Installation Guide

wget https://thelightscope.com/latest/lightscope_latest.deb && sudo apt install -v -y ./lightscope_latest.deb

ℹ️ The -v flag provides verbose output and -y automatically confirms installation. This will install all dependencies and start the LightScope service.

wget https://thelightscope.com/latest/lightscope_latest.rpm && sudo dnf install -v -y ./lightscope_latest.rpm

ℹ️ For older systems without DNF, use: sudo yum install -y ./lightscope_latest.rpm. The -v flag shows detailed installation progress.

• Service Status: sudo systemctl status lightscope
• View Logs: sudo journalctl -u lightscope -f
• Restart Service: sudo systemctl restart lightscope
• Find Your Database Name & Dashboard URL: sudo systemctl status lightscope - look for your dashboard URL in the Docs line!

✅ LightScope runs securely as a system service with minimal privileges.

✅ LightScope automatically starts after installation and runs securely as a system service with minimal privileges.

• Dedicated System User: Creates a low-privilege system user called lightscope with no shell access
• No Root Privileges: LightScope never runs as root - the service operates with minimal system privileges
• Linux Capabilities: Instead of root access, we grant only the specific network capabilities needed:
  • CAP_NET_RAW - Raw socket access for packet capture
  • CAP_NET_ADMIN - Network interface management
  • CAP_NET_BIND_SERVICE - Bind to network services
• Filesystem Isolation: Protected system files, isolated temporary directories, and restricted file access

1. System Dependencies: Installs required libraries (libpcap-devel, python3-devel, etc.)
2. User Creation: Creates the lightscope system user with home directory /opt/lightscope
3. Directory Structure: Sets up secure directories for configuration, logs, and updates
4. Python Environment: Configures Python with network capabilities (no root needed)
5. Systemd Service: Installs and enables the lightscope service for automatic startup
6. Security Hardening: Applies filesystem protections and capability restrictions
7. Service Start: Automatically starts monitoring network traffic

• Privilege Separation: Runs as unprivileged lightscope user, not root
• Minimal Attack Surface: Only network inspection capabilities, no system administration rights
• Automatic Restart: Systemd monitors and restarts the service if needed
• Secure Logging: All activity logged to systemd journal with proper permissions
• Resource Limits: Built-in limits on memory, file handles, and system resources

LightScope includes a secure automatic update system designed with security as the top priority:

• Hourly Update Checks: Automatically checks for new versions every hour from https://thelightscope.com
• Cryptographic Signatures: All updates are signed with RSA-4096 cryptographic signatures before distribution
• Signature Verification: Every update is cryptographically verified before installation - unsigned updates are rejected
• HTTPS-Only Downloads: All update downloads use encrypted HTTPS connections to prevent tampering
• Public Key Pinning: The public verification key is stored locally and validated to prevent key substitution attacks
• Backup System: Previous versions are automatically backed up before applying updates
• Rollback Protection: If an update fails verification or causes issues, the system can rollback to the previous version
• Update Logs: All update activity is logged to the systemd journal for audit purposes

To stop LightScope temporarily:

sudo systemctl stop lightscope

To disable auto-start (but keep installed):

sudo systemctl disable lightscope

To completely uninstall LightScope:

sudo systemctl stop lightscope
sudo apt remove lightscope
sudo apt purge lightscope  # Removes config files too

sudo systemctl stop lightscope
sudo yum remove lightscope
# or: sudo dnf remove lightscope

Manual cleanup (if needed):

# Remove user and home directory
sudo userdel -r lightscope

# Clean up any remaining files
sudo rm -rf /opt/lightscope

ℹ️ The package manager handles cleanup automatically, but manual commands are provided for reference.

• Service not starting: Check service status with sudo systemctl status lightscope
• Permission issues: The package automatically configures proper permissions and capabilities
• Package conflicts: If installation fails, try sudo apt update (Debian/Ubuntu) or sudo yum update (RHEL/CentOS)
• Network issues: Ensure your firewall allows the LightScope service to monitor network traffic
• View detailed logs: Use sudo journalctl -u lightscope -f to see real-time service logs