soc.octade.net is a Fediverse instance that uses the ActivityPub protocol. In other words, users at this host can communicate with people that use software like Mastodon, Pleroma, Friendica, etc. all around the world.
This server runs the snac software and there is no automatic sign-up process.
Over The Edge 2.0: what independent researchers found about browser choice on #Windows
https://blog.mozilla.org/en/mozilla/browser-choice-windows-report-over-the-edge-2/
Hey Windows (ab)users, Microsoft has a big present for you: Today they released software updates to plug at least 570 security holes in their Windows operating systems and other software, almost triple the number of vulnerabilities the software giant fixed in its record-smashing Patch Tuesday release last month. Microsoft attributed the burgeoning patch counts to vulnerability discoveries aided by artificial intelligence. Ah, but there's a catch: AI is also speeding up the discovery of workable exploits.
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/07/microsoft-patches-a-record-570-security-flaws/
Reader mode reveals:
"...Currently, when you open the search menu, it shows your recent searches alongside several distracting tiles on the right pane, containing things like the image of the day, daily quizzes, trending searches, and game recommendations...."
Fort Firewall gives you detailed control over which Windows apps can access the network with custom rules, blocklists, bandwidth limits, and traffic statistics.
⚠️ Note: On Windows 10+, it currently requires disabling HVCI (Memory Integrity), so check the requirements first.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=fort
#Windows #Privacy #OpenSource #Firewall #SelfHosted #CyberSecurity
RawTherapee is a free, open-source RAW photo editor for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
It offers advanced color correction, detail enhancement, noise reduction, and non-destructive editing, making it a great alternative to Adobe Lightroom for RAW photography.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=rawtherapee
#OpenSource #Photography #RAW #Linux #Windows #macOS #PrivacyTools
#Windows Drops Under 60% in Global Desktop OS Share for the First Time in Years
https://linuxiac.com/windows-drops-under-60-in-global-desktop-os-share-for-the-first-time-in-years/
Windows est un logiciel de surveillance” : un identifiant caché piste 1,4 milliard de PC, même sous VPN, la preuve vient de tomber
Un expert l'affirme, le FBI lui a donné raison
#vieprivée #privacy #sécurité #security #windows #surveillance
Tabby is a free, open-source terminal emulator with a built-in SSH client for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
It supports tabs, split panes, themes, plugins, serial connections, and PowerShell, CMD, WSL, Git Bash, and more, all without requiring an account.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=tabby
#OpenSource #Linux #Windows #macOS #Terminal #SSH #SysAdmin #PrivacyTools
#Windows11 identifier code used to track #ScatteredSpider perp after #Microsoft shared info with FBI
Windows ist nicht dein Schicksal. Linux ist der Ausweg.
Windows 10 ist tot, Windows 11 sortiert funktionsfähige Rechner aus, und Microsoft drückt Nutzer*innen immer tiefer in Konto-Zwang, Telemetrie und KI-Funktionen. Zeit, Linux nicht mehr als Nerd-Spielzeug zu behandeln, sondern als das, was es ist: der saubere Ausweg. Reden wir drüber!
https://www.chrislo.de/blog/windows-ist-nicht-dein-schicksal-linux-ist-der-ausweg/
#chrislo #Linux #Windows #LinuxUmstieg #DigitaleUnabhängigkeit #Datenschutz #OpenSource #Gaming #CachyOS
🎵 Pear Desktop is a free, open-source desktop client for YouTube Music with native media controls, plugins, custom themes, and a polished desktop experience.
Available for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=peardesktop
#OpenSource #Linux #Windows #macOS #YouTubeMusic #PrivacyTools
🔒 A 19-year-old cybercriminal was caught despite using a VPN across multiple countries - because Windows has a tracking number built into every install that a VPN can't hide.
Peter Stokes, arrested in Finland in April and extradited to the US last week, is tied to Scattered Spider, the hacking group behind the 2023 MGM and Caesars casino breaches. The group is linked to 100+ intrusions and over $100 million in extortion.
The FBI didn't crack his VPN. Microsoft handed over his Global Device ID (GDID), a unique identifier baked into every Windows installation at setup. It doesn't change when you update, switch networks, or use a VPN. The only way to reset it is a full OS reinstall.
Investigators matched Stokes's GDID across IP addresses in Estonia, New York, and Thailand, correlating with login times on his Snapchat, Apple, and Facebook accounts. The same device that breached a luxury jewelry retailer and demanded $8 million in ransom also logged into Snapchat and a video game from his real network.
So while VPNs mask your IP address, they were never designed to hide device-level identifiers embedded in your operating system. The tracking can live one layer deeper than the one most people defend.
Read more:
https://www.itnews.com.au/news/microsoft-device-telemetry-key-to-unmasking-alleged-scattered-spider-hacker-627148
https://www.databreachtoday.com/scattered-spider-suspect-extradited-from-finland-to-us-a-32140
RomM is a free, open-source, self-hosted ROM manager that helps you organize, browse, and play your retro game collection.
It automatically fetches metadata, artwork, and achievements, supports 400+ platforms, browser-based play, and works with emulators like EmulatorJS.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=romm
#OpenSource #SelfHosted #RetroGaming #Emulation #Gaming #Linux #Windows #macOS #Privacy #FOSS
OpenToonz is a free and open-source 2D animation software for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Originally based on the version customized by Studio Ghibli, it includes frame-by-frame animation, vector and raster drawing tools, effects, scripting, and professional production features.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=opentoonz
#OpenSource #Animation #2DAnimation #Linux #Windows #macOS #Creative #Privacy
#TIL that the Python Pillow library uses the PING command as a #Windows equivalent of sleep.
https://github.com/python-pillow/Pillow/commit/4279c742890a6bb09ebb2a3597a7f4878f784507
Superfile is a free and open-source terminal file manager with a modern, keyboard-first interface.
Built with Go, it features a clean TUI, customizable themes, plugins, and supports Linux, macOS, and Windows. A great upgrade for anyone who spends a lot of time working in the terminal.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=superfile
#OpenSource #Linux #Windows #macOS #Terminal #CLI #Productivity #Privacy
AlterSend is a free and open-source app for transferring files directly between devices without using cloud storage.
Files are sent peer-to-peer with end-to-end encryption, no accounts, no uploads, and no file size limits. It works across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=altersend
#OpenSource #Privacy #FileTransfer #Linux #Windows #macOS #Android #iOS
Voicebox is a free and open-source AI voice studio that runs entirely on your computer.
It lets you clone voices, generate speech, transcribe audio with Whisper, and use voice dictation without sending recordings to the cloud. It also supports multiple TTS engines and MCP integration for AI assistants.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=voicebox
#OpenSource #AI #Privacy #SelfHosted #Linux #Windows #macOS #SpeechToText #TextToSpeech
Ventoy is a free and open-source tool that lets you boot multiple operating systems from a single USB drive without reformatting.
Install Ventoy once, then simply copy ISO files to your USB drive. It supports Windows, Linux, Secure Boot, persistence, and many rescue and diagnostic tools.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=ventoy
OpenShot is a free and open-source video editor available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
It features unlimited tracks, timeline editing, keyframe animations, transitions, titles, audio editing, chroma key, speed controls, hardware encoding, and support for hundreds of formats through FFmpeg.
A privacy-friendly alternative to subscription-based video editors.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=openshot
#OpenSource #OpenShot #VideoEditing #Linux #Windows #macOS #FOSS #Privacy
Harbor is a free and open-source desktop client for the Stremio ecosystem.
It includes a native media player, watch parties, live TV support, picture-in-picture, themes, stream ranking, and extensive customization.
Harbor does not host or provide any media. Instead, it works with the Stremio addon ecosystem, allowing users to choose their own addons and content sources.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=harborstremio
Windows 10 just got another year of life.
Microsoft has quietly extended the ESU program, meaning eligible users can continue receiving security updates through October 12, 2027.
The updated support page states:
"Windows 10 support has ended. You can enroll in ESU any time until the program ends on October 12, 2027. If you’re already enrolled, your coverage will automatically continue through that date—no action needed."
Pake is a free, open-source tool that turns almost any website into a lightweight desktop app.
Built with Rust and Tauri, apps created with Pake are much smaller and use less memory than typical Electron-based alternatives.
Perfect for ChatGPT, Gemini, GitHub, YouTube Music, DeepSeek, and more.
Kopuz is a free and open-source music player built with Rust.
It supports local music libraries, Jellyfin, Navidrome/Subsonic servers, synced lyrics, playlists, and equalizer controls across Windows, Linux, and macOS.
A privacy-friendly alternative to cloud-focused music players, with full support for self-hosted music collections.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=kopuz
#OpenSource #MusicPlayer #Jellyfin #Navidrome #SelfHosted #Privacy #Linux #Windows #macOS #FOSS
Open Video Downloader is a free and open-source desktop app for downloading videos, audio, subtitles, playlists, and metadata from hundreds of websites.
Built on top of yt-dlp, it offers a simple graphical interface , no command line required. Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux under the AGPL-3.0 license.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=open-video-downloader
#OpenSource #Privacy #Linux #Windows #macOS #ytdlp #VideoTools
New post: Choosing a VoIP Service When You're Desktop-First and Don't Like Phones
https://lanie.work/technology/voip-for-desktop-first-users/
#Accessibility #Disability #Technology #Workflow #Voip #Desktop-First #Iphone #Windows #Google-Voice
Shotcut is a free and open-source video editor for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
It offers timeline editing, filters, transitions, audio tools, hardware encoding, and support for hundreds of formats via FFmpeg.
A privacy-friendly alternative to Premiere Pro, Filmora, and CapCut, no subscriptions, no lock-in, and no watermarks.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=shotcut
#OpenSource #VideoEditing #Privacy #Linux #Windows #macOS #FOSS
WinDiskWriter a free and open-source macOS tool for creating bootable Windows USB installers.
It supports Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7, and Vista, works on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs, and can automatically handle large install.wim files, EFI booting, and Legacy BIOS compatibility.
A handy tool for Mac users who need to install or repair Windows without using Microsoft's Media Creation Tool.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=windiskwriter
#libreoffice #joplin #microsoft #office #copilot #opensource #oss #ai #linux #macOS #windows
Mit dem Ende des Supports von Windows 10 im Oktober 2026 werden Millionen Rechner nutzlos. Damit möchte sich eine Gruppe von Aktivist*innen nicht abfinden.
‚Die Linux-Party im Nordosten von Frankfurt am Main, in der Villa Orange, startet an einem Sonntag um 9:30 Uhr. Zusammen mit fünf anderen Teilnehmern sitze ich in einem Konferenzraum und bin gespannt. Der Plan: Ich möchte meinen Laptop von Windows auf Linux umstellen.
Es ist eine von vielen Linux-Partys, die seit knapp einem Jahr in ganz Deutschland auf Initiative von End of 10 regelmäßig veranstaltet werden. In der weltweit agierenden Initiative sind viele Menschen aus dem IT-Umfeld organisiert, die in ihrer Freizeit anderen Menschen unentgeltlich dabei helfen, sich für immer von Windows zu verabschieden….‘
Restic is a fast, secure, and open-source backup tool for Linux, macOS, Windows, and BSD systems.
It supports encrypted backups, deduplication, snapshot versioning, and storage on local drives, SSH servers, S3, Backblaze B2, Azure, Google Cloud, rclone, and more.
Designed to make backups simple, efficient, and verifiable while keeping your data protected.
More details: https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=restic
#OpenSource #Backup #Privacy #SelfHosted #Linux #Windows #macOS #DataBackup
5 Easy Steps To Crop An Image in Inkscape
Step-by-step instructions on how to use Inkscape to crop an image whether you are a beginner or advanced user.
📤 PairDrop — Open-Source Cross-Platform File Sharing (AirDrop alternative)
PairDrop lets you send files, photos, folders, and text directly between devices using peer-to-peer connections. No account required.
Works on Android, iPhone, Windows, Linux, and macOS right from your browser.
More details:
https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=pairdrop
#OpenSource #Privacy #FileSharing #SelfHosted #AirDropAlternative #Android #Linux #Windows #iPhone
Sigma File Manager is a modern open-source file manager for Windows and Linux built as an alternative to traditional file explorers.
It features tabs, split view, smart search, file tagging, LAN sharing, extension support, and access to network locations like SSHFS, SMB, NFS, and CIFS.
A powerful option for users who want a more customizable and privacy-friendly way to manage files.
👉 https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=sigma-file-manager
#OpenSource #Linux #Windows #FileManager #Productivity #Privacy #FOSS
Hey Windows (ab)users! Microsoft patched around 200 vulnerabilities in Windows etc today, a record Patch Tuesday batch. All indications are they fixed two of the zero-days dropped last month by the researcher Nightmare Eclipse, including "Green Plasma" and the "YellowKey" exploit that allowed local access to data encrypted by BitLocker. In response to today's Patch Tuesday, Nightmare Eclipse dropped an exploit for what they claimed was a zero-day bug in Windows Defender.
Nearly three dozen of the bugs patched this month earned Microsoft’s most dire “critical” rating, and exploit code for at least three of the weaknesses is now publicly available.
https://krebsonsecurity.com/2026/06/a-record-breaking-patch-tuesday-for-june-2026/
#patchtuesday #windows #nightmareeclipse #greenplasma #yellowkey
Inform your friends and family about these tools.
#Briar ... https://briarproject.org
"Censorship-resistant peer-to-peer messaging that bypasses centralized servers. Connect via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or Tor, with privacy built-in."
#Retroshare ... https://retroshare.cc
"Retroshare establish encrypted connections between you and your friends to create a network of computers, and provides various distributed services on top of it: forums, channels, chat, mail... Retroshare is fully decentralized, and designed to provide maximum security and anonymity to its users beyond direct friends. Retroshare is entirely free and open-source software. It is available on #Android, #Linux, #MacOS and #Windows. There are no hidden costs, no ads and no terms of service."
#RicochetRefresh ... https://www.ricochetrefresh.net
"Ricochet Refresh is an open-source project to allow private and anonymous instant messaging."
#OnionShare ... https://onionshare.org
"OnionShare is an open-source tool that lets you securely and anonymously share files, host websites, and chat with friends using the Tor network."
#DeltaChat ... https://delta.chat
"Delta Chat is a decentralized and secure messenger app."
#Bitmessage ... https://bitmessage.org
"Bitmessage is a P2P communications protocol used to send encrypted messages to another person or to many subscribers. It is decentralized and trustless, meaning that you need-not inherently trust any entities like root certificate authorities. It uses strong authentication which means that the sender of a message cannot be spoofed, and it aims to hide "non-content" data, like the sender and receiver of messages, from passive eavesdroppers like those running warrantless wiretapping programs."
#TorBrowser ... https://www.torproject.org/download
"Protect yourself against tracking, surveillance, and censorship."
"The Invisible Internet Project (I2P) is a fully encrypted private network layer. It protects your activity and location. Every day people use the network to connect with people without worry of being tracked or their data being collected. In some cases people rely on the network when they need to be discrete or are doing sensitive work."
#Hyphanet ... https://www.hyphanet.org/
"Hyphanet is peer-to-peer network for censorship-resistant and privacy-respecting publishing and communication. The original Freenet."
#BitChan ... https://github.com/813492291816/BitChan
"BitChan is a decentralized anonymous imageboard inspired by BitBoard and built on top of Bitmessage with Tor, I2P, and GnuPG."
#DarkMX ... https://darkmx.app
"DarkMX is a new decentralized communication app that utilizes Tor hidden services to allow you to easily have an anonymous, reliable, and censorship-resistant presence on the internet. You can chat. You can share files. You can search other people's files. You can keep a contact list and send private messages to your friends. You can create your own custom .onion site, available to anyone with a Tor Browser."
#Decentralized #TOR #AntiSurveillance #Anonymity #Anonymous #Privacy #Filesharing #Networking #Communication #P2P #F2F #PeerToPeer #Censorship #AntiCensorship #FreeSpeech