Kiosk Lockdown

Jun 15, 2025 · 2 min read
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CASE STUDY 1: Legacy Modernization & Secure Kiosk Architecture

The Challenge

With the End-of-Life (EOL) for Windows 10 approaching, the organization faced a critical decision regarding its field devices (currently 2 deployed, with plans to scale to hundreds).

  • The Risk: Continuing to run an unsupported OS would expose the fleet to unpatched security vulnerabilities.
  • The Constraint: The core proprietary application was a legacy Windows binary. Rewriting it for Linux native would take years and cost significant resources.
  • The Hardware: Replacing the hardware fleet to support Windows 11 was cost-prohibitive.

The Solution

I architected a bridge solution using WINE (compatibility layer) and a custom Linux “Golden Image” to extend the hardware lifespan while maintaining security compliance.

1. Compatibility Layer Engineering

  • Validated the proprietary Windows application’s stability running under WINE.
  • Scripted the WINE prefix configuration to ensure all necessary Windows DLLs and fonts were pre-staged, creating a seamless runtime environment.

2. The “Golden Image” Architecture

  • Utilized Cubic to create a custom Linux Mint ISO.
  • Technician UX: Built a “First-Boot” utility. Technicians simply plug in a USB drive containing the proprietary application folder. My utility automatically ingests the files, sets up the WINE environment, and configures the host.
  • Role-Based Access:
    • Kiosk User: Auto-logs in to a locked-down XFCE desktop environment with no terminal access or visible file system. The legacy app auto-launches on boot.
    • Admin User: Created by the technician during setup, allowing privileged maintenance access when required.

3. Security Hardening

  • Migrated from an EOL Windows environment to a maintained Linux LTS kernel.
  • Enabled automatic security updates for the host OS while keeping the legacy application contained.

The Outcome

  • Cost Avoidance: Saved the organization estimated hardware replacement costs by extending the life of existing PCs.
  • Operational Efficiency: Technicians could provision a secure, “ready-to-go” machine in 15 minutes using the standardized ISO.

Tech Stack Details

  • Slick Greeter
  • XFCE
  • Bash Scripting
  • Wine
Infrastructure Linux Cubic Scripting
Samuel Santana
Authors
Samuel Santana
Senior Systems Software Engineer
Software engineer who owns the full stack — from application code to the OS underneath it. I maintain legacy .NET and C++ codebases, build custom Linux systems, and create internal tools that prevent configuration errors before they cause outages.