Elementary OS 8 With New Secure Session Privacy Consent

Elementary OS 8 has been released with a significant focus on privacy, security, and user consent. The new Secure Session feature is a cornerstone of this update, designed to ensure that applications respect user privacy and require explicit consent for various actions

Secure Session

The Secure Session in elementary OS 8 is powered by Wayland, a modern and secure method for apps to render themselves and accept user input. When using the Secure Session:

Apps are more restricted and require user consent for access to system features1

. Users must explicitly permit apps to perform actions such as:

Listening to keystrokes in the background
Taking screenshots
Recording the screen
Picking up colors from single pixels1

To access the Secure Session, users can select it from a gear menu next to the password field on the lock screen

Additional Features Of Secure Session

The Secure Session also introduces:

Support for Mixed DPI modes, beneficial for users with HiDPI notebooks or tablets connected to LoDPI external displays
Improved support for multi-touch gestures on touch screens and tablets
Potential performance and smoothness improvements, especially on low-powered hardware1

Portals And Privacy

Elementary OS 8 implements four new Portals to support the Secure Session:

Color Picker
Screenshot
Screencast
Wallpaper

These Portals are crucial for enabling modern apps to function in the Secure Session without direct access to display pixels

Default Session And Compatibility

It’s important to note that elementary OS 8 will use the Classic Session by default to ensure compatibility with existing apps.

In the Classic Session, apps will behave as they did in previous versions, maintaining the same level of system access as in OS 7

Application Settings

The System Settings → Applications section has been expanded to give users more control over app permissions. New features include:

Ability to adjust run-time permissions in Flatpak’s Permissions Store
Clearer language for install-time permissions
Updated descriptions of individual permissions
Display of app icons and descriptions on permission pages1

The introduction of the Secure Session, along with expanded permissions settings and new Portals, demonstrates elementary OS’s commitment to enhancing user privacy and security while maintaining a user-friendly experience

Varshini

Varshini is a Cyber Security expert in Threat Analysis, Vulnerability Assessment, and Research. Passionate about staying ahead of emerging Threats and Technologies.