SysAdmin
b20e568b19
Run #4251 advanced past checkout and into derivative-maker, then died immediately: ERROR: This must NOT be run as root (sudo)! ERROR: Exiting ./derivative-maker with non-zero exit code 1. Errors Detected: 0. Execution Time: 00:00:00. Kicksecure's derivative-maker explicitly refuses to run as root — it expects a regular user with passwordless sudo and uses sudo internally for the privileged operations (debootstrap, mksquashfs, chroot mounts). Our minimal debian-slim builder image had a `builder` user (uid 1000) but no sudo, no sudoers entry, and the container ran as root. Aligns with the upstream Kicksecure container pattern at linux/build/derivative-maker/docker/derivative-maker-docker-setup (uses USER=user with `${USER} ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL`). Changes: - Dockerfile.builder: install `sudo` (and `fakeroot` while we're here — upstream sanity-tests pulls this in via apt at build time, but having it baked avoids a snapshot.debian.org round-trip every run); add passwordless sudoers entry for builder; correct the misleading comment that claimed root was needed. - New scripts/build-inner.sh: the inner derivative-maker invocation pulled out of build.sh's heredoc. Once we needed to drop privileges via runuser, the nested-heredoc / nested-quoting situation became unmaintainable; a regular script with normal quoting is far cleaner. - build.sh: inner heredoc now just chowns the workspace to builder and runuser's into build-inner.sh. ${REPO_ROOT} and ${BUILD_DIR} continue to be forwarded into the container via -e. - build.sh: BUILDER_IMAGE digest re-pinned to sha256:f8f0db37…1bedc (rebuilt and pushed natively on 10.0.0.51 — never on the WSL/aarch64 dev box, see reference_silvermetal_runner.md memory). Verified: bash -n on both scripts; image builds and pushes cleanly. Pushing this commit triggers a fresh CI run that will exercise it. Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
SilverMetal
Privacy-hardened devices for users who want their privacy back — on whatever platform they have.
SilverMetal is SilverLABS' cross-platform privacy-hardening program. We don't believe in "one true OS" — we meet users on the platform they actually use, and give them the strongest hardening that platform physically allows. Honestly labelled, no marketing fluff.
Two product lines
The SilverMetal program ships two distinct product lines, named to make their scope obvious to buyers:
🔒 SilverMetal OS
We ship the operating system or ROM. Full kernel-level control, our verified-boot key, our update channel. Strongest possible hardening.
- SilverMetal OS — Linux (Debian/Kicksecure-based ISO) — Tier A
- SilverMetal OS — Pixel (GrapheneOS-fork ROM) — Tier B
- SilverMetal OS — Samsung (LineageOS-fork ROM, unlocked-bootloader models) — Tier C
- SilverMetal OS — Motorola (DivestOS/LineageOS-fork ROM) — Tier C
🛡️ SilverMetal Enhanced
We harden the OS your device already runs. Configuration profiles, hardening installers, the SilverLABS Application Stack. For users who can't or won't replace their OS.
- SilverMetal Enhanced — Windows (LTSC IoT installer + hardening + Stack) — Tier C
- SilverMetal Enhanced — macOS (signed config profile + setup script + Stack) — Tier C-D
- SilverMetal Enhanced — iOS (MDM profile + Stack) — Tier D
- SilverMetal Enhanced — Android (generic profile + Stack on existing Android) — Tier D
Tiers explained in docs/platform-matrix.md.
What every SilverMetal device gets
Both lines ship the SilverLABS Application Stack — a suite of cross-platform privacy apps that replace the cloud services your device normally talks to (Google, Apple, Microsoft):
| Component | Status | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| SilverBrowser | v1 (Linux MVP) | De-Googled, telemetry-free, fingerprint-resistant browser |
| SilverVPN | Existing — see SilverLABS/SilverVPN |
Always-on, no-logs VPN with our own infrastructure |
| SilverSync | v1 (Linux MVP) | Private replacement for iCloud / Google Drive / OneDrive |
| SilverChat | Existing — SilverVPN.Client.Chat, Signal Protocol over VPN transport. Promoted from v1.1 to v1 |
E2EE messenger |
| SilverDuress | v1.1 | Duress password / panic-wipe / anti-coercion |
| SilverKeys | v1.1 | Zero-knowledge password + 2FA manager |
Two ways to get SilverMetal
Every flavour — OS or Enhanced — supports both buyer modes:
"I'm choosing a new device"
Buy a preflashed SilverMetal SKU. We've done all the work; it arrives ready.
"I already own a device and want to harden it"
Download the free SilverLABS Stack + the SilverMetal OS or Enhanced package for your platform. Apply it yourself. Same software, same hardening, no hardware lock-in.
Status
| Component | Status |
|---|---|
| Documentation + roadmap | Initial scaffold complete |
| SilverMetal OS — Linux v1 | Phase 1 — moving to milestone 1.1 (build pipeline) |
| SilverLABS Stack v1 (Browser + Sync) | Planning |
| SilverVPN | Existing product, integration into v1 ISO planned |
| SilverChat | Existing product (SilverVPN.Client.Chat); promoted to v1, integration into v1 ISO planned |
| Other OS/Enhanced flavours | Planning, post-Linux v1 |
See docs/roadmap.md for the milestone-driven plan.
Related repositories
| Repo | Relationship |
|---|---|
SilverLABS/SilverVPN |
The VPN component of the SilverLABS Stack — already in production. SilverMetal integrates it; does not re-implement it |
SilverLABS/SilverApple |
Deprecated. Earlier iOS-hardening prototype, superseded by SilverMetal Enhanced — iOS |
SilverLABS/SilverDROID |
Unrelated (SilverSHELL AppStore Android client). Name is similar but scope is different |
Documentation
docs/threat-model.md— who we defend against, who we don'tdocs/design-principles.md— privacy-by-default, verifiability, honestydocs/platform-matrix.md— full per-platform pros/consdocs/roadmap.md— milestones, ship order, scopedocs/trust-model.md— signing keys, reproducible builds, governance
License
Components carry their own licenses (most are GPL/MIT/Apache-derived from upstream forks). Original SilverLABS-authored glue code is AGPL-3.0-or-later. See LICENSE.
SilverLABS
SilverMetal is built by SilverLABS — privacy-first infrastructure and applications.