I use an ad-free, open-source Android app called SimpleSSHD that implements a Dropbear SSH server. Being able to SSH into your phone and wirelessly perform an incremental rsync backup of all your photos and data is life-changing compared to the hell that is cables and the MTP protocol. Thank you to all these projects for delivering me from the clutches of MTP, I am indebted.
With Android now restricting background services, will this continue to work in the future?
Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
61–70 of 110 posts
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#62A word of caution: Many (most) IRC spambot detectors check if your connecting IP is also running a Dropbear SSHd service. This can cause you to be k-lined in some instances, and it's not immediately obvious to basically everyone why the anti-spambot bots are flagging your connection. Of course, this isn't Dropbear SSHd's fault. Just something you might want to keep in mind if you use both of these things.
It is because dropbear is very common in embedded systems. They are commonly riddled with vulnerabilities, so they are getting hacked almost as soon as they are publicly reachable. This is not because of dropbear, but because they are typically configured with weak credentials that are newer changed. I guess IRC servers see a lot of spam from such devices, so they just drop all systems which has dropbear.
https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerability-list/vendor_id-1580...
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#63Earlier quoted context omitted.
Currently, all my remote servers of any import use LUKS to encrypt the PVs. My /boot is a tiny unencrypted filesystem containing just the kernel, and an initrd, which prompts for my decryption key before booting. (afaict, the standard setup) For remote servers, I reboot them and then have to use a serial console to type in the LUKS password. Are you saying that with this, I could put an ssh server in the initrd (and…
Yes you can and start whatever program you want, take i look at better-initramfs ( https://github.com/slashbeast/better-initramfs ), although it is more for gentoo/funtoo. Basicaly when linux boot from initrd it starts "/init" executable and chroots to your system (ok, it is using pivot_root and it is slightly more complex), but idea it is same as manually mounting filesystems and doing chroot then starting executabl…
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#64Earlier quoted context omitted.
Since the phone's IP address can be expected to change, you can't really use that to choose the right key to present, or to verify the host fingerprint right?. How do you work around this?
You can set a static IP in your wireless settings.
In the end I solved this by accessing this only while I'm tethered, that fixes the phone's IP address.
Too bad there doesn't seem to be an option to select keys according to host key instead of hostname or alias.
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#65I use an ad-free, open-source Android app called SimpleSSHD that implements a Dropbear SSH server. Being able to SSH into your phone and wirelessly perform an incremental rsync backup of all your photos and data is life-changing compared to the hell that is cables and the MTP protocol. Thank you to all these projects for delivering me from the clutches of MTP, I am indebted.
It's somewhat flaky, but you can also mount your phone as a local FS over USB debugging, requires a wired connection though: https://github.com/spion/adbfs-rootless
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
Is there an equivalent for iOS?
Lol
The LOL is telling your Mom about DropbearSSH when this is now how iCloud Photos and Files just works. The equivalent goal is baked in.
You can still use cables or local WiFi via iTunes, but now all media and files sync over-the-air as files, along with an incremental backup of all state.
For the first time in last fall’s iPhone hardware upgrade, I didn’t use a wired backup/restore and every app’s and settings worked, along with device config. I’ve had an iPad Pro unexpectedly need replacing, no wired backup/restore needed. All my stuff syncs across all devices including desktop, all ambiently available.
The life changing part is confidence it’s working to the point of not having to think about it any more.
// Note: Photos and media end up as originals on Mac, along with all files. Those all backup in turn to Backblaze, for loss scenarios not covered by rsync style replication.
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#67I use an ad-free, open-source Android app called SimpleSSHD that implements a Dropbear SSH server. Being able to SSH into your phone and wirelessly perform an incremental rsync backup of all your photos and data is life-changing compared to the hell that is cables and the MTP protocol. Thank you to all these projects for delivering me from the clutches of MTP, I am indebted.
And did you have to root your phone to achieve any of this?
Also, is there a tool to use duckdns or similar to assign a hostname to your phone?
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#68A word of caution: Many (most) IRC spambot detectors check if your connecting IP is also running a Dropbear SSHd service. This can cause you to be k-lined in some instances, and it's not immediately obvious to basically everyone why the anti-spambot bots are flagging your connection. Of course, this isn't Dropbear SSHd's fault. Just something you might want to keep in mind if you use both of these things.
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#69I use an ad-free, open-source Android app called SimpleSSHD that implements a Dropbear SSH server. Being able to SSH into your phone and wirelessly perform an incremental rsync backup of all your photos and data is life-changing compared to the hell that is cables and the MTP protocol. Thank you to all these projects for delivering me from the clutches of MTP, I am indebted.
Re: Dropbear SSH, a lightweight alternative to OpenSSH
#70Dropbear works well for preboot LUKS unlocking with remote servers.
Currently, all my remote servers of any import use LUKS to encrypt the PVs. My /boot is a tiny unencrypted filesystem containing just the kernel, and an initrd, which prompts for my decryption key before booting. (afaict, the standard setup) For remote servers, I reboot them and then have to use a serial console to type in the LUKS password. Are you saying that with this, I could put an ssh server in the initrd (and…
Another approach is to use something like OpenWRT as a bootloader then pivot_root into the real distribution after unlocking it - not sure there are any good instructions online for that though. I'm using it on a Raspberry Pi colocated 14000km away for https://dropbear.nl, it works pretty well. Kexec is great for remote kernel upgrades too.