Ubuntu 21.04 will focus on improving the privacy and security of the home directory
Nowadays, the popularity of personal computers is very high, but for some users, due to the particularity of the work and use environment, it may happen that multiple people use the same device together. At present, all mainstream desktop operating systems on the market have a multi-user mode. You can set up multiple users on the device and log in to their respective accounts when using them. In a multi-user environment, the security of personal data is a point that many people are very concerned about.
However, in the Ubuntu operating system, when a user creates a new user on the device, the user account can read files in the ~/home directory folder, which stores a lot of personal information. In other words, by default, anyone can access any home directory, and your personal information can be viewed by other users by default. This situation will be changed in the Ubuntu 21.04 development code-named Hirsute Hippo version, the ~/home directory is set to privacy by default.
Ubuntu stated that they decided to adopt this stricter default setting after listening to the opinions of important customers and user groups in the public cloud and server fields.
In the early stages of Ubuntu development, people can use this multi-user system to easily and quickly share files among colleagues, family, or friends. However, with the occurrence of various misuses of private data and privacy leaks, people’s protection and attention to personal privacy have reached unprecedented heights.
After comprehensive consideration, Ubuntu officially decided to make this change. Therefore, in Ubuntu 21.04, the home directory is no longer globally readable by default, and the directory permissions will be changed from 755 to 750.
