I've been using Linux a lot, mainly through terminals and docker containers, but I decided to switch my old gaming PC from Windows 10 to Debian with Cinnamon. After struggling with the installation of the NVIDIA drivers and realizing that they weren't working correctly due to secure boot, I found that disabling it resolved one major issue. However, I've come across advice about enrolling MOK keys to enable secure boot while installing NVIDIA drivers. I'm curious why I shouldn't just keep secure boot disabled. What are the pros and cons of leaving it off?
4 Answers
I keep security boot enabled because my distro supports it well. I've only added a MOK key once for a specific need. If you find adding MOK keys too tricky, it’s totally fine to keep secure boot off for now. Just avoid dodgy sites, and you'll probably be okay.
Honestly, I disable secure boot too. It does create a lot of headaches without giving much real security in return. Just be smart about where you browse and what you install, and you shouldn't run into too many issues.
It is weird that NVIDIA needs secure boot for Linux. Disabling it doesn't really hurt security. If you want to use secure boot properly, you do have to generate and enroll keys, which can be a bit involved. Need help with that?
It really depends on what you're trying to protect. For me, I don't consider secure boot essential, so I usually just keep it off. It's usually easier to deal with issues without it, and as long as you're careful online, you should be fine!
Thanks for the feedback! I think I'll keep it disabled for now and revisit it later if I need to.