To Snap or De-Snap!

[kc1di]

A few weeks ago Ubuntu said it had a problem with snap where Snap from Scammers were in the snap store and removed.
They announced that the problme still exists. Which to me brings in the question why use snaps at all? If I'm using a Ubuntu or derivative I would de-snap the thing.
Ubuntu can't seem to be trusted right now with the snap store.

See here:

Guess Who's Back? Exodus Scam BitCoin Wallet Snap!

Previously… Back in February, I blogged about a series of scam Bitcoin wallet apps that were published in the Canonical Snap store, including one which netted a scammer $490K of some poor rube’s coin. The snap was eventually removed, and some threads were started over on the Snapcraft forum...

popey.com

How to de-snap:

Completely Remove Snap from Ubuntu Linux [Tutorial]

Complete guide on how to remove snap from Ubuntu Linux and re-install Software, Firefox as deb version.

www.debugpoint.com

 

[The Duck]

I've used Snap and had no problems or issues with it.

The trick is is to learn about Snap and the differences in the Snap packages offered.

From my experience legitimate tested and approved Snap packages are marked.

I just always stuck to the default Snaps.

Learn about Snap and you should be okay.

If you're uncertain than don't use a Linux distro that uses Snap.

I gave Snap a try and learned about Snap packages so that I could give Snap based Linux distros a fair try.

 

[kc1di]

@ The Duck,
I would say that the default snaps in Ubuntu work ok. I've never been a big supporter of them Though. Just wanted new and unexperinced ops to understand that not everything found in the snap store is safe to use. I prefer as Mint does flatpacs and I do use 1 appimage. They work ok. Still like native packages. Snap, flatpac and appimages are all geared to help the developers of software. Create only one package and have it work across all distros. The Idea is good but the execution can be flawed.

 

[KGIII]

I would expect a project of this size to have teething issues. They've really only been ramped up for a few years - and scammers are clever people.

I'm largely indifferent with regard to where my software comes from. Snaps are reasonably popular with developers because they (in theory) only have to package their software once per version and not a half-dozen times for the various package managers. They also get to ensure dependencies are met and a consistent experience among their users.

 

[Condobloke]

Quote, Clem Lefebvre. : https://linuxmint-user-guide.readthedocs.io/en/latest/snap.html

Although it is open-source, Snap on the other hand, only works with the Ubuntu Store. Nobody knows how to make a Snap Store and nobody can. The Snap client is designed to work with only one source, following a protocol which isn’t open, and using only one authentication system. Snapd is nothing on its own, it can only work with the Ubuntu Store.

This is a store we can’t audit, which contains software nobody can patch. If we can’t fix or modify software, open-source or not, it provides the same limitations as proprietary software.

When Snap was introduced Canonical promised it would never replace APT. This promise was broken. Some APT

packages in the Ubuntu repositories not only install snap as a dependency but also run snap commands as root

without your knowledge or consent and connect your computer to the remote proprietary store operated by Canonical.

A huge part of making a decision to have Linux as your OS is that you have choice, unlike with msoft.

Be careful. Dont give your ability to make free choices, away

If the fact that snap commands are run as root without your knowledge or consent doesn't frighten the hell out of you, then you may as well go back to windows.

You came to Linux to hopefully to take a stand against that crap.

 

[f33dm3bits]

I've used Snap and had no problems or issues with it.

The issue isn't with anyone using Snap but with that Snaps with malware were able to get into the Snap-store. I don't like Snaps and they probably have their place as do AppImages and Flatpaks but I do hope Canonical fixes this problem with the Snap-store so that no more Snaps with malware make it into the Snap-store.

Although it is open-source, Snap on the other hand, only works with the Ubuntu Store.

Agreed. Flatpak is opensource and you can host a Flatpak repo if you want but there seems to be only one well-known Flatpak repo around which everyone uses which is Flathub. So I actually doubt if the Snap-store was opensource and the Snap client were to work with other sources if many other people would host one, my guess would be that maybe there would maybe be one community Snap repo that most people trust and use aside from the official Snap store.

 

[blunix]

use qubes os and make sure that each qube can only talk to the servers it has to (as in your mail qube can only talk to your mailserver 993 and 465). then you don't really have to care.

also use kali for gaming @f33dm3bits