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§03
Latch
A small app for Linux Mint (Cinnamon) that switches three risky things on and off: Wine, xdotool, and the firewall. A control panel for what my machine allows and what it doesn't, without anything getting in without asking first.
RustGTK3LinuxCinnamonpolkitSecurity
Early prototype. Latch grew out of locking Wine so random .exe files can't run, and out of not wanting AI agents to be able to move the mouse or type through xdotool unless I allow it.
Key Features
- One window: a sidebar, one page per switch, and a status bar
- A Test button per switch that runs the real tool
- Timed unlock for Wine and xdotool that locks itself again
- Panel applet and desktop desklet to see state at a glance
- Own look, or follow the system theme
Technologies
- Rust with GTK3, for Cinnamon
- A tiny root helper that knows only six jobs and takes no input
- polkit for authorization
- Packaged as a .deb
- Tested on a throwaway fake root in a user namespace
The Password Rule
Making the machine safer is free: locking Wine, disabling xdotool, and turning the firewall on need no password. Making it riskier asks for one through the normal system dialog, and one password covers a short window so several changes ask once.