I’m switching from Fedora to Mint, and after installation, it popped up with MOK management. A quick search online said this had to do with secure boot, which I don’t really care about having enabled (or at least, I don’t think I need to care about it). During the installation, it forced this however in order to install multimedia codecs.
Is this just a part of running Mint on the Framework 16? Is there a way to prevent this but still get the multimedia codecs? I’d much rather use Mint over Ubuntu personally.
I haven’t needed to deal with MOK (Machine Owner’s Key) myself yet, but from what I’ve read, it doesn’t seem like a problem. Nothing even worth trying to prevent or avoid. Did it mention that the password you set will only be needed once, then will essentially be disposed of? It’s more of a confirmation code than a password.
The only problem seems to be the failure of it, at least explaining that it’s just a one-time confirmation after install, and that whatever password you choose will be asked for only once ever. As I understand it, if MOK is ever triggered again, like installing a different OS, you’ll be asked to again create a confirmation password, for that new one-time use. So it literally doesn’t matter. Use your first name, use 1234567890, makes no difference, as there is no need to remember it beyond that install.
The purpose appears to be to prevent an automated process from trying to make a change the user did not initiate. I presume such as a virus trying to embed a rootkit.
From what I’ve read, it’s not specific to Linux Mint at all. The multimedia codecs Mint is installing just happens to trigger it on the Framework. It’s the Framework’s UEFI/BIOS firmware that is causing the MOK (Machine Owner’s Key) confirmation to be asked for.