-
A lot of software uses
systemd-journaldto log errors, -
The bash shell saves everything you type into the terminal,
-
wtmp, btmp, utmp all track exactly who is logged in and when,
-
The package manager logs all software you install and keeps the logs after uninstallation,
-
And the kernel writes part of the RAM which may contain sensitive information to the disk when your PC crashes.
While the OS isn’t sending these logs to Microsoft or Google, anyone who gets into your PC while you are logged in and your data is unencrypted can see much of what you have been doing.
If you want to be private, you must disable them.
I got reports on this. I’m personally not of a mind to remove it, but it does feel irrelevant to open source. It’s more a Linux sysadmin type thing.
I will say, cut down the spam. Any repeated similar musings within a week would be low value and I’d probably remove.
I personally don’t agree with your points and this wouldn’t be relevant to most peoples risk profile.
Worth reflecting on what others have said here. I think you’re worrying too much about something that will never be expolitable in standard usage and this is from someone who worries a lot about privacy.
Maybe if this is really important to you check out Tails OS which as far as I’m aware focusses on running in RAM and leaving minimal persistent state.
I don’t think you know what private is.
Let me put it this way, maybe you’ll get it: being naked in your home with the blinds down and no one else knowing about it, is privacy. Even is everyone else doing it. Being in your home fully dressed with blinds down and no one else knowing about it is still privacy but you can’t claim you have more privacy than the rest because you have clothes on.
Terrible advice. Don’t disable those.
If physical security is a worry, enable full disk encryption and have a good password.
If someone gets into your PC, you have much bigger problems than them reading the system logs.