How to redact information from posts, but still get the technical support you seek revisions

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Revision #13

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
parulin
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Revision #12

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
------ # The output of `dmesg` ## What is this? This command will show the events logged by the Linux kernel since you first powered on your machine. ## What does the output look like? Entries are generally presented like this: ``` [Time since power-on] <kernel-module>: MESSAGE ``` ## Why would someone ask for this? When there are hardware issues, the output of `dmesg` can be incredibly valueable in determining what specifically is causing the hardware not to function as expected. The events logged in `dmesg` will clarify: - Which kernel module is being used when the error is thrown - What *reason* the kernel module is being given that the error is thrown - If there is a core dump, it will show quite a lot of information that is helpful for developers to fix bugs in their code - A core dump is essentially the Linux kernel saying "I can't figure out what went wrong, and I don't know what to do, so I'm just going to kill it all. Here's the instruction I tried to execute that failed, and here's everything in the memory at the time I tried to run it. Developers, you figure out what happened..." It can contain very detailed information that it often exactly what people need to be able to help you with your issues. ## What do I need to redact? Well, for starters, *nobody will ever need the entire log*. Most times, they will be interested in seeing what a particular module is doing. An example of this is when a wifi card does not load correctly, they will likely be interested in what excuse the corresponding kernel module gave in `dmesg` for the failure, such as not being able to load appropriate drivers/firmware, etc. Any serial numbers are almost always perfectly fine to redact. There are also times when identifiers such as memory addresses and version numbers are also able to be redacted, without hindering the ability to help you solve your issue. ## What do I need to leave in the post? Generally, everything apart from what is mentioned above should be left in your post, unless you are compelled to redact it for whatever reason. If you redact too much, you will likely be politely asked for the redacted information, along with an explanation as to *why* it is needed to solve your issue. ## Anything else I should know? If something doesn't feel right, feel free to politely ask why that information is needed. If they are legitimately trying to assist you, then you will likely get a response that does not contain a sense of urgency, systematically explains what they need, why they need it, what you could also supply in lieu of that information (if you are genuinely uncomfortable divulging it), and in most cases, an educated guess as to what your issue may be, and how giving them this information will help them diagnose your issue more accurately. If you do not get all of that, then by all means, feel free to refuse. --- # WAN IP Addresses ## What is this? This is similar to an address on an envelope that people who run networks (ISPs, your workplace, your home wifi, etc.) use to get data packets to the intended recipient, and back to you when necessary. Similarly to how a postal address of your house does not contain any information about how many rooms your house has, what colour paint you have on the outside, whether you have a second storey, etc., an IP address is NOT a fingerprint of your device. It is merely a way for others to be able to tell whoever is running the network you're on how to get messages to you. Also, this address is almost always allocated to you by the network operator (eg. ISP). ## What does it look like? ### IPv4 address: Four numberical value between 0 and 255, separated by a dot (.). ``` XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX ``` ### IPv6 address: Eight numerical values between 0 and 65,535 (2 to the power of 16), separated by a colon (:). ``` xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx ``` ## Why would someone ask for this? **There is [u]no legitimate reason[/u] anyone troubleshooting a Qubes OS issue would ever need to know this.** ## What do I need to redact? Any and all IP addresses, without the only exceptions being: - `127.0.0.0/8` (this means any IPv4 address with `127` in the first octet, followed by any combination of numbers in the remaining octets, with the most commonly-seen being `127.0.0.1`) or `::1` (IPv6), which essentially means "myself", every single networked device will have this as their loopback address. - Network interfaces will use this to check that they are working by sending messages to *themselves*. Of course, if you would feel safer if you redacted loopback addresses, then feel free to do so. Often times the type of IP address (WAN, LAN, loopback, TailScale, Link-local, broadcast, etc.) can be deduced when redacted from the context of the rest of the post, which is usually harmless. ## What do I need to leave in the post? It's fine to replace IP addresses with markers that denote an IP address has been redacted, such as `xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx`, as long as the numbers have been removed. ## Anything else I should know? If you accidentally *do* publish your IP address, it is recommended that you check your WAN IP for any open ports you might have, and implement appropriate firewall protections. You may also want to request a new IPv4 WAN address and/or IPv6 prefix delegation from your ISP. If you do not understand what any of this means, you should contact your ISP immediately and tell them what happened (assuming you trust them). They will arrange for you to get allocated a different IP address. --- # TITLE ## What is this? ## What does this look like? ## Why would someone ask for this? ## What can I safely redact? ## What do I need to leave in? ## Anything else I should know?

Revision #11

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
--- # The output of `qvm-ls` ## What is this? This command, when run in `dom0` (or any admin qube) will list all the qubes that exist on your machine, as well as their names, what template they are based on, whether they are disposable or not, what state they are in (running, halted, paused). ## What does the output look like? `qvm-ls` [details="Output of Command"] ``` NAME STATE CLASS LABEL TEMPLATE NETVM anaconda-devel Halted AppVM orange fedora-41-xfce sys-firewall anaconda-installer-devel Halted AppVM orange fedora-41-xfce sys-firewall anaconda-tester Halted StandaloneVM purple - sys-firewall anon-whonix Halted AppVM red whonix-workstation-17 sys-whonix archlinux Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall blackarch Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall centos-stream-8-minimal Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall centos-stream-8-xfce Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall centos-stream-9-minimal Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall centos-stream-9-xfce Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall debian-12 Halted TemplateVM black - - debian-12-minimal Halted TemplateVM black - - debian-12-xfce Halted TemplateVM black - - default-mgmt-dvm Halted AppVM black fedora-41-xfce - REDACTED Halted AppVM red fedora-41-xfce sys-firewall dom0 Running AdminVM black - - duo-buildroot-sdk Halted AppVM orange debian-12 sys-firewall dvm-fedora Halted AppVM red fedora-40 sys-firewall dvm-fedora-minimal Halted AppVM red fedora-40-minimal sys-firewall dvm-qubes-builder Halted AppVM red tpl-qubes-builder sys-firewall fedora-37-qubes-builder Halted TemplateVM black - - fedora-39-dvm Halted AppVM red fedora-40 sys-firewall fedora-39-qubes-builder Halted TemplateVM black - - fedora-40 Halted TemplateVM black - - fedora-40-minimal Halted TemplateVM black - - fedora-40-xfce Halted TemplateVM black - - fedora-41 Halted TemplateVM black - - fedora-41-xfce Halted TemplateVM black - - gentoo-dispvm Halted AppVM red gentoo-minimal sys-firewall gentoo-minimal Halted TemplateVM black - sys-firewall kali-core Halted TemplateVM black - - kali-core-trixie Halted TemplateVM black - - pentesting Halted AppVM blue kali-core sys-firewall personal Running AppVM yellow fedora-41-xfce sys-firewall qubes-builder Halted AppVM gray tpl-qubes-builder sys-firewall qubes-builder-dvm Halted AppVM red fedora-40 sys-firewall qubes-installer-tester Halted StandaloneVM purple - sys-firewall qubes-remote-support-helper Halted AppVM red whonix-workstation-17 sys-whonix samsun Halted AppVM red debian-12 sys-firewall sys-audio Running AppVM black fedora-40-xfce sys-firewall sys-firewall Running DispVM green fedora-39-dvm sys-net sys-net Running DispVM red fedora-39-dvm - sys-usb Halted DispVM red fedora-39-dvm - sys-whonix Running AppVM black whonix-gateway-17 sys-firewall REDACTED Halted AppVM red kali-core sys-firewall tpl-qubes-builder Halted TemplateVM black - - university Running AppVM purple fedora-40 sys-firewall untrusted Halted AppVM red fedora-41-xfce sys-firewall vault Halted AppVM black fedora-41-xfce - whonix-gateway-17 Halted TemplateVM black - - whonix-workstation-17 Halted TemplateVM black - - whonix-ws-16-dvm Halted AppVM red whonix-workstation-17 sys-whonix whonix-ws-17-dvm Halted AppVM red whonix-workstation-17 sys-whonix windows-sacrificial Halted StandaloneVM gray - sys-whonix work Halted AppVM blue fedora-40 sys-firewall work-qubesos Halted DispVM red qubes-builder-dvm sys-firewall ``` [/details] ## Why would someone ask for this? Requiring this to troubleshoot anything is extremely rare, but in certain niche cases, it can be useful to deduce whether there is a misconfiguration in your qubes, causing them to not start properly, or crash. ## What do I need to redact? In almost all cases, the names of your qubes are never helpful in troubleshooting, so they should almost *always* be redacted. Similarly, the *state* the qubes are in is almost always irrelevant to the issue you are facing, and should be redacted as well. ## What do I need to leave in the post? There are times when the template the qube is based on is helpful, and should be left in. However, if you have created a custom template (and thus, likely given the *template* a custom name), then it is recommended that the name of the template be replaced with a descriptor of the makeup of that template. For example, "debian-12-xfce with extra packages installed", or "template based off gentoo-minimal". ## Anything else I should know? If the qube names are generic names, like `sys-net`, `sys-firewall`, `sys-whonix`, `sys-usb`, or anything else that might be common among almost all Qubes OS machines, there is not really any danger to that being left in. However, if you have chosen to give your qubes custom names, then they should almost always be redacted.

Revision #10

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
--- # The output of `dmidecode` ## What is this? dmidecode is a tool for dumping a computer's DMI (some say SMBIOS ) table contents in a human-readable format. This table contains a description of the system's hardware components, as well as other useful pieces of information such as serial numbers and BIOS revision. Thanks to this table, you can retrieve this information without having to probe for the actual hardware. While this is a good point in terms of report speed and safeness, this also makes the presented information possibly unreliable. The DMI table doesn't only describe what the system is currently made of, it also can report the possible evolutions (such as the fastest supported CPU or the maximal amount of memory supported). SMBIOS stands for System Management BIOS , while DMI stands for Desktop Management Interface. Both standards are tightly related and developed by the DMTF (Desktop Management Task Force). As you run it, dmidecode will try to locate the DMI table. If it succeeds, it will then parse this table and display a list of records like this one: ``` Handle 0x0002, DMI type 2, 8 bytes. Base Board Information Manufacturer: Intel Product Name: C440GX+ Version: 727281-001 Serial Number: INCY92700942 ``` Each record has: - A handle. This is a unique identifier, which allows records to reference each other. For example, processor records usually reference cache memory records using their handles. - A type. The SMBIOS specification defines different types of elements a computer can be made of. In this example, the type is 2, which means that the record contains "Base Board Information". - A size. Each record has a 4-byte header (2 for the handle, 1 for the type, 1 for the size), the rest is used by the record data. This value doesn't take text strings into account (these are placed at the end of the record), so the actual length of the record may be (and is often) greater than the displayed value. - Decoded values. The information presented of course depends on the type of record. Here, we learn about the board's manufacturer, model, version and serial number. ## What does the output look like? `dmidecode` [details="Output of Command"] ``` # dmidecode 3.5 Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs. SMBIOS 2.7 present. 66 structures occupying 3198 bytes. Table at 0x9CBFD000. Handle 0x0000, DMI type 222, 14 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: DE 0E 00 00 01 99 00 03 10 01 20 02 30 03 Strings: Memory Init Complete End of DXE Phase BIOS Boot Complete Handle 0x0001, DMI type 14, 8 bytes Group Associations Name: Intel(R) Silicon View Technology Items: 1 0x0000 (OEM-specific) Handle 0x0002, DMI type 134, 13 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 86 0D 02 00 03 09 15 20 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0003, DMI type 7, 19 bytes Cache Information Socket Designation: L1 Cache Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 1 Operational Mode: Write Back Location: Internal Installed Size: 32 kB Maximum Size: 32 kB Supported SRAM Types: Synchronous Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous Speed: Unknown Error Correction Type: Parity System Type: Data Associativity: 8-way Set-associative Handle 0x0004, DMI type 4, 42 bytes Processor Information Socket Designation: U3E1 Type: Central Processor Family: Core i5 Manufacturer: Intel(R) Corporation ID: D4 06 03 00 FF FB EB BF Signature: Type 0, Family 6, Model 61, Stepping 4 Flags: FPU (Floating-point unit on-chip) VME (Virtual mode extension) DE (Debugging extension) PSE (Page size extension) TSC (Time stamp counter) MSR (Model specific registers) PAE (Physical address extension) MCE (Machine check exception) CX8 (CMPXCHG8 instruction supported) APIC (On-chip APIC hardware supported) SEP (Fast system call) MTRR (Memory type range registers) PGE (Page global enable) MCA (Machine check architecture) CMOV (Conditional move instruction supported) PAT (Page attribute table) PSE-36 (36-bit page size extension) CLFSH (CLFLUSH instruction supported) DS (Debug store) ACPI (ACPI supported) MMX (MMX technology supported) FXSR (FXSAVE and FXSTOR instructions supported) SSE (Streaming SIMD extensions) SSE2 (Streaming SIMD extensions 2) SS (Self-snoop) HTT (Multi-threading) TM (Thermal monitor supported) PBE (Pending break enabled) Version: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-5200U CPU @ 2.20GHz Voltage: 1.0 V External Clock: 100 MHz Max Speed: 2700 MHz Current Speed: 2200 MHz Status: Populated, Enabled Upgrade: Socket BGA1168 L1 Cache Handle: 0x0005 L2 Cache Handle: 0x0006 L3 Cache Handle: 0x0007 Serial Number: None Asset Tag: None Part Number: None Core Count: 2 Core Enabled: 2 Thread Count: 4 Characteristics: 64-bit capable Multi-Core Hardware Thread Execute Protection Enhanced Virtualization Power/Performance Control Handle 0x0005, DMI type 7, 19 bytes Cache Information Socket Designation: L1 Cache Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 1 Operational Mode: Write Back Location: Internal Installed Size: 32 kB Maximum Size: 32 kB Supported SRAM Types: Synchronous Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous Speed: Unknown Error Correction Type: Parity System Type: Instruction Associativity: 8-way Set-associative Handle 0x0006, DMI type 7, 19 bytes Cache Information Socket Designation: L2 Cache Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 2 Operational Mode: Write Back Location: Internal Installed Size: 256 kB Maximum Size: 256 kB Supported SRAM Types: Synchronous Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous Speed: Unknown Error Correction Type: Single-bit ECC System Type: Unified Associativity: 8-way Set-associative Handle 0x0007, DMI type 7, 19 bytes Cache Information Socket Designation: L3 Cache Configuration: Enabled, Not Socketed, Level 3 Operational Mode: Write Back Location: Internal Installed Size: 3 MB Maximum Size: 3 MB Supported SRAM Types: Synchronous Installed SRAM Type: Synchronous Speed: Unknown Error Correction Type: Multi-bit ECC System Type: Unified Associativity: 12-way Set-associative Handle 0x0008, DMI type 16, 23 bytes Physical Memory Array Location: System Board Or Motherboard Use: System Memory Error Correction Type: None Maximum Capacity: 16 GB Error Information Handle: Not Provided Number Of Devices: 2 Handle 0x0009, DMI type 17, 34 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0008 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 64 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8 GB Form Factor: SODIMM Set: None Locator: ChannelA-DIMM0 Bank Locator: BANK 0 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Synchronous Speed: 1600 MT/s Manufacturer: Micron Serial Number: 65002216 Asset Tag: None Part Number: 16KTF1G64HZ-1G6E2 Rank: Unknown Configured Memory Speed: 1600 MT/s Handle 0x000A, DMI type 17, 34 bytes Memory Device Array Handle: 0x0008 Error Information Handle: Not Provided Total Width: 64 bits Data Width: 64 bits Size: 8 GB Form Factor: SODIMM Set: None Locator: ChannelB-DIMM0 Bank Locator: BANK 2 Type: DDR3 Type Detail: Synchronous Speed: 1600 MT/s Manufacturer: Micron Serial Number: 65002216 Asset Tag: None Part Number: 16KTF1G64HZ-1G6E2 Rank: Unknown Configured Memory Speed: 1600 MT/s Handle 0x000B, DMI type 19, 31 bytes Memory Array Mapped Address Starting Address: 0x00000000000 Ending Address: 0x003FFFFFFFF Range Size: 16 GB Physical Array Handle: 0x0008 Partition Width: 2 Handle 0x000C, DMI type 129, 8 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 81 08 0C 00 01 01 02 01 Strings: Intel_ASF Intel_ASF_001 Handle 0x000D, DMI type 130, 20 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 82 14 0D 00 24 41 4D 54 00 00 00 00 01 A5 FF 03 01 00 00 00 Handle 0x000E, DMI type 131, 64 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 83 40 0E 00 31 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 00 00 07 00 F8 00 C3 9C 00 00 00 00 21 00 00 00 00 00 0A 00 E8 03 26 00 00 00 00 00 C8 00 A3 15 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 22 00 00 00 76 50 72 6F 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0010, DMI type 1, 27 bytes System Information Manufacturer: LENOVO Product Name: 20BV0005US Version: ThinkPad T450 Serial Number: 5ER14LNUMB3R UUID: deadbeef-7ac0-b0a7-f01d-c0ffeeb1ade5 Wake-up Type: Power Switch SKU Number: LENOVO_MT_20BV_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad T450 Family: ThinkPad T450 Handle 0x0011, DMI type 2, 15 bytes Base Board Information Manufacturer: LENOVO Product Name: 20BV0005US Version: SDK0E50510 WIN Serial Number: 5ER14LNUMB3R Asset Tag: Not Available Features: Board is a hosting board Board is replaceable Location In Chassis: Not Available Chassis Handle: 0x0000 Type: Motherboard Contained Object Handles: 0 Handle 0x0012, DMI type 3, 22 bytes Chassis Information Manufacturer: LENOVO Type: Notebook Lock: Not Present Version: None Serial Number: 5ER14LNUMB3R Asset Tag: No Asset Information Boot-up State: Unknown Power Supply State: Unknown Thermal State: Unknown Security Status: Unknown OEM Information: 0x00000000 Height: Unspecified Number Of Power Cords: Unspecified Contained Elements: 0 SKU Number: Not Specified Handle 0x0013, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Available Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: USB 1 External Connector Type: Access Bus (USB) Port Type: USB Handle 0x0014, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Available Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: USB 2 External Connector Type: Access Bus (USB) Port Type: USB Handle 0x0015, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0016, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0017, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0018, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0019, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x001A, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x001B, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Available Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: Ethernet External Connector Type: RJ-45 Port Type: Network Port Handle 0x001C, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Available Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: External Monitor External Connector Type: DB-15 female Port Type: Video Port Handle 0x001D, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Available Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: Mini DisplayPort External Connector Type: Other Port Type: Video Port Handle 0x001E, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x001F, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0020, DMI type 8, 9 bytes Port Connector Information Internal Reference Designator: Not Available Internal Connector Type: None External Reference Designator: Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack1 External Connector Type: Mini Jack (headphones) Port Type: Audio Port Handle 0x0021, DMI type 126, 9 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0022, DMI type 9, 17 bytes System Slot Information Designation: Media Card Slot Type: Other Current Usage: Available Length: Other Characteristics: Hot-plug devices are supported Bus Address: 0000:00:00.0 Handle 0x0023, DMI type 126, 17 bytes Inactive Handle 0x0024, DMI type 9, 17 bytes System Slot Information Designation: SimCard Slot Type: Other Current Usage: Available Length: Other Characteristics: None Bus Address: 0000:00:00.0 Handle 0x0025, DMI type 12, 5 bytes System Configuration Options Handle 0x0026, DMI type 13, 22 bytes BIOS Language Information Language Description Format: Abbreviated Installable Languages: 10 en-US en-IN en-NG de-AT ru-RU zh-CN zh-HK zh-TW es-ES pt-BR Currently Installed Language: en-US Handle 0x0027, DMI type 22, 26 bytes Portable Battery Location: Front Manufacturer: M4NUF4KTUR3R Name: N4M3 Design Capacity: 23480 mWh Design Voltage: 11400 mV SBDS Version: 03.01 Maximum Error: Unknown SBDS Serial Number: 5ER14LNUMB3R SBDS Manufacture Date: 1970-01-01 SBDS Chemistry: LION OEM-specific Information: 0x00000000 Handle 0x0028, DMI type 22, 26 bytes Portable Battery Location: Rear Manufacturer: M4NUF4KTUR3R Name: N4M3 Design Capacity: 57720 mWh Design Voltage: 11100 mV SBDS Version: 03.01 Maximum Error: Unknown SBDS Serial Number: 5ER14LNUMB3R SBDS Manufacture Date: 1970-01-01 SBDS Chemistry: LION OEM-specific Information: 0x00000000 Handle 0x0029, DMI type 18, 23 bytes 32-bit Memory Error Information Type: OK Granularity: Unknown Operation: Unknown Vendor Syndrome: Unknown Memory Array Address: Unknown Device Address: Unknown Resolution: Unknown Handle 0x002A, DMI type 21, 7 bytes Built-in Pointing Device Type: Track Point Interface: PS/2 Buttons: 3 Handle 0x002B, DMI type 21, 7 bytes Built-in Pointing Device Type: Touch Pad Interface: PS/2 Buttons: 2 Handle 0x002C, DMI type 131, 22 bytes ThinkVantage Technologies Version: 1 Diagnostics: No Handle 0x002D, DMI type 136, 6 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 13 37 13 37 13 37 Handle 0x002E, DMI type 134, 16 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 13 37 13 37 13 37 13 37 13 37 13 37 13 37 13 37 13 37 Strings: TPM INFO System Reserved Handle 0x002F, DMI type 133, 5 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 13 37 13 37 00 Strings: ARBITRARYSTRING Handle 0x0030, DMI type 135, 83 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0031, DMI type 0, 24 bytes BIOS Information Vendor: LENOVO Version: VERSION_NUMBER (<REDACTED_VERSION_NUMBER>) Release Date: 01/01/1970 Address: 0xE0000 Runtime Size: 128 kB ROM Size: 16 MB Characteristics: PCI is supported PNP is supported BIOS is upgradeable BIOS shadowing is allowed Boot from CD is supported Selectable boot is supported ACPI is supported USB legacy is supported BIOS boot specification is supported Targeted content distribution is supported UEFI is supported BIOS Revision: VERSION Firmware Revision: VERSION Handle 0x0032, DMI type 15, 31 bytes System Event Log Area Length: 66 bytes Header Start Offset: 0x0000 Header Length: 16 bytes Data Start Offset: 0x0000 Access Method: General-purpose non-volatile data functions Access Address: 0x0000 Status: Valid, Not Full Change Token: 0x00000000 Header Format: Type 1 Supported Log Type Descriptors: 4 Descriptor 1: POST error Data Format 1: POST results bitmap Descriptor 2: PCI system error Data Format 2: None Descriptor 3: System reconfigured Data Format 3: None Descriptor 4: Log area reset/cleared Data Format 4: None Handle 0x0033, DMI type 140, 67 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0034, DMI type 140, 19 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0035, DMI type 135, 18 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0036, DMI type 140, 19 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0037, DMI type 140, 23 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x0038, DMI type 24, 5 bytes Hardware Security Power-On Password Status: REDACTED Keyboard Password Status: REDACTED Administrator Password Status: REDACTED Front Panel Reset Status: REDACTED Handle 0x0039, DMI type 132, 7 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x003A, DMI type 140, 15 bytes ThinkPad Embedded Controller Program Version ID: VERSION Release Date: 01/01/1970 Handle 0x003B, DMI type 140, 43 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Handle 0x003C, DMI type 221, 68 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 0 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Strings: Reference Code - PCH - Lynxpoint PCH-CRID Status Enabled PCH-CRID Original Value PCH-CRID New Value OPROM - RST - RAID LPTLp Bx Hsio Version LPTH Cx Hsio Version PCH9S A0 Hsio Version WPTLp B0 Hsio Version Handle 0x003D, DMI type 221, 26 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Strings: Reference Code - ME 10.0 MEBx version ME Firmware Version VERSION Handle 0x003E, DMI type 221, 26 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Strings: Reference Code - CPU uCode Version TXT ACM version Handle 0x003F, DMI type 221, 54 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Strings: Reference Code - SA - System Agent Reference Code - MRC SA - PCIe Version SA-CRID Status REDACTED SA-CRID Original Value SA-CRID New Value OPROM - VBIOS Handle 0x0040, DMI type 221, 12 bytes OEM-specific Type Header and Data: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 Strings: Reference Code - Intel Rapid Start Handle 0x0041, DMI type 14, 20 bytes Group Associations Name: Firmware Version Info Items: 5 0x0000 (OEM-specific) 0x0000 (OEM-specific) 0x0000 (OEM-specific) 0x0000 (OEM-specific) 0x0000 (OEM-specific) Handle 0xFEFF, DMI type 127, 4 bytes End Of Table ``` [/details] ## Why would someone ask for this? This information is useful when troubleshooting issues related to your BIOS, your ACPI tables, or anything requiring deeper knowledge of the circumstances of your hardware configuration, such as what system is managing what subsystem. ## What can I redact? Serial numbers are personally identifiable information, and are ***NEVER*** needed to assist in troubleshooting, so they should ***ALWAYS*** be redacted. It is extremely rare (and almost unheard of) that anyone would ever require the *full* output of this command to solve your issue, so you would usually only be asked for a small subset of this output (e.g. only the sections related to the USB controllers, the CPU, the BIOS, the SATA controllers, etc.). If your threat model deems it necessary, in some cases, it may also be acceptable to redact the hexadecimal dumps of certain sections, as this may inadvertently divulge the revision version or fingerprint of a particular system component present in your machine. Depending on which component it is, this could reveal to someone that your machine may be vulnerable to a particular type of exploit. This may include: - Any section starting with `Header and Data:` - Any line starting with `ID:` - Any section starting with `OEM-Specific Type` - Any line starting with `UUID:` - Anything else that you believe may reveal an attack vector to anyone ## What do I need to leave in the post? Generally it is important to know whether certain functions are enabled or disabled. ## Anything else I should know? As you can see from the sample output, ***this command lists almost everything about your hardware***. If you are going to post the output of this command: - Make sure you proofread it [u]**VERY THOROUGHLY**[/u] - Remove any serial numbers, and they are never helpful in troubleshooting issues. - Make sure you clarify if this information is absolutely necessary, because there are almost always other methods to diagnose your issue.

Revision #9

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
--- # The output of `lsscsi` ## What is this? This command will list information about all SCSI devices attached to your machine. This command was generally useful before the days of PCIe and USB, but it is less useful now. However, on some legacy machines, it can provide useful information, when, for example, RAID hard drives are misbehaving. ## What does the output look like? `lsscsi` [details="Output of Command"] ``` [0:0:0:0] disk ATA CT1000MX500SSD1 033 /dev/sda ``` [/details] `lsscsi -l` / `lsscsi --long` [details="Output of Command"] ``` [0:0:0:0] disk ATA CT1000MX500SSD1 033 /dev/sda state=running queue_depth=32 scsi_level=6 type=0 device_blocked=0 timeout=30 ``` [/details] ## Why would someone ask for this? It is useful when you are encountering red/write errors in hard drives connected via SATA and SAS, particularly if they are set up in a RAID array. For a Qubes OS-specific example, it could provide useful information if, for example, you had multiple vm-pools on separate drives, and you were encountering errors when reading or writing to files in certain qubes, but no issues in other qubes. ## What can I redact? If your question/issue is about a particular drive or RAID array, then it is usually ok to omit/redact any lines that aren't directly related to that drive or RAID array. ## What do I need to leave in the post? If your drive is part of a RAID array, it will generally be helpful for diagnosis if the lines pertaining to all drives in that RAID array are left untouched. ## Anything else I should know? This command will not show any usernames, passwords, IP addresses, file names, or anything else other than what hardware you have connected to your SCSI interfaces (SATA, SAS, etc.), and sometimes what drivers/firmware they are using. This command *will*, however, show the names of the devices in the `/dev` directory (i.e. how the Linux kernel has decided to enumerate those devices). As can be seen from the example output above, if the drive was enumerated as `/dev/sde`, that would imply that the Linux kernel has detected and enumerated 4 other block devices before this one (i.e. `/dev/sda`, `/dev/sdb`, `/dev/sdc`, and `/dev/sdd`). Whilst this information reveals nothing more about your machine than the fact that you likely have multiple hard drives connected to it, it won't go into any further detail than that. If you believe that is not something you wish to divulge, that's entirely your choice, but remember that it may severely hinder everyone's ability to assist you with your issue.

Revision #8

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
--- # The output of `lsusb` ## What is this? This command lists all USB devices that the machine can detect. ## What does the output look like? `lsusb` [details="Output of Command"] ``` Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub Bus 001 Device 002: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub Bus 001 Device 003: ID 05e3:0608 Genesys Logic, Inc. Hub Bus 001 Device 005: ID 048d:5702 Integrated Technology Express, Inc. RGB LED Controller Bus 001 Device 007: ID 8087:0033 Intel Corp. AX211 Bluetooth Bus 001 Device 060: ID 093a:2510 Pixart Imaging, Inc. Optical Mouse Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub Bus 002 Device 002: ID 0781:5581 SanDisk Corp. Ultra ``` [/details] `lsusb -t` [details="Output of Command"] ``` /: Bus 001.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/16p, 480M |__ Port 011: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M |__ Port 002: Dev 060, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 1.5M |__ Port 012: Dev 003, If 0, Class=Hub, Driver=hub/4p, 480M |__ Port 013: Dev 005, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M |__ Port 014: Dev 007, If 0, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M |__ Port 014: Dev 007, If 1, Class=Wireless, Driver=btusb, 12M /: Bus 002.Port 001: Dev 001, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci_hcd/9p, 20000M/x2 |__ Port 007: Dev 002, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 5000M ``` [/details] ## Why would someone ask for this? This is useful when trying to determine which USB controller a USB port belongs to. It is also helpful when trying to figure out why a USB device is not "playing nice" with `sys-usb`. ## What can I redact? Generally, when the question is about a particular USB device, it should be ok to redact anything that isn't specifically about the USB device in question, or isn't about the USB controller/port that it is connected to. ## What do I need to leave in the post? In most cases, it would be necessary to leave any lines about the USB device in question untouched. If you redact any information on these lines, you will likely have redacted key information needed to solve your issue. ## Anything else I should know? This command will not show any usernames, passwords, IP addresses, file names, or anything else other than what USB devices are plugged in, and what USB controller they are plugged into.

Revision #7

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
They are NOT relevant, they have NO place here, and they belong in a separate guide.They are NOT relevant, they have NO place here, and they belong in a separate guide. ---- # The output of `lspci` ## What is this? This is a command that can be run in a terminal that will list all PCI devices attached to your computer. ## What does the output look like? `lspci` [details="Output of Command"] ``` 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 12th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 02) 00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 12th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x16 Controller #1 (rev 02) 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation AlderLake-S GT1 (rev 0c) 00:06.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 12th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x4 Controller #0 (rev 02) 00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s) XHCI Host Controller (rev 11) 00:14.2 RAM memory: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S PCH Shared SRAM (rev 11) 00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S PCH CNVi WiFi (rev 11) 00:15.0 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake Serial IO I2C Host Controller #0 (rev 11) 00:15.1 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake Serial IO I2C Host Controller #1 (rev 11) 00:15.2 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake Serial IO I2C Host Controller #2 (rev 11) 00:15.3 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Device 7a4f (rev 11) 00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake CSME HECI #1 (rev 11) 00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake SATA AHCI Controller (rev 11) 00:19.0 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Device 7a7c (rev 11) 00:19.1 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Device 7a7d (rev 11) 00:1a.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #25 (rev 11) 00:1b.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #17 (rev 11) 00:1b.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #21 (rev 11) 00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev 11) 00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Point-S PCH - PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev 11) 00:1d.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #9 (rev 11) 00:1d.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Device 7a34 (rev 11) 00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake LPC/eSPI Controller (rev 11) 00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake High Definition Audio Controller (rev 11) 00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S PCH SMBus Controller (rev 11) 00:1f.5 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake SPI (flash) Controller (rev 11) 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF114 [GeForce GTX 560] (rev a1) 01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GF114 HDMI Audio Controller (rev a1) 02:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) 03:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) 05:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) 07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8125 2.5GbE Controller (rev 05) 09:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) ``` [/details] `lspci -k` [details="Output of Command"] ``` 00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 12th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 02) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5000 00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 12th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x16 Controller #1 (rev 02) Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5000 Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation AlderLake-S GT1 (rev 0c) DeviceName: Onboard - Video Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device d000 Kernel driver in use: i915 Kernel modules: i915 00:06.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 12th Gen Core Processor PCI Express x4 Controller #0 (rev 02) Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s) XHCI Host Controller (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5007 Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd Kernel modules: mei_me, xhci_pci 00:14.2 RAM memory: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S PCH Shared SRAM (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other 00:14.3 Network controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S PCH CNVi WiFi (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Ethernet Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device 0094 Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi Kernel modules: iwlwifi 00:15.0 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake Serial IO I2C Host Controller #0 (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci 00:15.1 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake Serial IO I2C Host Controller #1 (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci 00:15.2 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake Serial IO I2C Host Controller #2 (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci 00:15.3 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Device 7a4f (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci 00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake CSME HECI #1 (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 1c3a Kernel driver in use: mei_me Kernel modules: mei_me 00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake SATA AHCI Controller (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - SATA Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device b005 Kernel driver in use: ahci Kernel modules: ahci 00:19.0 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Device 7a7c (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci 00:19.1 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Device 7a7d (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Kernel driver in use: intel-lpss Kernel modules: intel_lpss_pci 00:1a.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #25 (rev 11) Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1b.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #17 (rev 11) Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1b.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #21 (rev 11) Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #1 (rev 11) Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1c.2 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Point-S PCH - PCI Express Root Port 3 (rev 11) Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5001 Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1d.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake PCI Express Root Port #9 (rev 11) Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1d.4 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Device 7a34 (rev 11) Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5001 Kernel driver in use: pcieport 00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake LPC/eSPI Controller (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5001 00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake High Definition Audio Controller (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Sound Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device a194 Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel, snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl 00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake-S PCH SMBus Controller (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 5001 Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus Kernel modules: i2c_i801 00:1f.5 Serial bus controller: Intel Corporation Raptor Lake SPI (flash) Controller (rev 11) DeviceName: Onboard - Other 01:00.0 VGA compatible controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF114 [GeForce GTX 560] (rev a1) Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 3527 Kernel driver in use: nouveau Kernel modules: nouveau 01:00.1 Audio device: NVIDIA Corporation GF114 HDMI Audio Controller (rev a1) Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device 3527 Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel 02:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) Kernel driver in use: nvme Kernel modules: nvme 03:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) Kernel driver in use: nvme Kernel modules: nvme 05:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) Kernel driver in use: nvme Kernel modules: nvme 07:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8125 2.5GbE Controller (rev 05) Subsystem: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd Device e000 Kernel driver in use: r8169 Kernel modules: r8169 09:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) (rev 01) Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5772DL NVMe SSD Controller (DRAM-less) Kernel driver in use: nvme Kernel modules: nvme ``` [/details] ## Why would someone ask for this? This information shows how your machine is hooked up, what devices you have inside performing what functions, and where each device is in the internal hierarchy of your machine. ## What can I redact? If your question is about a specific PCI device misbehaving, then in most cases, you should be able to redact all lines that are not about the PCI device in question. ## What do I need to leave in the post? In almost all cases someone asks for this, you will likely need to leave the lines pertaining to the PCI device in question untouched in order to get an answer to your question. If you redact any of this, you will likely be met with a request to see that information. ## Anything else I should know? This command will not show any usernames, passwords, IP addresses, file names, or anything else other than what hardware you have connected to your PCI interfaces, and sometimes what drivers/firmware they are using. ---

Revision #6

Edited on
2025-03-05
Edited by user
alzer89
# Foreword We acknowledge that many of you might feel uncomfortable copying and pasting blocks of text from your terminals, especially if you do not fully understand what that block of text means. And let's not even get started on screenshots... We all know what it's like when someone asks for some information that you believe they shouldn't be asking for. However, it is possible that some people might either divulge *too much information*, or *refuse to divulge completely innocent information altogether*. Both of these circumstances aren't exactly ideal. This guide is intended to address how to respond when someone asks you for information about your circumstances. This guide will go through some of the most common things that will be asked of you if you are encountering technical difficulties, and need assistance. It will explain: - What each of those things are - What they look like - What bits of information are needed in order to successfully answer your question - What bits of information could potentially leak information about you - What bits are not going to leak information about you - How to redact information successfully, while still being able to get a satisfactory answer to your questions If anyone else has examples they have encountered, please add them to the list, so that we can better help those that need help.
This guide is NOT, I repeat... # NOT (EMPHASIS ON "NOT!") ...about: This guide is NOT about:
They are NOT relevant, they have NO place here, and they belong in a separate guide. --- # Foreword We acknowledge that many of you might feel uncomfortable copying and pasting blocks of text from your terminals, especially if you do not fully understand what that block of text means. And let's not even get started on screenshots... We all know what it's like when someone asks for some information that you believe they shouldn't be asking for. However, it is possible that some people might either divulge *too much information*, or *refuse to divulge completely innocent information altogether*. Both of these circumstances aren't exactly ideal. This guide is intended to address how to respond when someone asks you for information about your circumstances. This guide will go through some of the most common things that will be asked of you if you are encountering technical difficulties, and need assistance. It will explain: - What each of those things are - What they look like - What bits of information are needed in order to successfully answer your question - What bits of information could potentially leak information about you - What bits are not going to leak information about you - How to redact information successfully, while still being able to get a satisfactory answer to your questions If anyone else has examples they have encountered, please add them to the list, so that we can better help those that need help.They are NOT relevant, they have NO place here, and they belong in a separate guide.

Revision #5

Edited on
2025-03-04
Edited by user
alzer89

Revision #4

Edited on
2025-03-04
Edited by user
alzer89
# What is this guide NOT about? This is about helping users, particularly non-technical users, understand what it means when people ask them to provide information about their machine for diagnosis, and how to make a conscious decision to share, or not to share.
...about how to be Hackerman or Mr. Robot, how to hide from the government, how to use a VPN/Tor/I2P, how to hide from law enforcement, anything related to the GDPR, data protection, conspiracy theories, fear-mongering, "tinfoil hat" topics, OpSec, or anything else of that nature. # Please DO NOT post anything about these topics here. ### They are NOT relevant, and they have NO place here. #### Put them in a separate guide. This is about helping users, particularly non-technical users, understand what it means when people ask them to provide information about their machine for diagnosis, and how to make a conscious decision to share, or not to share. - --- ...about: - How to be Hackerman or Mr. Robot - How to hide from the government - How to use a VPN/Tor/I2P - How to hide illegal activities from law enforcement - Anything related to the GDPR or similar data protection legislation - Conspiracy theories - Fear-mongering - "Tinfoil hat" topics - OpSec - (i.e. adjusting your personal behaviour based to avoid divulging of secret information) - Anything else of a similar nature. ### Please DO NOT post anything about these topics here. They are NOT relevant, they have NO place here, and they belong in a separate guide. --- # Foreword

Revision #3

Edited on
2025-03-04
Edited by user
alzer89
This guide is NOT, I repeat... # NOT (EMPHASIS ON "NOT!") ...about how to be Hackerman or Mr. Robot, how to hide from the government, how to use a VPN/Tor/I2P, how to hide from law enforcement, anything related to the GDPR, data protection, conspiracy theories, fear-mongering, "tinfoil hat" topics, OpSec, or anything else of that nature. # Please DO NOT post anything about these topics here. ### They are NOT relevant, and they have NO place here. #### Put them in a separate guide. This is about helping users, particularly non-technical users, understand what it means when people ask them to provide information about their machine for diagnosis, and how to make a conscious decision to share, or not to share. - ---

Revision #2

Edited on
2025-03-04
Edited by user
alzer89