RusBITech-Astra unveiled recently released the new version of Astra Linux Special Edition 1.7, which as many of you will know, Astra Linux has different versions of which some are used in dependencies of the Russian government, but for general purpose use. As such the distribution has become quite popular and has various solutions for both mobile devices and the desktop.
One of those versions offered is the "Astra Linux Common Edition" version that includes proprietary solutions from RusBITech developers and free software components that allow you to expand the possibilities of your application as a server platform or on computer workstations. users.
While the other one is "Astra Linux Special Edition", this is positioned as a special purpose suite that protects confidential information and state secrets at the level of "special importance".
The distribution is based on the base of the Debian GNU / Linux package and contains additional security mechanisms, such as its own mandatory access control system, auditing, file integrity and authenticity check (PARSEC), guaranteed file deletion and creation of a kernel with patches to improve security. The user environment is built on the basis of the proprietary Fly desktop with components that use the Qt library.
The distribution is released under a license agreement, which imposes a series of restrictions on users, in particular, commercial use without a license agreement, decompilation and disassembly of the product is prohibited. The original source codes and algorithms, implemented specifically for Astra Linux, are classified as trade secrets. The user has the opportunity to reproduce only one copy of the product on a computer or virtual machine, and also has the right to make only one backup copy of the medium with the product.
Main new features of Astra Linux Special Edition 1.7
In this new version the distribution has migrated the base of the system to Debian 10, along with which the distribution currently offers a Linux 5.4 kernel, but they promise to switch to version 5.10 by the end of the year.
Instead of several editions that differ in the level of protection, a single unified distribution system is proposed, which provides three modes of operation:
- Basic- Without additional protection, functionality is similar to Astra Linux Common Edition. The mode is suitable for protecting information in state information systems of the third security class, personal data information systems of 3-4 security levels and important objects of the critical information infrastructure.
- Improved- Designed to process and protect limited access information that does not constitute a state secret, including in state information systems, personal data information systems and important objects of critical information infrastructure of any security class (level) (category of importance).
- Maximum: provides protection of information containing state secrets of any degree of secrecy.
Independent operation has been provided of such information protection mechanisms as a closed software environment (only a previously verified set of executable files is allowed to run), mandatory integrity control, mandatory access control, and guaranteed cleanup of deleted data.
In addition to this, the mandatory integrity control capabilities have been expanded to protect the system and user files from unauthorized changes.
The ability to create large isolated integrity levels was implemented For additional container isolation, tools have been added to filter network packets by classification flags, and on the file server Samba provides mandatory access control for all versions of the SMB protocol.
Of the other changes that stand out:
- Updated versions of distribution components, including FreeIPA 4.8.5, Samba 4.12.5, LibreOffice 7.1, PostgreSQL 11.10, and Zabbix 5.0.4.
- Implemented support for virtualization in containers with hardened isolation.
- New color schemes have been added to the user environment.
- Redesigned login theme, taskbar and Start menu icon design.
- Astra Fact, an analog of the Verdana font, has been proposed.
Finally, if you are interested in knowing more about it, you can consult the details In the following link.
Download Astra Linux Special Edition 1.7
Finally, for those who are interested in being able to try this Linux distribution, they can download the image of the system from this link.
And it is important to remember that the distribution is in Russian by default, but in the installation process we can configure the language in English.