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Can I Run Kodi on Linux?

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Can I Run Kodi on Linux?

Kodi is a popular open-source media server application for various platforms. It lets you organize different types of content and also access streaming services.
Originally, it came out as a media center app for the first Xbox console. Presently, you can install the software on a devices with almost all operating systems.
We will focus more on Kodi on Linux in this post. Linux users can read this article to discover how to install and run Kodi on their operating system.

What Do You Need to Run Kodi On Linux
To run Kodi on Linux, you must ensure that your system fulfills specific requirements. These include:
CPU: You need an x86-64 or x86 processor. Some examples of these include Intel, Pentium 4, and AMD Athlon 64.
RAM: A RAM of 1 GB or more is needed for running Kodi on an HTPC media player device. But if you use a system for multi-purpose usage, you need 2GB or more RAM.
Graphics: Kodi runs well on all graphic cards launched in the preceding 10 years. If you use cards from AMD/ATI or Intel, use those with a Mesa 11.3 or later.
Video decoding: You must ensure that your VPU or GPU supports VDPAU or VAAPI. If you have an older Nvidia or AMD cards, VAAPI is recommended.
Drive space: Kodi takes up anywhere between 100 to 200 MB space. If your hardware is compatible with net booting, there’s no need of internal storage for Kodi. Generally speaking, you need a minimum of 4 to 8 drive space for Kodi in your Linux device.
How to Set up Kodi on Ubuntu OS on Linux?
You can easily set up the latest versions of Kodi on Ubuntu Linux. Follow this process.

Use the shortcut Ctrl + Alt + T to launch a terminal in Ubuntu.
To add the official Personal Package Archives (PPA) repository of Kodi, use the command sudo add-apt-repository ppa:team-xbmc/ppa.
Now, update the package cache. This will allow your system to get the packages from the latest software repository.
To do so, use the command sudo apt update.
Now is the time to install Kodi via the following command: sudo apt install Kodi.
This command will also upgrade a prior Kodi version if you have it.
After Kodi has been installed, open it by navigating to the menu.
Now, either find your preferred media in the library or access any streaming service.

POINT TO NOTE: This process to run Kodi on Linux is also applicable for Linux Mint, Deepin Linux, Pingui OS, and other Ubuntu-based Linux distributions.
Installing a VPN on Kodi
You are now ready to stream content through Kodi. But if you want to enjoy a safe and secure streaming experience, using a VPN is a must. A VPN encrypts or codes your web activities and data.
It does so in such a way that any external entity cannot decode it. VPN masks the user’s traffic and the IP address.
So, anyone trying to intercept your connection or steal your sensitive data in any way cannot do so.
It is critical to install a VPN before using Kodi on Linux. Various Kodi add-ons give you access to copyrighted content.
If caught, it can put you at risk. Also, many Kodi add-ons containing great content are restricted to specific locations. You cannot watch this content without bypassing the geo-restrictions.
A VPN helps you unblock geo-restrictions and access regional content easily.
You cannot install & use any VPN on Kodi. The VPN you install should be compatible with Kodi on Linux.
You can find a list of the best VPNs for Kodi on Firesticktricks.com.
These VPNs have thousands of servers across multiple countries. So, they enable you to access regional content with ease.
They are also equipped with various strong security features, such as split tunnelling, kill switch, and DNS leak protection.
Thus, by using any of them with Kodi on Linux, you can make way for a safer and more exciting streaming and gaming experience.
Final Thoughts
Kodi is a wonderful platform that lets you access a whole new world of content. The media player supports most major operating systems, including Linux.
But it is essential to use it with a VPN if you want to keep your privacy and security intact. Use the method above to set up Kodi on Linux, install suitable add-ons, and tap into a pool of new content.
A man with a tech effusive who has explored some of the amazing technology stuff and is exploring more. While moving towards, I had a chance to work on Android development, Linux, AWS, and DevOps with several open-source tools.

How to Install Hestia Control Panel on Ubuntu and Debian

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How to Install Hestia Control Panel on Ubuntu and Debian

Hestia Control Panel (HestiaCP) is a free web hosting tool for Linux that offers both a web and command-line interface to easily manage domain names, websites, email accounts, and DNS zones.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of installing HestiaCP on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and Debian 12.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, make sure you have the following:

A fresh Ubuntu or Debian server with a minimum of 4 GB RAM.
A valid domain name pointing to your server’s IP address.

Step 1: Install Required Packages
First, update your server’s package list and upgrade all the installed existing packages to their latest versions.
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

Next, set a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) as your server’s hostname and verify the hostname change.
sudo hostnamectl set-hostname yourdomain.com
hostnamectl

Next, install the required dependencies using the following command:
sudo apt install ca-certificates software-properties-common apt-transport-https gnupg wget unzip -y

Step 2: Install Hestia Control Panel
Download the latest HestiaCP installation script from the official GitHub repository using the following wget command.
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hestiacp/hestiacp/release/install/hst-install.sh

Run the installation script and follow the on-screen prompts.
bash hst-install.sh

During the installation process, you’ll be prompted to confirm the installation and choose the software packages to install.
Install Hestia Control Panel
By default, Hestia installs the following:

Nginx Web/Proxy Server
Apache Web Server (as backend)
PHP-FPM Application Server
Bind DNS Server
Exim Mail Server + SpamAssassin
Dovecot POP3/IMAP Server
MariaDB Database Server
Vsftpd FTP Server
Firewall (iptables) + Fail2Ban Access Monitor.

When prompted, enter the required information:

Admin email address
FQDN hostname
MySQL root password
Confirm installation

The installation process may take some time to complete.
Hestia Installation Process
Step 3: Access Hestia Control Panel
Once the installation is complete, Hestia will provide you with the login URL, username, and password.
Hestia Installation Summary
By default, the URL will be:
https://yourdomain.com:8083
OR
https://server-ip:8083

Open this URL in your web browser. You might encounter a security warning because the SSL certificate is self-signed. Proceed by adding an exception.
Log in using the credentials provided at the end of the installation process. You’ll be taken to the Hestia dashboard, where you can start managing your server.
Hestia Control Panel Dashboard
Step 4: Secure Your Hestia Installation
For security reasons, change the default admin password immediately by navigating to Users > Admin > Edit > Change Password.
Change Hestia Admin Password
For a more secure connection, set up SSL certificates for your domains by going to Web > Your Domain > Edit > Enable Let’s Encrypt SSL.
Enable SSL on Hestia Control Panel
Keep your Hestia Control Panel up-to-date by regularly checking for updates at Settings > Updates > Check for Updates.
Hestia Control Panel Updates
Conclusion
Hestia Control Panel simplifies the management of web servers with its user-friendly interface and robust features. By following this guide, you should have Hestia installed and configured on your Ubuntu or Debian server, ready to manage your web domains, email accounts, databases, and more.
Regular maintenance, such as updating the panel and backing up data, will ensure your server runs smoothly and securely.

brename – batch renaming safely

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PreviewQt - preview all kinds of files

brename is a practical cross-platform command-line tool for safely batch renaming files/directories via regular expression.
This is free and open source software.
Features include:

Safe – it helps you check potential conflicts and errors before it’s too late.
Supports dry run – a good habit.
Supporting Undo the LAST successful operation, like a time machine.
Overwrite can be detected and users can choose whether overwrite or leave it (-o/–overwrite-mode).
File filtering.
Supporting including (-f/–include-filters) and excluding (-F/–exclude-filters) files via regular expression.
No need to run commands like find ./ -name “*.html” -exec CMD.
Renaming submatch with corresponding value via key-value file (-r “{kv}” -k kv.tsv).
Renaming via ascending integer (-r “{nr}”).
Automatically making directoy: e.g., renaming a-b-c.txt to a/b/c.txt.
Recursively renaming both files and directories.
Cross-platform support – runs under Linux, macOS, and Windows.

Website: github.com/shenwei356/brenameSupport:Developer: Wei ShenLicense: MIT License

brename is written in Go. Learn Go with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
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Featuring AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 Processor and Triple RJ-45 Ports

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Featuring AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 Processor and Triple RJ-45 Ports

Jul 22, 2024 — by Giorgio Mendoza

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ASRock Industrial has introduced the DSF-A6000 Embedded Box PC, tailored for diverse business environments. This unit leverages the AMD Ryzen Embedded R2314 processor, providing stable and robust processing and graphics performance. It is ideally suited for 4K quad display setups used in digital signage, video walls, and kiosk systems.

The DSF-A6000 is equipped with the AMD Ryzen Embedded R-Series (R2314, 4C, 2.1GHz, 12-35W) and it supports up to 64GB of dual-channel ECC/non-ECC DDR4 2666 MHz memory.
The unit also features an M.2 Key M slot for SSDs, utilizing PCIe Gen3 x4 speeds to boost storage performance. For display outputs, it can handle up to four 4096×2160@60Hz displays simultaneously through HDMI 2.0b ports.

How to Install pCloud on Ubuntu

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welcome screen

In this tutorial, we’re going to show you how to install and use pCloud on Ubuntu. Follow our tutorial to install pCloud and learn how to use it through beginner-friendly instructions.

pCloud is one of the best cloud storage services for Linux. It’s probably the first choice for many Ubuntu users.
You can use pCloud via the web version or the CLI version, but they also have a GUI client app that comes in handy with extra features. This tutorial is for the pCloud Drive client app for Linux.
This tutorial will work on all Ubuntu versions, including Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 23.10, etc.
Step 1: Install libfuse2
First, you need to install libfuse2 because the pCloud installation file doesn’t include it.
To install libfuse2, run the following commands in Terminal:
sudo add-apt-repository universe
sudo apt install libfuse2
Step 2: Download pCloud
Next, you need to download pCloud. You can do it via their website (Download page), or just use these direct links:

This will download pCloud in an AppImage format.
Step 3: Make pCloud executable
Now, we need to make the pCloud file executable:

Right-click on the file you just downloaded and click on Properties
Click on the Permissions tab
Click the checkbox for Execute: Allow executing file as program

That’s it. You can now close the Properties window and run the pCloud program by opening the file

Step 4: Sign in and configure pCloud
Once you run the pcloud file, you’ll get a window with the option to Log in or Sign up. If you’re not already signed up, you can sign up for free here.

After you sign in, the program will display a few messages introducing pCloud and its features. You can uncheck the “Show introduction every time pCloud Drive starts.” checkbox to turn off this introduction.
pCloud will automatically start on boot by default, and it’s going to appear in your taskbar (notification/clock area) by default.
If you want to disable pCloud to start on system launch, go to the app -> click on the Settings tab -> uncheck the “Start pCloud Drive on system startup” option.
If you want to add pCloud to your launcher, follow the steps below. We also included other instructions below on how to configure pCloud, although at this point is pretty much all set up and good to go.
(Optional) Step 6: Add pCloud to the launcher
To add a pCloud shortcut/icon to the launcher, just follow these steps:

Click on the “Windows” button to open up the Activities window and search for “pcloud” and the pCloud application icon will appear.
Right-click the pcloud icon and click on “Add to Favorites”

And that’s it. pCloud will be added to your favorites/launcher.

(Optional) Step 7: Sync other folders with pCloud
Another useful feature that pCloud has is that you can sync other folders from your system with pCloud. By default, pCloud only syncs folders within its own “pCloudDrive”
To set up a new folder to sync with pCloud, follow these steps:

Go to the app, click on the “Sync” tab
Click on the “Add New Sync” button
Select the local folder (the one on your system that you want to be synced) and the remote pCloud folder (you can create a new folder of the same name in pCloud)

Once you set all that up, this is how it would look like if you synced your “Downloads” folder:

You can add multiple folders here to be synced. All the changes in the remote folder will be synced over to the local folder and vice-versa.
Explore more features
pCloud has many more features with its Linux client app, like sharing folders with other users, backing up important folders, limiting upload and download speeds, and more. Open the app and check out all the tabs and settings it has.

Basics of Digital Forensics

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Basics of Digital Forensics

Forensics is the work of investigating the evidence and establishing the facts of interest that links to an incident. In this article we just discuss something about Digital Forensics. Here we try to give an introduction to digital forensics as we believe it is necessary to have a reaction plan when one of our assets, such as a server or web application, is compromised. We also recommend researching other sources for a more thorough training as this topic extends beyond the tools available in Kali Linux. Digital forensics is a faster growing area of interest in cyber security with very few people that know it well.Before stepping into the world of Digital James Bond, we need to remember some rules. Not much, we believe these three rules must be followed by a digital forensics expert. If we failed to follow these rules then we may have failed to solve the case.Now it is not like the physical evidence touch. It means “never work on original data”,  always use a copy of evidence for forensics testing. We also need to ensure that we didn’t modify the data while creating a copy. The moment we touch or modify original data, our case becomes worthless. Tampered evidence can never be used in any legal proceeding regardless of what is found. The reason is once an original is modified, there is a possibility of identifying false evidence that can misrepresent the real incident. An example is making a change that adjusts the timestamp in the system logs. There would be no way to distinguish this change from an noob analyst’s mistake or attacker trying to cover his traces.Most digital forensic analysts will use specialized devices to copy data bit for bit. There are also very reputable softwares that will do the same thing. It is important that our process be very well documented. Most digital copies in legal proceedings that have been thrown out were removed due to a hash of a storage medium, such as a hard drive, not matching copied data. The hash of a hard drive will not match a contaminated copy, even if only a single bit is modified. A hash match means it is extremely likely the original data including filesystem access logs, deleted data disk information, and metadata is an exact copy of the original data source.The second vital rule for digital forensics is anything that can store data should be examined. In famous cases involving digital media, critical evidence has been found on a camera, DVR recorders, video game consoles, phones, iPods, and other random digital devices. If the device has any capability of storing user data, then it is possible that device could be used in a forensics investigation. Do not dismiss a device just because it is unlikely. A car navigation system that stores maps and music on SD cards could be used by culprits to hide data, as well provide evidence for Internet usage based on download music tags.This is the last crucial rule of digital forensics. Most of newcomers ignore it, but we MUST ensure documenting our findings. All evidence and steps used to reach a conclusion must be easy to understand for it to be credible. More importantly, our findings must be re-creatable. Independent investigators must arrive at the same conclusion as we using our documentation and techniques. It is also important that our documentation establishes a timeline  of events on when specifics occurred and how they occurred. All timeline conclusions must be documented.A forensic investigation is all about the perception of being a security expert validating evidence linked to an incident. It is easy to get caught up looking for bad guys and drawing conclusions on what may have happened based on opinion. This is one of the fastest ways to discredit our work.As a forensics specialist, we must only state the facts. Did the person Tony steal Steve’s files, or did the account that was logged on as the username Tony initiate a copy from the user account  Steve’s home directory to a USB drive with serial number XXX at the timestamp XXX on date XXX? See the difference? The real bad guy could have stolen Tony’s login credentials (using methods covered in this book) and steal Steve’s data while posing as Tony. The moment you jump to a conclusion is the moment your case becomes inconclusive based on personal interference. Remember, as a forensics specialist, we could be asked under oath to give testimony on exactly what happened. When anything outside of facts enters the record, our credibility will be questioned.Extra TalksThese are the basic rules of digital forensics that we need to remember and follow all the time. Digital forensics is not so easy and it is very potential as a career option. As the basics we need to collect the information carefully and painstakingly analyzed with a view to extract evidence relating to the incident to help answer questions, as shown in the following diagram:This is for today, if we follow the basics and use our brain and eyes then we can solve cases and become a digital James Bond. The world needs a hero.Love our articles? Make sure to follow us on Twitter and GitHub, we post article updates there. To join our KaliLinuxIn family, join our Telegram Group. We are trying to build a community for Linux and Cybersecurity. For anything we always happy to help everyone on the comment section. As we know our comment section is always open to everyone. We read each and every comment and we always reply.

What is LibreChat AI and How to install it on Linux?

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What is LibreChat AI and How to install it on Linux?

One problem AI users often face is the constant need to switch the chat interface.ChatGPT might be good at many things but Perplexity is better at searching the web and answering your questions.In fact, you may feel like asking the same question to another AI model if you are not satisfied with the current AI’s answer.But logging into another AI and then copy pasting the same questions is cumbersome task.This is why there are tools that allow you to use more than one AI model from a single interface. However, most of such services are paid.And this is where LibreChat comes into the picture. Let’s dive in and discover how this game-changing platform can enhance your digital experience.What is LibreChat AI?LibreChat AI is an open-source platform that allows users to chat and interact with various AI models through a unified interface. You can use OpenAI, Gemini, Anthropic and other AI models using their API. You may also use Ollama as an endpoint and use LibreChat to interact with local LLMs. It can be installed locally or deployed on a server.LibreChat is designed to be highly customizable and supports a wide range of AI providers and services. Let me summarize its main features:Free and Open Source: Accessible to everyone without any costs.Customization: Offers extensive options to tailor the platform to individual preferences.Multi-AI Support: Integrates with numerous AI models and services.Unified Interface: Provides a consistent experience for interacting with different AI models.LibreChat Official website homepageInstalling LibreChatGetting LibreChat AI up and running is a straightforward process, with two primary methods: NPM and Docker installation. While both options offer advantages, Docker is my preferred choice for its simplicity and efficiency. However, we’ll explore both in this article.You can also refer to the official documentation for detailed installation instructions on LibreChat. I must say that they have done a great job by providing a comprehensive guide covering every step of the process.LibreChat documentation pageMethod 1: Install LibreChat with NPMBefore you begin with the installation, make sure that you have all the prerequisites for our project:Prerequisites:Once they are installed, you can move forward setting-up your openAI clone interface.Preparing installation environmentFirst, you need to clone the official LibreChat repository as it contains all the files you need to build LibreChat:git clone https://github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat.gitNavigate to the cloned directory:cd LibreChatNow you create a .env file from the .env.example cp .env.example .env🚧Edit the newly created .env file to update the MONGO_URI with your ownBuilding LibreChatOnce the preparation steps have finished, we can build the project from the source in a few simple steps.To install the dependencies:npm ciDownloading all the dependenciesThis command will build the frontend of LibreChat:npm run frontendBuilding the frontend of LibreChat💡In the documentation, they directly build the backend, but during testing, I learned that you first need to run the MongoDB server. Otherwise, it’ll throw errors and won’t work at all.MongoDB requires a data directory to store its data files. Thus, create a directory on your system where you want to store the MongoDB data files (e.g., /path/to/data/directory).After that, you need to be in the same directory where the MongoDB has been installed i.e. /usr/bin then just type this command:./mongod –dbpath=/path/to/data/directoryNow you can build the backend (ignore the errors):npm run backendYou have successfully installed LibreChat. You can access it by visitng http://localhost:3080/Method 2: Install LibreChat using DockerOkay hear me out! This explains my frustration. So, it took me just a one liner command to run LibreChat in Docker. After battling with all the pop-ups & dependency errors, this was like a walk in the park.Please ensure that you have Git and Docker installed on your system.The first few steps will remain the same like cloning the repository:git clone https://github.com/danny-avila/LibreChat.gitand creating .env file from .env.example :cp .env.example .envThe docker compose file is already provided in the repository that we cloned, thus all we need to do is run our docker:sudo docker compose up -dRunning LibreChat on DockerTo access the LibreChat, visit http://localhost:3080/.First run of LibreChatGetting started with LibreChat involves a straightforward login process.You do have to signup first to login.Once you’ve navigated that initial step, you’re greeted by a minimalist interface that’s almost reminiscent of ChatGPT’s clean design. It’s a no-frills approach that puts the focus squarely on the conversation. LibreChat first lookThere is an option to create custom prompts as well:Creating prompt pane for LibreChat (click to expand)You can customize LibreChat to your liking by going to the settings pane:While to some people, it might not be as visually striking as some other platforms, the simplicity is refreshing and allows you to dive right into interacting with the AI without distractions.Accessing AI models using their APILibreChat operates as a gateway to various AI models. It provides a platform to access and utilize the capabilities of models from other providers like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and others. This means that to fully experience LibreChat’s potential, you’ll need to have API access to these external AI services.For this tutorial, I have used Google’s Gemini (free) API to have a conversation with our AI assistant. Unfortunately, I couldn’t test with OpenAI’s API since during testing they flagged my account and banned me.Getting Google’s API key:For Google, you can either use the Generative Language API (for Gemini models), or the Vertex AI API (for Gemini, PaLM2 & Codey models).To use Gemini models through Google AI Studio, you’ll need an API key. If you don’t already have one, create a key in Google AI Studio.Once you have your key, provide the key in your .env file, which allows all users of your instance to use it:GOOGLE_KEY=mY_SeCreT_w9347w8_kEYOr you can enter it via GUI by selecting your prefered AI provider i.e. Google in our case:After that, it’ll prompt you to enter your API key:Now we are ready to chat with our Chat BOT.ResultsSince LibreChat is essentially a wrapper for powerful AI models housed in massive data centers, you can expect lightning-fast response times and minimal latency. Here are a few results:LibreChat’s reply to the question about difference between ARM & X86 architectureAnother one:LibreChat’s reply to create a docker-compose file for NextcloudAs per documentation, LibreChat can also integrate with Ollama. This means that if you have Ollama installed on your system, you can run local LLMs in LibreChat.Perhaps we’ll have a dedicated tutorial on integrating LibreChat and Ollama in the future.Final ThoughtsLibreChat presents an intriguing proposition for users seeking AI interaction. Its open-source nature and ability to leverage multiple AI models offer a degree of flexibility and potential customization that proprietary platforms might lack. In terms of alternatives, LibreChat could be a compelling option for Linux users who might find Copilot for Windows to be exclusive. Unfortunately, due to account restrictions, I couldn’t personally test the OpenAI API, a limitation that prevented a more comprehensive evaluation, specially the “Chat with documents” feature.Nevertheless, LibreChat’s potential is undeniable, and its evolution will be interesting to watch. If you have more open source AI projects in mind, feel free to share with us!

How to Quickly Convert JPG to PDF on Linux

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How to Quickly Convert JPG to PDF on Linux

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This guide shows various methods, highlighting the simplicity of using the convert command in ImageMagick for quick conversions, the efficiency of batch processing, and the capability to compile multiple images into a single PDF document. We also introduce pdftk, catering to those seeking more advanced control over their PDF files, such as adjusting metadata and dictating document structure.
Why bother with the command line?
First off, you might wonder, “Why not just use an online converter?” Well, where’s the fun in that? Plus, using the command line offers a level of precision and efficiency that’s hard to beat. And let’s not forget about privacy concerns with online tools. So, let’s get our hands dirty with some terminal magic.
Converting JPG to PDF
Method 1: Using Imagemagick
Preparing your environment
Before we start, ensure you’re working on a Linux distribution like Ubuntu. It’s my go-to because of its user-friendly interface and vast repository of tools. For our purpose, we need to install ImageMagick, a powerful software suite that can create, edit, compose, or convert digital images in a wide variety of formats.
Open your terminal and type:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install imagemagick

This command updates your package lists and installs ImageMagick. Simple, right?
Convert a single JPG to PDF
Now, for the fun part. Say you have a meme in JPG format that you desperately want to convert to PDF. Here’s how you do it:

Navigate to the directory containing your JPG file.
Use the convert command from ImageMagick:

convert myMeme.jpg myMeme.pdf

Voilà! Check your directory, and you’ll find myMeme.pdf sitting there, probably feeling superior to its JPG counterpart.
Batch conversion
What if you have not one, but a whole folder of memes to convert? Fear not, for the command line is our mighty ally. Enter the following:
mogrify -format pdf *.jpg

This command converts all JPG files in the current directory to PDFs. Each file will retain its original name, which helps keep your meme collection organized.
Merging multiple JPGs into a single PDF
Sometimes, you might want to compile multiple images into a single PDF document. ImageMagick makes this a breeze:

convert *.jpg myCompiledMemes.pdf

This command takes all JPG files in the directory and merges them into a single PDF. How cool is that?
Method 2: Using pdftk for advanced PDF creation
First, we’ll need to install pdftk. On Ubuntu, you can do this by running:
sudo apt-get install pdftk

Once installed, pdftk offers a plethora of features, but let’s focus on creating a PDF from JPG images.
Convert and merge JPGs into a single PDF with pdftk
pdftk itself doesn’t convert JPG to PDF directly, but we can first use convert from ImageMagick to create individual PDF files from our JPGs and then merge them with pdftk. Here’s how:

Convert all JPG images to individual PDFs as before:

convert *.jpg myImage%d.pdf

This command converts each JPG file in the directory to a PDF. The %d formatter in myImage%d.pdf generates a numeric sequence for each output file, ensuring a unique name for each PDF.

Merge the PDF files into a single document:

pdftk myImage*.pdf cat output myCompiledAlbum.pdf

This command takes all PDF files starting with myImage and merges them into myCompiledAlbum.pdf. The cat operation is used for concatenating (merging) PDF files.
Why pdftk?
While the initial process might seem roundabout, pdftk shines in its ability to manipulate PDF files. You can merge PDFs, split them, encrypt or decrypt, rotate pages, and even fill out PDF forms from the command line. It’s a powerful tool for anyone looking to automate their PDF workflows.
Method 3: Using GIMP for JPG to PDF Conversion (GUI way)
GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) is a free and open-source image editor available for Linux, Windows, and macOS. It’s highly versatile, allowing users to perform detailed image editing, create artwork from scratch, and, yes, convert images to different formats, including PDF.
Installing GIMP
If GIMP is not already installed on your system, you can easily install it from the Ubuntu Software Center or via the terminal. To install GIMP using the terminal, open it and type the following command:
sudo apt-get install gimp

This command downloads and installs the latest version of GIMP from the official repositories.

Converting a JPG to PDF

Open GIMP: Start by opening GIMP. You can find it in your applications menu or launch it from the terminal by typing gimp.
Open the JPG File: Click on File in the menu bar, then Open, and select the JPG file you want to convert.
Export as PDF: Once your image is open, click on File again, then hover over Export As. In the export window, change the file extension of your image to .pdf. For example, if your image is named myImage.jpg, you would change it to myImage.pdf. Click Export.
Adjust PDF Settings: A dialog will appear with PDF export options, such as applying compression or including the layers as separate pages. Adjust these settings as needed, then click Export.

And that’s it! Your JPG file is now saved as a PDF document.
Conclusion
As we wrap up this journey through converting JPGs to PDFs on Linux, it’s clear that the process is not just about achieving the end result but also about embracing the ethos of Linux. The command line, with tools like ImageMagick and pdftk, offers a playground for efficiency, customization, and control, transforming what might seem like a simple task into a craft.

Understanding How Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Impact Your SEO Ranking

By
1_healthytip
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0
intro to cybersecurity

While not obvious at first sight, cybersecurity has an immense role in SEO ranking. There are numerous dangers to which your business is exposed if you don’t recognize the importance of cybersecurity.

The Internet journey for more than 68% of people starts with a search engine, signalizing the importance of taking care of your ranking. SEO improves numerous aspects of a business, but that’s not the topic.
This article explains the intersection between two interesting fields, cybersecurity and SEO. At first glance, they don’t seem connected, but good cybersecurity practices can prevent unnecessary penalties for your website.
Effect of web security on SEO
Although there are more ways in which your website can be harmed through cyber threats, here are some of the most common problems you need to be aware of. Understanding your vulnerabilities can be half the problem.
Infected websites
In the past, there were situations in which Google would altogether blacklist certain websites for containing malware. With the intention of protecting anyone who’s browsing the internet, blacklists aim to prevent malware from spreading to users.
Unfortunately, if your website happens to have a major vulnerability and gets infected by malware, search engines can penalize you. This can plummet your rankings.
SEO spam
Whatever industry you point toward, you will find numerous methods of getting ahead of your competitors. Are all of them ethical? Rarely. SEO spam is a black-hat technique that purposefully lowers the ranking of a certain website.
There are a couple of ways that this can be conducted inside out. Spamming keywords, linking toward blacklisted websites, publishing spammy content, and numerous other methods.
On the other hand, people can also link fraudulent or poorly ranked websites to yours. This can be recognized by regularly checking your backlink profile.
Crawling errors
Bots are an important part of the SEO ecosystem. However, not all of them are used for good. Many crawlers are used for malicious purposes. This includes actions such as scraping content or trying to find vulnerabilities.
Even if these bots don’t manage to successfully conduct attacks on your website, they can still cause problems. For example, because they are constantly attacking your website, legitimate bots from Googlebot won’t be able to crawl your website successfully.
This can be recognized if you stumble upon 404 or 503 errors in your Google Search Console for web pages that you’re sure that they are legitimate.
Website downtime
Website aspects such as speed and security have an important impact on the ranking of the website. The overall downtime can lower your ranking because your website won’t be considered reliable.
Even a few minutes, which are insignificant in the wider picture, can be a sign of unreliability. There are numerous reasons why your website can be down. One of them can be previously discussed as malware. Other problems can include denial-of-service attacks that make your website inaccessible.
Good cybersecurity practices can prevent some of these malicious attacks on the website. However, don’t neglect the idea that downtime can happen because of a poorly developed website or hosting servers that can’t handle the traffic.
Methods of mitigating risks
Now that you’ve understood some of the common problems that can be caused by website vulnerabilities let’s go over the list of methods used to protect them.
While it’s best to use all of these methods at the same time, it’s understandable that not all companies have the budget to implement them equally.
Use the SSL certificate
One of the most basic steps that you should take in terms of cybersecurity is the implementation of an SSL certificate. SSL is a networking protocol that ensures that the traffic between your website and the user is secure.
If you’ve noticed, there’s a padlock sign left of the URL on your web browser. This is because you’re reading this article on a website that has a secure connection. Search engines don’t prefer websites that aren’t secure.
Furthermore, once you open a website that’s not secure, you’re met with the warning that this website isn’t secure. This also turns away many potential visitors from proceeding with opening your website.
Cybersecurity audits
To receive an overall protected and secure website, you should find a professional who will conduct a cybersecurity audit. Although this can be expensive, remember that no website is considered too insignificant to be attacked by hackers.
Adequate cybersecurity protocols for your website and your company can help you protect not only your website but also individual employees and your business as a whole. Through different types of pentesting, cybersecurity experts can test the weaknesses of your website and help you with fixing them.
The end goal of cybersecurity audits is to ensure that your website isn’t vulnerable to hacking methods. If you happen to lead a large company, it will be useful to conduct cybersecurity training courses.
Training your employees can help your company defend against common online threats such as phishing attempts, trojans, and other types of malware.
Hiring proper SEO experts
While SEO can be done at times completely free, you can do a lot more harm than good. Finding a company or an individual that will conduct a proper SEO campaign can help you not only protect yourself from damaging your ranking but also boost it in the long run.
If you’re based in the United Kingdom, finding UK-based SEO firms can help you get ahead of your competition regardless of the industry that you’re in. At best, poor SEO practices can lead to lowered traffic and ranking, but at worst, they can seriously penalize your website.
Common SEO practices include keyword stuffing, cloaking, having duplicate content, or plagiarizing content from other websites.
Updating CMS and plugins
One of the most important actions you need to take to ensure a secure website is to regularly update your content management system and plugins. Some of the largest data breaches happened because the companies were using outdated websites.
As a website owner, you need to do research on the most stable version of plugins and CMS that you’re using and then adequately update it. New software updates are often fixing bugs and vulnerabilities of previous versions, which is why it’s important to be aware of them.
Although outdated plugins won’t directly impact your ranking, these vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers and then used to execute other harmful activities.
You should also research whether there are useful security plugins that can help you with making your website more secure.
Reasons why websites can be attacked
In the current era, websites are considered property, just like a house or a car. Each website has a certain use and a number of people that visit it. Websites of e-commerce businesses often have users who are leaving their financial information.
Other websites are simply fitting targets for building backlinks. Don’t neglect the idea that someone wants to take over a website to sell it. Furthermore, some hackers are after the data that the website is collecting.
Depending on your location, there are certain regulations that your business must adhere to. However, your website must satisfy regulations as well. If you’re based in Europe, you should do thorough research on how to be compliant with GDPR. On the other hand, Californians need to understand CCPA website requirements.
If your website’s security compromise leads to data leakage, then you will be the one responsible. This can lead to fines and blows to your reputation. So not only that you should ensure website security for adequate ranking, but you should also avoid fines for failing to adhere to regulations.
Cybersecurity can be essential for your SEO ranking
Once you understand the effects of cybersecurity on SEO, as well as how to prevent wrongdoers from harming your business, you’ve set a firm foundation. You might struggle to understand where a threat can come from, but it’s best to be safe than sorry.
This article has hopefully helped you understand what the vulnerabilities that one’s business might have are and how to mitigate them. Some of the methods from this list won’t cost you a lot, while others require a budget set out for them.
Overall, spending money on the protection of your website can pay out in numerous ways. Whether good cybersecurity practices prevent a data breach, SEO spam, or your website gets hacked, each of these problems would cost you a lot more than the money you’ve invested into cybersecurity.

Send Files Securely Over The Local Network With Cross-Platform LocalSend App

By
1_healthytip
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0
Send Files Securely Over The Local Network With Cross-Platform LocalSend App

LocalSend is a free and open source, cross-platform alternative to AirDrop for sending files securely over the local network. The Flutter app runs on Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android / Android TV, iOS, and Fire TV / OS.The application doesn’t use any third-party servers and doesn’t require an Internet connection to work. For communication in the local network, it makes use of its custom LocalSend Protocol and HTTPS encryption. The data is sent securely over HTTPS, and the TLS/SSL certificate is generated on the fly on each device.LocalSend is new, having its first GitHub commit in December 2022, but it already packs quite a few features like the ability to send not only files but also text, automatically display nearby devices, send to multiple recipients, detailed file transfer information, received files history, Quick Save (auto accept file transfers until this is turned off), rename incoming files, and more. It cannot send folders, at least right now.LocalSend Linux application – Receive tabThe application user interface includes three tabs: Send, Receive and Settings. Choose Receive to receive files, and the application will display its automatically generated computer alias, which will help you identify that device from other machines. You can change this alias from the Settings tab. The Receive tab also includes a Quick Save toggle – with this set to ON, file requests from everyone in the local network are automatically accepted, so only use this if you know what you’re doing!Without the Quick Save option enabled, users need to accept each transfer. On the accept screen you’ll find an Options button from where you can select which files to receive, where to save them, as well as rename the files.You might also like: croc Is A Tool For Resumable, Encrypted File And Folder Transfers Between Computers (Command Line)On the Send tab, which you can see in the screenshot above, you’ll find buttons to select a file or text while using the desktop app, and file, media, text, or app on Android; these are the 2 devices I’ve tested this on. After selecting a file or entering some text to send, click on the device alias from the Nearby devices list to send it.This is the Send tab on the Android LocalSend app:Both the send and receive screens include an Advanced button which shows detail about the transfer, such as upload / download speed, files remaining and file size:By default, sending files to nearby devices is set to single recipient mode. Click on the gear icon next to the Nearby devices text, and you’ll be able to switch to the multiple recipients mode:Now you’ll be able to send the same text or file to multiple nearby devices at the same time.From the LocalSend Settings users can change the application theme and language, choose the default file save path, and change various network details like the device alias, port, or multicast address.Other LocalSend features include received files history (with details such as the sender) and minimize to tray on Windows and macOS.Download LocalSendLocalSend is available for Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and Fire OS. On Linux, it can be downloaded as an AppImage package, which can be used directly, without any installation (make the file executable, then double click to run it), as an AUR package for Arch Linux / Manjaro users, and it can be installed from Flathub.To install it from Flathub, which should work on most Linux distributions (on some, you will need to follow the Flatpak and Flathub quick setup), use the following command:flatpak install flathub org.localsend.localsend_app

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