PreserveRoot

PreserveRoot is a software project and concept that aims to protect the integrity of the root filesystem and the root user environment on Unix-like systems. The goal is to reduce the risk of accidental or malicious changes to critical system components during maintenance, upgrades, debugging, or disaster recovery.

The approach combines protection mechanisms with recovery tools designed for servers and workstations. Key goals include preventing unauthorized modifications to essential files, enabling rapid restoration to known-good states, and maintaining an auditable record of changes to the root environment. It is designed to operate alongside existing system management and security tooling.

Core features typically include: the ability to apply immutable or append-only attributes to critical paths; a policy language to specify which files and directories require protection; cryptographic integrity verification for key system files; automated snapshots or point-in-time backups; and an audit trail of changes and recoveries. Some implementations provide integration points with package managers to enforce rebuilds if protected files are altered.

Implementation often involves a daemon that enforces policies and a command-line toolkit for configuration and recovery. It relies on kernel features available on Linux and, in some cases, on compatible features provided by other Unix-like systems or by snapshot-enabled filesystems such as Btrfs or ZFS. Practically, PreserveRoot is used in high-security environments and where rapid recovery from root-level misconfigurations is essential.

Limitations include potential compatibility issues with live-update tools, performance considerations, and the need for temporary deactivation during certain maintenance tasks. It is not a substitute for regular backups or comprehensive configuration management. See also immutable filesystems, filesystem snapshots, and disaster-recovery tooling.