Why the Linux Mint Hack Is an Indicator of a Larger Problem

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minthackOn February 20th, a hacker working under the handle “Peace” took control of the website of Linux Mint, a popular Linux distribution derived from Ubuntu (and Debian) targeted toward non-technical users and power users unhappy with modern desktop environments like GNOME 3, KDE Plasma 5, and Unity 7. The hacker replaced the download link for Linux Mint with one which contained a backdoor called Tsunami-an attack which put “several hundred” systems with a fresh installation of Linux Mint in the hacker’s control, according to an interview with ZDNet’s Zach Whittaker.

While these attacks are regrettable, and part of an infrastructure problem rather than a problem with the distribution itself, it increasingly appears that the Linux Mint team, led by project leader Clement Lefebvre, is spread too thin when it comes to security.

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