> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://corelab.tech/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Latest from Core Lab - URL: https://corelab.tech/updates-tues-mar24/ - Published: 2026-03-24T16:49:54.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-23T18:25:55.000Z - Description: The OPNsense Day 2 advanced configuration guide is now open to everyone, plus the new Suricata IDS/IPS guide and a homelab security roundup. - Author: Core Lab Joe - Tags: Newsletter, #2026, #FantasticFriday, #table-of-content The **paywall is *down***! OPNsense day 2 guide now open to everyone. Today I’m excited to open up one of our most requested resources to the entire community. OPNsense "Day 2" Advanced & configuration. I've also got the **OPNsense Suricata (IDS/IPS)** guide published! > *You can also read my last update "meta-post",* [*Core Lab Q1 Updates*](https://corelab.tech/core-lab-q1-homelab-update-2026/)*, published on 08 March '26 for a brief snapshot of the site's ongoing trajectory.* ## **📊 Homelab Security & Monitoring** ### **The OPNsense IDS/IPS 26.4+ Guide - Suricata, Inline vs Divert Mode!** This guide is finally here! A few readers have asked for an [IDS/IPS and Suricata guide](https://corelab.tech/opnsense-ids-ips-suricata-inline-vs-divert-mode/). Things changed a lot for IDS/IPS in v26.4+, that's discussed along with complete setup tutorial. 💡 This post is available as ***early access for paid subscribers** first. It will be unlocked on 31st March. [How to Configure Suricata IDS/IPS in OPNsense 26.4+ (Inline vs Divert)Learn how to configure Suricata IDS/IPS in OPNsense 26.4+. Compare Inline vs Divert mode, optimize performance, and secure your self-hosted services.![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/icon/Glowing_CPU-212.png)Core LabCore Lab Joe![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/thumbnail/OPNsense-suricata-1.png)](https://corelab.tech/opnsense-ids-ips-suricata-inline-vs-divert-mode/) ### **The OPNsense Day 2 Guide: Now Open for All** While "Day 1" is all about getting your hardware online and your traffic flowing, "Day 2+" is where the real fun (and security) begins. I’ve officially moved the [**OPNsense Day 2 Guide**](https://corelab.tech/opnsense-advanced-networking-guide/) out of early access. [Advanced OPNsense Networking Guide: Cloudflare Bypass, NTP Redirect & SQMLearn advanced OPNsense routing techniques including Cloudflare proxy bypass, DNS/NTP interception, and SQM bufferbloat fixes for high-performance homelab networks.![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/icon/Glowing_CPU-205.png)Core LabCore Lab Joe![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/thumbnail/OPNsense-Advanced.png)](https://corelab.tech/opnsense-advanced-networking-guide/) ### **What’s Inside:** - **Bypassing Cloudflare (Selectively!) for Plex/Jellyfin:** Don't want to break Cloudflare terms of service? Don't want to get your streaming throttled, here's how to work around that. - **DNS & NTP Interception / Redirection:** How to truly capture and redirect key functions of your network to further enhance your privacy & security. - **Eliminating Bufferbloat (FQ-CoDel FTW!):** Enabling traffic shaping in OPNsense to defeat dreaded network buffering. ### **How To Upgrade OPNsense to V26.1.4 Oh My!** **Running OPNsense and haven't done this** [**major milestone upgrade**](https://corelab.tech/opnsense-26-1-upgrade-kea-dnsmasq-guide/) **yet? Here's your detailed step by step walkthrough; bravely move forward 😄** [Upgrading to OPNsense 26.1: Kea vs. Dnsmasq & Subnet FixesThe jump to OPNsense 26.1 changes how DHCP and DNS interact. Learn how to navigate Kea migration, fix subnet mask mismatches, and resolve Android Wi-Fi errors.![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/icon/Glowing_CPU-210.png)Core LabCore Lab Joe![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/thumbnail/Upgrading-OPNsense.png)](https://corelab.tech/opnsense-26-1-upgrade-kea-dnsmasq-guide/) ### **What's Inside:** - Service transition from Unbound & ISC DHCP to Dnsmasque - The /21 subnet issue & other problems - Migrating your firewall rules to the new format (complete guide!) ## **🍿 Media Server Networking & Management** Not a huge update on the media server front, except for some tweaks to the Real Debrid & Plex/Jellyfin guide. Received confirmation from a few additional readers that they were able to finally get the solution working! 👍 Thank you to those of you who helped me re-craft that guide over several weeks! Check out the "Ultimate" and ["Unlimited" (No really) Media Server Guide](https://corelab.tech/ultimate-plex-debrid-guide/)! [The “Infinite” Plex Server: Real-Debrid & Zurg Guide (2026)Stop buying hard drives. Build a 100TB media server for $3/mo. The complete guide to Plex, Real-Debrid, and Zurg with zero-buffering 4K streaming.![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/icon/Glowing_CPU-206.png)Core LabCore Lab Joe![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/thumbnail/Screenshot-2025-10-16-222956-4.png)](https://corelab.tech/ultimate-plex-debrid-guide/) With the price of hardware lately, I feel this may be the way to go moving forward for the next couple years... I will be providing further updates to this and the Stremio & Real Debrid guide regarding addons. They will essentially be 'living documents' that evolve with the underlying tech stack. --- ## **🐧Overhauls & Updates on Existing Content** My Customizing Ghost series got a bit of an update, showing off how I enhanced the table of contents and other customization of the blog. [Hacking Ghost: Adding Mobile-Friendly Breadcrumbs to the Edition ThemeThe “Lost User” Problem We spend hours tweaking our homelabs, optimizing Docker containers, and fine-tuning our firewalls. But often, we neglect the actual interface of our documentation. SERIES Ghost Blog / CMS Hacks 01 Part 1: Customizing & Optimizing Ghost Table of Contents, Scrollspy and more 02 Part 2: Hacking Ghost CMS![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/icon/Glowing_CPU-208.png)Core LabCore Lab Joe![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/thumbnail/ghost-blog-header-code-1.jpg)](https://corelab.tech/ghost-breadcrumbs-guide/) Some updates happened in the [Hardware Guides](https://corelab.tech/homelab-hardware-guide/) as well, and further refinement will occur, or specialized build guides for things like ultra-low-cost options, energy efficient builds. If you're planning on purchasing hardware, I'd **greatly appreciate** it if you used one of my links to support the ongoing costs of the site and me!👇 [Best Homelab Hardware Guide (2026): Top CPUs, Nodes & NASConstruct your Digital Fortress. From silent N100 “Gatehouse” nodes to massive “Command Center” storage servers, this is the battle-tested hardware we trust to hold the line in 2026.![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/icon/Glowing_CPU-209.png)Core LabCore Lab Joe![](https://corelab.tech/content/images/thumbnail/ultimate-homelab-hardware-guide-2026-header-6.jpg)](https://corelab.tech/homelab-hardware-guide/) --- ### **Coming Up Next** The Q1 roadmap is still in full swing. Keep an eye out for upcoming deep dives and specific docker implementations & reviews! **As always, thanks for being part of the journey**. If you have questions about any guide or a specific configuration that’s giving you trouble, feel free to drop a comment on the post or fire me an email! See you in the logs, **Corelab Joe** --- #### 💀 The Threat Landscape (This Week) ****🚨 The “Session Is the New Password” Problem** Attackers are doubling down on ****session hijacking over credential theft**. Instead of brute-forcing passwords, they’re targeting browser sessions, cookies, and OAuth tokens through phishing kits and malicious extensions. Modern kits now: - Steal active session cookies in real time - Bypass MFA entirely - Reuse tokens to log in without triggering alerts ****The Takeaway:** Treat your browser session like a password. - Avoid logging into sensitive accounts on random devices - Be extremely cautious with browser extensions - Use separate browser profiles for risky activity ****⚠️ Security Alert: Supply Chain Attacks Are Heating Up** We’re seeing a continued rise in ****malicious package injections** across ecosystems like npm and PyPI. Recent incidents involved: - Typosquatted packages mimicking popular libraries - Hidden credential stealers embedded in post-install scripts - Backdoors targeting CI/CD pipelines ****The Takeaway:** If you’re self-hosting or building stacks: - Pin package versions - Avoid “latest” tags blindly - Audit dependencies before deploying ****🧠 AI Tools Becoming High-Value Targets** AI-powered tools and self-hosted agents are now a major attack surface. New research shows: - Prompt injection attacks are being used to exfiltrate secrets - Misconfigured AI tools exposing API keys publicly - Agents running with excessive permissions (file system, shell access) ****The Takeaway:** If it can execute commands, it’s a risk surface. - Sandbox aggressively - Never expose AI tools directly to the internet without auth - Treat them like privileged services ****🌐 The “Exposed Dashboard” Epidemic** Shodan scans continue to reveal ****thousands of exposed admin panels**: - Docker APIs - Portainer instances - Grafana dashboards - Home lab UIs with no auth or weak credentials This is still one of the ****most exploited entry points**. ****The Takeaway:** - Never expose dashboards directly - Use a reverse proxy + authentication (you already do this well) - Assume anything public **will* be scanned within minutes ****🔓 Ransomware Tactics Are Getting Quieter** Instead of loud, system-locking attacks, many groups are shifting to: - Silent data exfiltration - Delayed extortion - Targeting backups first You may not even know you’re compromised until data is leaked. ****The Takeaway:** - Monitor outbound traffic, not just inbound - Keep offline backups - Log access to sensitive shares