🧰 What It Is
A collection of apps I run locally to replace cloud-based services—focusing on data ownership, privacy, and technical self-reliance. All hosted on my home lab stack using lightweight VMs or containers.
🧱 What I’m Running
- 📚 FreshRSS – Self-hosted RSS reader to track infosec blogs, CVEs, and tech news
- 🔐 Vaultwarden – Lightweight Bitwarden server alternative for password management
- ☁️ Nextcloud – File sync and cloud storage replacement
- 🚫 Pi-hole – DNS-based ad/tracker blocker for the whole network
- 🧭 Unbound – Recursive DNS server for clean, fast name resolution
🤖 Why It Matters
- No subscriptions, no third-party analytics, no reliance on Big Tech uptime
- Forces you to think about real-world hosting, backup, and update workflows
- Easy wins for any aspiring blue teamer or homelabber
🔄 Ongoing Work
- 📊 Integrating app logs into Security Onion for monitoring
- 🔐 Exploring Tailscale/VPN for remote access to select services
- 🧪 Testing auto-update routines and failover scenarios
🧠 Lessons Learned
- Pi-hole and Unbound are surprisingly powerful in a secure DNS config
- Nextcloud needs tuning to avoid becoming a bloat monster
- RSS is still one of the best tools for staying sharp in this field