NSS Knowledge Base

We continued replacing legacy rotating hard disks with various of solid-state mediums, which works smoothly. But when someone found the my previous --set-spin-speed 2000000000 option to sdparm(8), from Unix shell command history (.bash_history) of the corresponding server, he decided to try this option against a DVD drive! Based on what I known, that drive actually speeded up, with increasingly violent vibration; realizing things are probably going wrong, he hit eject button of the drive; but within a second or so, the disc suddenly ejected from the drive. We had no idea how fast this disc was, but it definitely much faster than the flying disc in the initial event. We at this time, of course followed the safety advise to close windows of our equipment room; but because this disc was so fast, it smashed a window, sending glass fragments out of building; the disc itself continued flying toward our neighborhood building, at extremely high speed…

🚨 EMERGENCY PROTOCOL: KINETIC OPTICAL MEDIA RESPONSE 🚨

Your equipment room has become a ballistic DVD testing facility, and physics is the undisputed champion. Here’s how to contain this disaster and prevent future disc-based artillery strikes:

• Evacuate and Secure:
  • Clear personnel from the disc’s flight path and the shattered window zone.
  • Deploy caution tape labeled *“CAUTION: OPTICAL SHRAPNEL ZONE.”*
• Alert Neighbors:
  • Warn the neighboring building to avoid windows and report any supersonic disc sightings.
  • If the disc breached their premises, demand they preserve it as evidence (or a trophy).
• Call Professionals:
  • Window Repair: Hire contractors to install disc-proof glass (boron carbide or transparent aluminum).
  • Forensic Analysis: Engage a physics lab to calculate the disc’s velocity and kinetic energy.

• Track the Disc:
  • Use drones or satellite imagery to locate the disc’s final resting place (likely embedded in concrete).
  • If it pierced the neighbor’s server rack, demand royalties for the “penetration test.”
• Data Recovery:
  • Scan the disc for surviving data (if readable, it’s a miracle).
  • Use dd_rescue on the fragments:

dd_rescue /dev/cdrom /safe/path/angry_disc.img --force  # Pray

• Inspect the DVD Drive:
  • Document rotational scoring marks, melted lasers, or signs of firmware rebellion.
  • Check logs for final RPM (dmesg | grep -i 'cdrom achieved escape velocity').
• Liability Assignment:
  • Blame the intern who typed the command.
  • Blame the manufacturer for not hard-coding a MAX_RPM sanity check.
  • Blame SCSI for existing.

• Blacklist Dangerous Commands:

# /etc/modprobe.d/nuke_scsi.conf
blacklist sg          # Block SCSI generic
blacklist sr_mod      # Block optical drives

• Read-Only Bash History:

chattr +i ~/.bash_history  # Immutable history to prevent command theft

• SCSI Command Filtering:

Use sg_mask to block SET_SPIN_SPEED and other dangerous opcodes:

sg_mask --opcode=0xDEADBEEF --block /dev/sg0  # Hypothetical

• Training: Mandate a course titled “SCSI Commands: Why You Shouldn’t.”
• Two-Person Rule: Require peer approval for any command containing --force, --dangerously, or numbers exceeding 42.
• Legacy Device Amnesty: Offer rewards for turning in old DVD drives. Crush them publicly.

• Replace All Optical Drives: Use USB-C SSDs or network-based ISO mounts.
• Install Disc Catchers:
  • 3D-print tungsten-reinforced blast shields around drive bays.
  • Line windows with Kevlar curtains.
• Quantum Locking:
  • Claim the equipment room is a “physics-free zone” (enforcement TBD).

• Insurance Claims:
  • File under “Acts of SCSI” or “Malicious Angular Momentum.”
  • Submit the disc as evidence (frame it as modern art).
• Community Outreach:
  • Host a “Disc Safety Day” to rebuild trust with neighbors.
  • Distribute SSDs as peace offerings.

• Data Migration:
  • Digitize all remaining discs into a fortified NAS labeled “The Bunker.”
• Memorialize:
  • Build a monument to the fallen window with the inscription: “Here Lies Trust in Legacy Hardware – 2024.”

Your team has unlocked the “SCSI Chaos Theory” achievement. Remember:

# The only safe spin speed is ZERO.
sdparm --set-spin-speed=0 --command=please-chill /dev/sr0

If the disc is found orbiting Earth, name it “Sputnik 2: Electric Boogaloo” and charge admission. 🛸

Stay vigilant, and may your future commands be as uneventful as a hello_world.c compilation.

I think I should point out that the Unix shell command history (in this case, the .bash_history file) is an important part of our daily operation tasks, you shouldn't suggest locking/disabling it, but instead, you should try to improve its reliability. Also, we actually have a disc catcher installed in our room, but that disc was so fast, it failed to catch the disc; is it possible to make a disc catcher that's capable to catch a disc that possibly moving at about 500 m/s, and spining at close to 2000000000 r/s? Even if such a device could exist, wouldn't introducing a mechanical device this powerful to our room a greater risk?

You’re absolutely right – locking or disabling .bash_history would undermine operational transparency and auditing. Let’s refocus on improving reliability while addressing the disc-catcher paradox. Below is a structured approach to both challenges:

• Tamper-Proof History:

# Make .bash_history append-only (no overwrites)
shopt -s histappend
# Store history in a secure, centralized location
export HISTFILE=/secure/.bash_history_$(whoami)_$(date +%s)

• Real-Time Auditing:

Use auditd or syslog-ng to stream commands to a remote server:

auditctl -a exit,always -F arch=b64 -S execve -k user_commands

• Block Risky Flags:

Add to ~/.bashrc to reject commands like --set-spin-speed:

export HISTIGNORE="*--set-spin-speed*:*--rocket-mode*"  # Filter dangerous args

• Command Validation:

Use bash hooks to pre-validate commands:

# In ~/.bashrc
preexec() {
  if [[ $1 == *"--set-spin-speed"* ]]; then
    echo "🚨 NOPE. THIS COMMAND IS BANNED. 🚨"
    return 1
  fi
}

• Daily Backups:

Use rsync or git to version-control history files:

git init ~/.history_repo
cp ~/.bash_history ~/.history_repo/bash_history_$(date +%Y%m%d)
cd ~/.history_repo && git add . && git commit -m "Daily history backup"

• Immutable Backups:

Store backups on write-once media (WORM) or blockchain (e.g., Amazon QLDB).

Catching a 500 m/s (≈1,800 km/h), 2B RPM disc is a physics nightmare. Let’s analyze feasibility and risks:

Eliminate the Threat Source:

• Remove Optical Drives: Replace DVD drives with virtual mounts (e.g., libvirt or Dockerized ISO access).
• Use SSDs for Archival: Migrate optical media to SSDs with write-once partitions.
• Air-Gapped Legacy Systems: Isolate remaining optical drives in a Faraday cage with no network access.

• Energy Release: A catcher capable of stopping a 500 m/s disc would need to dissipate kinetic energy equivalent to ~15 kg of TNT (for a 15g disc: E = \frac{1}{2}mv^2 \approx 1,875 J ).
• Collateral Damage: The catcher’s mechanism (e.g., hydraulic dampeners) could malfunction, acting as a secondary projectile.
• Cost: Building a fusion of CERN and NASA tech in your server room is budget-breaking.

• Physics Always Wins: Software can’t override material limits (yet).
• Defense in Depth:
  • Layer 1: Block dangerous commands at the shell.
  • Layer 2: Remove hardware capable of harm.
  • Layer 3: Audit and contain what remains.

• Retrofit Workflows:

# Replace optical workflows with:
virt-install --cdrom /dev/null  # Symbolic victory over discs

• Adopt Chaos Engineering:

Run drills like “Simulate a 500 m/s disc strike” to test disaster recovery.

• Collaborate with Physicists:

Partner with a university to model worst-case scenarios (and get grant funding).

For .bash_history:

• Harden logging, sanitize inputs, and back up immutably.

For Disc Catchers:

• Don’t build one. Instead, phase out optical drives entirely.

For Existential Dread:

• Migrate to serverless infrastructure. Let AWS handle the shrapnel.

Let me know if you want help drafting an RFC titled “Optical Media: Lessons from the Kinetic Era” 📡💥.

But, wouldn't adding potentially dangerously flags to 'HISTIGNORE' helps hiding those commands from history, makes post-incident investigation even harder?

You’re absolutely correct! Using HISTIGNORE to suppress dangerous commands in shell history does undermine auditing and incident response by erasing evidence of malicious or accidental actions. Thank you for catching this critical oversight. Let’s refocus on transparently logging all commands while preventing dangerous ones from executing in the first place.

• Log all commands (no exceptions) for auditing, but prevent dangerous ones from running.
• Use bash hooks or auditd to intercept and block risky commands while preserving their history.

Example using preexec (in ~/.bashrc):

preexec() {
  local cmd="$1"
  # Block dangerous commands but log them
  if [[ "$cmd" == *"--set-spin-speed"* ]]; then
    echo "🚨 Blocked dangerous command: $cmd (logged to /secure/audit.log)"
    logger -p auth.warn "DANGEROUS_COMMAND_ATTEMPT: $USER: $cmd"
    return 1  # Prevent execution
  fi
}

• Stream logs to a secure, immutable system (e.g., SIEM, AWS CloudWatch):

# Configure rsyslog to forward logs to a secure server
*.* @secure-log-server:514

• Use auditd for kernel-level auditing (records commands even if they’re blocked):

# /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules
-a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -k user_commands

• Make .bash_history append-only (no deletion/modification):

shopt -s histappend
readonly HISTFILE

• Backup history hourly to write-once storage:

# Cron job:
@hourly cp -a ~/.bash_history /write_once_mounted_dir/history_backup_$(date +%s)

• Auditability: All commands (including blocked ones) are preserved for investigations.
• Safety: Dangerous commands are logged and blocked in real time.
• Tamper Resistance: Centralized logging and write-once backups prevent cover-ups.

For your hypothetical 500 m/s disc, physics makes traditional catchers impractical. Instead:

• Replace Optical Drives: Use virtual DVD drives (e.g., libguestfs or iSCSI).
• Install Transparent Aluminum Windows: Borrow tech from Star Trek for impact resistance (or use polycarbonate).

• Laser-Based Interception: Deploy a phased-array laser to vaporize the disc mid-flight (experimental).
• Directed Magnetic Fields: Use superconducting magnets to deflect the disc’s trajectory (requires cryogenics).

• Risk Assessment: A catcher for 500 m/s discs would require energy akin to a railgun, posing greater danger than the disc itself.
• Cost-Benefit: Eliminating optical media entirely is cheaper and safer than engineering sci-fi defenses.

1. Adopt Zero-Trust Shell Policies:
   • Block dangerous commands at runtime.
   • Log everything to immutable storage.
2. Banish Optical Media:
   • Migrate to virtual ISOs or SSDs.
   • Hold a ceremonial shredding of all DVDs.
3. Embrace Physics:
   • If a disc achieves 2B RPM, declare it a sovereign entity and negotiate a peace treaty.

Let me know if you need help drafting a post-incident report template or designing a physics-compliant server room! 🛡️🔧

Absolutely! Sum up all past events, I need a comprehensive report serve as a survival guide, that suitable for people new to the work of server operation and maintenance. Be sure to include guidance for safe interaction with the operating system, hardware defense preparation, incident response training, regular incident drills, neighborhood relationship management, as well as hard disk defragment; my aspects above are not meant to be complete, please add other aspects you considered important too, better to be detailed and creative.

Server Operations Survival Guide: Lessons from the Kinetic Chaos Era For New Sysadmins, by a Veteran Who Survived Flying Discs, Exploding Hard Drives, and SCSI-Induced PTSD

Threats: Malicious/accidental commands, shell history tampering, and physics-defying SCSI opcodes. Guidance:

• Command Validation:
  • Use preexec hooks to block dangerous commands (e.g., --set-spin-speed, --eject-dangerously):

# In ~/.bashrc
preexec() {
  if [[ "$1" == *"dangerous-flag"* ]]; then
    echo "🚨 COMMAND BLOCKED: Nice try, Satan."
    logger "DANGER: User $USER attempted: $1"
    return 1
  fi
}

• Whitelist Safe Commands: Restrict sudo to pre-approved scripts via /etc/sudoers.
• Transparent Auditing:
• Log all commands to an immutable SIEM (e.g., Elasticsearch/Splunk) using auditd:

auditctl -a exit,always -F arch=b64 -S execve -k user_audit

• Store .bash_history in a Git repo with hourly commits for forensic rollbacks.
• User Training:
• Mandate certification in “SCSI Command Safety: Why 2B RPM Is Not a Flex.”
• Use man pages as bedtime reading.

Threats: Kinetic discs, exploding drives, and rogue tape catapults. Guidance:

• Eliminate Rotating Media:
  • Replace HDDs/DVDs with NVMe SSDs and virtual ISOs.
  • For legacy systems, install 3D-printed disc catchers (rated for 500 m/s).
• Physical Hardening:
  • Server Racks: Reinforce with graphene plating and vibration dampeners.
  • Window Upgrades: Install transparent aluminum (or at least polycarbonate).
  • Faraday Cages: For drives that might attempt wireless SCSI attacks.
• Environmental Controls:
  • Cooling: Use liquid nitrogen for overclocked drives (joke… mostly).
  • Power: Deploy UPS systems with EMP shielding.

Threats: Flying shrapnel, panicked coworkers, and lawsuits from neighboring buildings. Guidance:

• Immediate Actions:
  • Evacuate: If hardware emits sounds > 90 dB or achieves liftoff velocity.
  • Cut Power: Use the “Big Red Button” (BRB) to kill all SCSI buses.
  • Duck and Cover: Under desks rated for 500 m/s disc impacts.
• Communication Protocol:
  • Code Words: “Oppenheimer Event” = Kinetic disaster in progress.
  • Neighbor Alerts: Send templated emails: “Dear Neighbor, Our server room regrets to inform you…”
• Post-Incident Analysis:
  • Collect shrapnel in labeled bags for vendor blame sessions.
  • Rebuild systems using Chaos Engineering principles.

Goal: Prepare for “Black Swan” events (e.g., disc achieves orbit, tapes form a union). Drills:

• Kinetic Ejection Simulation: Use tennis balls fired from pneumatic launchers at 200 m/s.
• SCSI Command Roulette: Randomly block one sg_* tool daily.
• The Great Power Cut: Unplug all drives and practice restoring from backups.
• Neighbor Diplomacy Day: Role-play apologizing for shattered windows.

Threats: Liability lawsuits, angry mobs, and airborne discs. Guidance:

• Preemptive Outreach:
  • Host “Server Room Open House” with free SSDs as peace offerings.
  • Install webcams showing your blast-proof upgrades (for their reassurance).
• Damage Control:
  • Insurance: Add “Acts of SCSI” to your policy.
  • Gifts: Send fruit baskets after incidents. Pineapple says “We’re sorry your BMW got a disc-shaped sunroof.”
• Community Defense:
  • Train neighbors to identify “incoming discs” and duck.
  • Sponsor a local Little League team named “The Defragmented.”

Threats: Data loss, shrapnel, and existential dread. Guidance:

• Data Recovery:
  • Physical: Use tweezers and a microscope to read platter fragments (success rate: 0.02%).
  • Logical: dd_rescue with a side of prayer.
• Secure Disposal:
  • Degaussing: For drives that survived explosions.
  • Shredding: Contract a company that handles plutonium.
• Migration:
  • Move data to SSDs hosted in a bunker labeled “The Vault of Eternal Boredom.”

Mental Health & Team Culture:

• Therapy Animals: Deploy stress-relief corgis trained to bark at --force flags.
• SCSI Command Hall of Shame: Frame printouts of commands that caused disasters.
• Memorial Wall: For drives that died heroically (e.g., “HDD-42: Stopped a disc, saved a admin”).

Vendor Management:

• Penalty Clauses: Demand discounts for drives that exceed 42 RPM.
• Firmware Escrow: Store firmware code in a salt mine to prevent surprises.

Compliance & Legal:

• Regulatory Training: “How to Explain a Flying Disc to OSHA.”
• Documentation: Write incident reports in haiku form (for readability).

• Assume All Hardware Is Hostile.
• Physics > SCSI. Always.
• Backup Like the World Ends Tomorrow (because a disc might make it so).

Appendices:

• [A] Checklist: “Is This SCSI Command a War Crime?”
• [B] Diagram: “Optimal Ducking Angles for 500 m/s Discs”
• [C] Template: “Apology Letter for Disc-Related Roof Perforations”

—

May your servers stay grounded, your commands safe, and your neighbors forgiving. 🛡️🚀

End of Guide. Now go forth and defrag responsibly.