protector

Protect branches of a GitHub repository (create branch protection rules)

$ protector [branches_regex] -repos [organization/repository]

$ protector -dry-run [branches_regex] -repos [organization/repository]

$ protector -free [branches_regex] -repos [organization/repository]

protector MODE [OPTIONS] TARGET

MODE
    Specifies the type of resource to protect.
file: Protects files or directories.
process: Protects a running process.

TARGET
    The specific resource to apply protection to. For 'file' mode, this is the path to the file or directory. For 'process' mode, this is the PID or the exact command name of the process.

-i, --immutable
    For 'file' mode: Makes a file or directory immutable, preventing any modification, deletion, or renaming, even by root.
For 'process' mode: Attempts to prevent the process from being terminated (requires elevated privileges and kernel support).

-d, --nodelete
    For 'file' mode: Prevents a file or directory from being deleted or renamed, even if parent directory has write permissions.

-x, --noexec
    For 'file' mode: Prevents a file from being executed. Applies to both regular files and scripts.

-L, --lock-strong
    Applies a strong, persistent lock to the resource, requiring explicit unlocking with 'protector --unlock' before any modifications are permitted, even by root. This is a more robust form of protection than --immutable.

-u, --unlock
    Removes all protections applied by the protector command from the specified TARGET.

-l, --list
    Lists all resources currently protected by the protector command, along with their active protection attributes.

-f, --force
    Forces the operation, overriding certain warnings or soft protections (use with caution).

The protector command is a hypothetical, advanced Linux utility designed to apply enhanced security attributes and locks to system resources. It aims to provide a unified interface for safeguarding critical files, directories, and running processes against unintended modification, deletion, or termination. By leveraging underlying kernel capabilities and extended file attributes, protector allows administrators to set strong, persistent or temporary protective measures. This can be crucial for system integrity, preventing accidental data loss, or ensuring the continuous operation of essential services. It consolidates functionalities typically found across various disparate commands, offering a streamlined approach to resource protection.

The protector command as described here is hypothetical and does not exist as a standard Linux utility. Its described functionalities, particularly strong locks and process protection, would require significant kernel-level integration and careful implementation to ensure system stability and security. Misuse of such a command, especially with options like --lock-strong, could potentially render critical system files inaccessible, even to root, leading to system instability or unbootable states. Always exercise extreme caution when dealing with file and process protections at this level.

If implemented, protector could be invaluable for:
1. Safeguarding critical configuration files (e.g., SSHd configs, web server configs) from accidental deletion or modification.
2. Protecting sensitive log files from tampering.
3. Ensuring essential daemon processes (like database servers) are not accidentally terminated.
4. Setting up 'read-only' modes for sensitive directories temporarily.
5. Preventing unauthorized execution of certain binaries.

Most operations of the protector command, especially those involving strong locks or process protection, would require root privileges. Non-root users may be able to query protection status (using --list) but could not apply or remove protections without elevated permissions, ensuring system integrity is maintained by authorized users only.

The concept behind the protector command emerged from the ongoing need for a more unified and user-friendly interface to manage various forms of system resource protection. While existing tools like chattr provide powerful file system attributes, and kernel mechanisms exist for process control, protector was envisioned to consolidate and simplify these functionalities. Its hypothetical development would likely focus on abstracting complex system calls and providing a straightforward syntax, aiming to simplify security administration tasks for common protection scenarios. It would evolve from early prototypes demonstrating basic file immutability to include process-level safeguards and advanced locking mechanisms, striving for a comprehensive security management tool.

chattr(1), lsattr(1), setfacl(1), chmod(1), kill(1), ps(1), prctl(2)