I have had issues with Ubuntu being hacked, I recently added a Yubikey with 2-factor authentication and encrypted the OS via LUKs. Is there any way that a hacker could breach my system via Bluetooth components on my system (mouse, etc). How safe is it?
1 Answer
It does not improve security via for instance Bluetooth. These interfaces have their own authentication systems, without passwords and users. They set up a mutual secret during the pairing process, which is used in subsequent communication.
2FA makes it more difficult to gain access to the account via normal login procedures, as you need to know both the password, and the secret of the 2. factor. With Yubikey, the secret of the 2. factor is designed to be uncopyable.
Furthermore, LUKS only protects data when the computer is powered off. It does not add any security when it's powered up, as it's decrypted and mounted at that stage.
Neither 2FA or disk encryption will help against poorly configured server software, or security problems in software. It will help against attackers guessing your password. In general it's worth noting that security is not a set of actions you take; it is a process, where the result is security.
The process is never-ending, as security problems in software are discovered, and patched. Based on the threat level, you may choose to go for the simple route; simply apply patches as they appear, or if you have a high threat level you may monitor mailing lists, and try to apply workarounds before patches exists.
Do you have any reason to believe that you were attacked via bluetooth? Who was the attacker? How did you discover? What was the symptoms?
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