users; he discussed how Debian learns about security vulnerabilities, decides on the best response, and the process of sending out updates to keep its users safe. He also provided guidance on how others could get involved.
Henrique introduced himself as a member of Debian's security-tools packaging team; he has been a Debian developer since 2018, maintains a several packages, and serves as a mentor for newcomers trying to learn how to package software. He is also a senior system development engineer for the Amazon Linux security team, but he noted that his contributions to Debian are made as a volunteer and not something he does during work hours.
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When free-software communities unite for privacy
At DebConf25 in Brest, France, the talk "When Free Software Communities Unite: Tails, Tor, and the Fight for Privacy" was delivered by a man who introduced himself only as intrigeri. He delivered an overview of the Tor Project, its mission, and the projects under the umbrella. He also spoke about how the organization depends on Debian, and plans for the software it delivers.
It is entirely fitting that a talk on protecting user privacy and anonymity would be given by a speaker who does not reveal their full name in person or online. The Tor Project is a non-profit organization with a global community of volunteers who work together to produce ""a lot of software"", intrigeri said.
He did not cover all of the software produced by the organization, and when one says "Tor" some disambiguation is necessary. Tor may refer to several things. It could refer to the organization itself, or the Tor network, which is the overlay network that runs through Tor network relays operated by volunteers, using a technique known as onion routing. Internet traffic is routed through Tor relays to obfuscate a user's location and destination to deter network surveillance or traffic analysis from determining what a user is doing online.