Ghost FTP 0.99.58 Preview — release package structure and safer distribution
Publisher: BRENDIGO — https://brendigo.com
Previous published release: v0.99.57 Preview
Channel: Preview. This is not a digitally signed Stable product edition.
Improvements
- Validate Windows x64 Portable and NSIS executable optional headers and section layouts, not only MZ/PE magic bytes. MSI remains validated as an OLE compound-file package, not an Authenticode identity.
- Require Linux native and AppImage x86_64 ELF headers with expected architecture, little-endian format, executable/shared-object type and a bounded program-header table.
- Require nonempty ZIP central-directory records, consistent archive directory offsets and real central directory entry signatures. Truncated files and misleading ZIP prefixes fail before asset publication.
- Open packaging inputs with no-follow behavior on supported POSIX hosts, compare on-disk identity with the opened descriptor, and check for mutations during inspection. The ordinary release SHA-256 manifest and remote GitHub asset digest verification remain mandatory.
- Add full-inventory synthetic regression coverage for valid inputs, ZIP corruption and symlink substitution.
Acceptance
Every test in Ghost FTP quality, Rust workspace, Windows hardening, real FTP/FTPS/SFTP E2E and Windows/Linux native builds must pass for the exact merged SHA. Publishing is handled by the existing checked release pipeline after merge. No historical tags or assets may be changed.
Limitations: These are structural preflight checks, not digital signatures, complete installer execution, full archive decoding, package-manager dependency validation or independent Windows/Linux install/upgrade acceptance. Stable requires separately verified publisher signing and production acceptance evidence.
Linux installation: choose the correct Ghost FTP package
Platform: Linux x86_64 / amd64. These are package-family labels, not
certifications that every distribution/version has been tested. The native
Windows/Linux build currently runs on an Ubuntu 22.04 x86_64 GitHub runner;
installed-device checks across other distributions remain required.
| Linux edition in GitHub Releases | Intended distribution / installation family | Important prerequisite |
|---|---|---|
GhostFTP-Linux-amd64-v<VERSION>.deb
| Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, and compatible Debian-family amd64 systems | APT/dpkg dependencies, WebKitGTK 4.1 and compatible GTK/GLib; test on the target distro release. |
GhostFTP-Linux-x86_64-v<VERSION>.rpm
| Fedora, openSUSE, RHEL-compatible RPM-based x86_64 systems | RPM runtime dependencies, WebKitGTK and GTK availability differ. Package format alone does not prove the build launches. |
GhostFTP-Linux-x86_64-v<VERSION>.AppImage
| Portable / cross-distribution candidate for many glibc-based x86_64 desktop systems | Check FUSE/AppImage runtime, compatible glibc, WebKitGTK/GTK libraries and display server. Not guaranteed universal. |
GhostFTP-Linux-x86_64-v<VERSION> / .tar.gz
| Manual / advanced installation on compatible x86_64 desktop Linux | Not statically linked; administrators must supply all system runtime dependencies and desktop integration. |
Replace <VERSION> with the exact published tag number. Verify
GhostFTP-v<VERSION>-SHA256SUMS.txt before executing installers. A SHA-256
checksum only verifies integrity against that manifest; it does not prove
publisher identity or replace a cryptographic code signature.
No native package is currently built for Linux ARM64/aarch64,
32-bit x86, musl-only Alpine, or every NixOS/immutable-container configuration.
Arch Linux, Manjaro, EndeavourOS, Gentoo, elementary OS and others may be
candidates for AppImage/manual installation, but are not certified based
solely on an Ubuntu runner. Check compatible dependencies first; do not force a
Debian RPM/DEB package onto an unrelated distribution. On Wayland systems,
GTK/WebKit or XWayland availability can affect behavior.
Required acceptance before claiming distribution support
For each distribution and version named as tested, record its exact image
version, x86_64 architecture, display protocol (X11/Wayland), WebKitGTK/GTK
versions, GNOME Keyring/KWallet state, and the native binary hash. Verify:
- Install, first launch, File Manager/Sites/Transfers/Settings/Sync navigation,
resize at 1290×852 and 480×600, and correct keyboard focus. - FTP warning, verified FTPS TLS and SFTP SSH host-key checks on actual
endpoints; failed identity checks must not connect. - Queue retry/cancel, interrupted upload/download preservation, symlink and
overwrite safety, and shutdown/restart without losing profile metadata. - OS-backed credentials with locked and unavailable Secret Service; no
plaintext fallback or secret-bearing logs. - Uninstall and reinstall without silently deleting stored user documents,
connection profiles, or keys.
Current GitHub Actions Linux QA produces real Xvfb/WebKit screenshots of
seven core workspaces, not mockups. Those captures prove native rendering under
the CI environment; they do not certify a GNOME/KDE/Wayland distro or pixel
parity with all 29 user-supplied Linux design references.
Related: Linux handbook ·
Native desktop build ·
Published releases.
Operational prerequisites for unsigned desktop builds
Running the native binary does not require a purchased signing certificate. Verify the SHA-256 checksum of your package against the matching official release manifest; this validates file integrity, not cryptographic publisher identity. Saved credentials require an unlocked Secret Service provider and the secret-tool client (the DEB declares libsecret-tools, the RPM declares libsecret). An unavailable vault is a blocking error, not a reason to store plaintext passwords. Before upgrading, create an encrypted backup and ensure all transfers are finished. The desktop Updates screen offers the complete GitHub Releases index because signed auto-updates and manually downloadable package editions are independent.