release(v1.7.10-alpha): apply namespace fix + FIPS cascade + profile polish

THE apply fix
  archipelago.service uses ProtectSystem=strict, so /opt and /usr are
  read-only inside the service's mount namespace. sudo inherits that
  namespace — every sudo mkdir/mv/chown from apply_update was hitting
  EROFS even as root. Every prior "Failed to apply update" was a
  symptom of this. New `host_sudo()` helper wraps every filesystem
  call in `sudo systemd-run --wait --collect --pipe -- <cmd>`, which
  spawns a transient unit with systemd's default (no ProtectSystem)
  protections — the command runs in the host namespace and can touch
  /opt/archipelago + /usr/local/bin normally.

FIPS cascade (#2)
  Home.vue and Server.vue both carry a FIPS row that previously only
  looked at {installed, service_active, key_present}. Now they also
  read anchor_connected + authenticated_peer_count and mirror the
  full FIPS card: green "Active · N peers" when healthy, orange "No
  anchor" when the DHT bootstrap has failed.

Profile paste URL fallback (#4)
  Web5Identities.vue list + editor previously had `@error="display:none"`
  on the <img>, which hid the tag without re-rendering the fallback —
  a broken pasted URL showed up blank. Replaced with reactive
  pictureLoadFailed / listPictureFailed flags plus a watcher that
  resets on URL change. Broken URL now falls back to the initial (or
  identicon for seed-derived identities).

Small-upload data URL (#3)
  Uploaded profile pictures ≤ 64 KB are now inlined as
  `data:image/png;base64,...` into profile.picture on the client
  before calling update-profile. That kind-0 event is fetchable by
  any Nostr client — no Tor needed. Larger uploads fall back to the
  onion-rooted public_url with a hint telling the user to paste a
  public https:// URL for broader visibility.

Deferred: #1 FIPS Reconnect "actually fixes" — the current Reconnect
calls fips.restart which clears the daemon state, but when the
anchor is truly unreachable (UDP 8668 blocked by network/ISP), no
amount of restart can help. A richer diagnostic is out of scope for
this bundle.

Artefacts:
  archipelago                                      4a77c704…82aa6f8  40379696
  archipelago-frontend-1.7.10-alpha.tar.gz         0644a436…54f58    76983846

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>

core/Cargo.lock

@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ checksum = "a23eb6b1614318a8071c9b2521f36b424b2c83db5eb3a0fead4a6c0809af6e61"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.9-alpha"
+version = "1.7.10-alpha"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "archipelago-container",

core/archipelago/Cargo.toml

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [package]
 name = "archipelago"
-version = "1.7.9-alpha"
+version = "1.7.10-alpha"
 edition = "2021"
 description = "Archipelago Bitcoin Node OS - Native backend"
 authors = ["Archipelago Team"]

core/archipelago/src/update.rs

@@ -244,6 +244,32 @@ pub async fn download_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<DownloadProgress> {
     })
 }
 
+/// Run a command as root, but *outside* the archipelago service's
+/// restricted mount namespace.
+///
+/// archipelago.service uses `ProtectSystem=strict`, which makes `/opt`
+/// and `/usr` read-only inside the service — and sudo inherits the
+/// namespace, so `sudo mv /opt/archipelago/...` fails with EROFS even
+/// though sudo itself is root. `systemd-run --wait` spawns a transient
+/// service unit that inherits systemd's default protections (i.e. none
+/// of ours), escaping the namespace.
+async fn host_sudo(args: &[&str]) -> Result<std::process::ExitStatus> {
+    let mut full: Vec<&str> = vec![
+        "systemd-run",
+        "--wait",
+        "--quiet",
+        "--collect",
+        "--pipe",
+        "--",
+    ];
+    full.extend_from_slice(args);
+    tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+        .args(&full)
+        .status()
+        .await
+        .context("sudo systemd-run spawn failed")
+}
+
 /// Apply a downloaded update. Backs up current binaries, replaces with staged versions.
 pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     let staging_dir = data_dir.join("update-staging");
@@ -277,31 +303,25 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
 
         match name.as_str() {
             "archipelago" => {
-                // We're running FROM /usr/local/bin/archipelago right now,
+                // Two namespace gotchas this block works around:
-                // so we can't rewrite it in place — `install` / `cp` would
+                //   1. We're running FROM /usr/local/bin/archipelago, so
-                // hit ETXTBSY on the busy executable. Use `mv` instead:
+                //      `install`/`cp` (O_TRUNC + write) fail with ETXTBSY.
-                // rename() is atomic and doesn't modify the existing file,
+                //      Use `mv`, which is atomic rename() and tolerates a
-                // it just re-points the path at a new inode. The currently
+                //      busy destination.
-                // running process keeps executing off the old inode; new
+                //   2. archipelago.service sets ProtectSystem=strict, so
-                // invocations (i.e. after the post-apply systemctl
+                //      even `sudo mv` into /usr/local/bin/ fails EROFS —
-                // restart) pick up the new binary.
+                //      sudo inherits the service's mount namespace. Route
+                //      the rename through systemd-run so it runs in a
+                //      transient unit with default protections.
                 let staged = src.to_string_lossy().to_string();
-                let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                let _ = host_sudo(&["chmod", "0755", &staged]).await;
-                    .args(["chmod", "0755", &staged])
+                let _ = host_sudo(&["chown", "root:root", &staged]).await;
-                    .status()
+                let status = host_sudo(&["mv", &staged, "/usr/local/bin/archipelago"])
-                    .await;
-                let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
-                    .args(["chown", "root:root", &staged])
-                    .status()
-                    .await;
-                let status = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
-                    .args(["mv", &staged, "/usr/local/bin/archipelago"])
-                    .status()
                     .await
                     .with_context(|| format!("Failed to spawn mv for {}", name))?;
                 if !status.success() {
                     anyhow::bail!(
-                        "sudo mv failed for {} (exit {:?})",
+                        "mv into /usr/local/bin failed for {} (exit {:?})",
                         name,
                         status.code()
                     );
@@ -320,78 +340,66 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
                 let web_ui = "/opt/archipelago/web-ui";
                 let backup_path = "/opt/archipelago/web-ui.bak";
 
-                let mk = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                // All sudo calls that touch /opt/archipelago go through
-                    .args(["mkdir", "-p", &staging_new])
+                // host_sudo so they see a normal root mount namespace.
-                    .status()
+                let mk = host_sudo(&["mkdir", "-p", &staging_new])
                     .await
                     .context("Failed to create frontend staging dir")?;
                 if !mk.success() {
                     anyhow::bail!("mkdir {} failed", staging_new);
                 }
-                let extract = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                let extract = host_sudo(&[
-                    .args(["tar", "-xzf", &src.to_string_lossy(), "-C", &staging_new])
+                    "tar",
-                    .status()
+                    "-xzf",
-                    .await
+                    &src.to_string_lossy(),
-                    .with_context(|| format!("Failed to extract {}", name))?;
+                    "-C",
+                    &staging_new,
+                ])
+                .await
+                .with_context(|| format!("Failed to extract {}", name))?;
                 if !extract.success() {
-                    // Best-effort cleanup of the partial extraction.
+                    let _ = host_sudo(&["rm", "-rf", &staging_new]).await;
-                    let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
-                        .args(["rm", "-rf", &staging_new])
-                        .status()
-                        .await;
                     anyhow::bail!("tar extraction failed for {}", name);
                 }
-                let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                let _ = host_sudo(&[
-                    .args(["chown", "-R", "archipelago:archipelago", &staging_new])
+                    "chown",
-                    .status()
+                    "-R",
-                    .await;
+                    "archipelago:archipelago",
+                    &staging_new,
+                ])
+                .await;
 
                 // Swap: mv current web-ui aside, then mv new into place.
                 if Path::new(web_ui).exists() {
-                    let mv_old = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                    let mv_old = host_sudo(&["mv", web_ui, &staging_old])
-                        .args(["mv", web_ui, &staging_old])
-                        .status()
                         .await
                         .context("Failed to rotate old web-ui")?;
                     if !mv_old.success() {
                         anyhow::bail!("failed to move old web-ui aside");
                     }
                 }
-                let mv_new = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                let mv_new = host_sudo(&["mv", &staging_new, web_ui])
-                    .args(["mv", &staging_new, web_ui])
-                    .status()
                     .await
                     .context("Failed to swap new web-ui into place")?;
                 if !mv_new.success() {
-                    // Roll back the rename so nginx keeps serving.
                     if Path::new(&staging_old).exists() {
-                        let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                        let _ = host_sudo(&["mv", &staging_old, web_ui]).await;
-                            .args(["mv", &staging_old, web_ui])
-                            .status()
-                            .await;
                     }
                     anyhow::bail!("failed to move new web-ui into place");
                 }
 
-                // Rotate previous rollback aside (best-effort) and install
+                // Rotate previous rollback aside and install this apply's
-                // this apply's old copy as the new rollback.
+                // old copy as the new rollback.
                 if Path::new(&staging_old).exists() {
                     if Path::new(backup_path).exists() {
-                        // Tag the previous backup with its own ts so it
+                        let _ = host_sudo(&[
-                        // doesn't collide; best-effort cleanup.
+                            "mv",
-                        let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+                            backup_path,
-                            .args([
+                            &format!("{}.{}", backup_path, ts),
-                                "mv",
+                        ])
-                                backup_path,
-                                &format!("{}.{}", backup_path, ts),
-                            ])
-                            .status()
-                            .await;
-                    }
-                    let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
-                        .args(["mv", &staging_old, backup_path])
-                        .status()
                         .await;
+                    }
+                    let _ = host_sudo(&["mv", &staging_old, backup_path]).await;
                 }
                 info!(name = %name, "Frontend archive extracted to /opt/archipelago/web-ui");
             }
@@ -422,10 +430,10 @@ pub async fn apply_update(data_dir: &Path) -> Result<()> {
     // starting the new process — it would deadlock otherwise.
     tokio::spawn(async {
         tokio::time::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_secs(2)).await;
-        let _ = tokio::process::Command::new("sudo")
+        // systemctl talks to PID 1 over D-Bus — doesn't need the host
-            .args(["systemctl", "--no-block", "restart", "archipelago"])
+        // mount namespace, but routing through host_sudo keeps the
-            .status()
+        // apply flow's sudo calls uniform.
-            .await;
+        let _ = host_sudo(&["systemctl", "--no-block", "restart", "archipelago"]).await;
     });
 
     Ok(())

neode-ui/src/views/Home.vue

@@ -317,26 +317,35 @@ const torConnected = computed(() => {
 })
 const vpnStatus = ref({ connected: false, provider: '' })
 const vpnConnected = computed(() => vpnStatus.value.connected || (!!packages.value['tailscale'] && packages.value['tailscale'].state === PackageState.Running))
-const fipsStatus = ref<{ installed: boolean; service_active: boolean; key_present: boolean } | null>(null)
+const fipsStatus = ref<{ installed: boolean; service_active: boolean; key_present: boolean; anchor_connected?: boolean; authenticated_peer_count?: number } | null>(null)
 const fipsDotClass = computed(() => {
   const s = fipsStatus.value
   if (!s || !s.installed) return 'bg-white/40'
-  if (s.service_active) return 'bg-green-400'
+  if (!s.service_active) return 'bg-white/40'
-  return 'bg-white/40'
+  // Active but no anchor = degraded, not fully green
+  if (s.anchor_connected === false) return 'bg-orange-400'
+  return 'bg-green-400'
 })
 const fipsTextClass = computed(() => {
   const s = fipsStatus.value
   if (!s || !s.installed) return 'text-white/40'
-  if (s.service_active) return 'text-green-400'
+  if (!s.service_active) return 'text-white/40'
-  return 'text-white/40'
+  if (s.anchor_connected === false) return 'text-orange-400'
+  return 'text-green-400'
 })
 const fipsStatusLabel = computed(() => {
   const s = fipsStatus.value
   if (!s) return '…'
   if (!s.installed) return 'Not installed'
-  if (s.service_active) return 'Active'
+  if (!s.service_active) {
-  if (!s.key_present) return 'Awaiting seed'
+    if (!s.key_present) return 'Awaiting seed'
-  return 'Inactive'
+    return 'Inactive'
+  }
+  // Service is active — reflect anchor reachability in the label so the
+  // Home and Server rows flip in sync with the FIPS card.
+  if (s.anchor_connected === false) return 'No anchor'
+  const peers = s.authenticated_peer_count ?? 0
+  return peers === 1 ? 'Active · 1 peer' : `Active · ${peers} peers`
 })
 const bitcoinSyncDisplay = computed(() => {
   if (!systemStats.bitcoinAvailable) return 'Not running'

neode-ui/src/views/Server.vue

@@ -420,25 +420,31 @@ const networkData = ref({
 })
 
 // FIPS status row for the Local Network card. Full FIPS card lives below.
-const fipsSummary = ref<{ installed: boolean; service_active: boolean; key_present: boolean } | null>(null)
+const fipsSummary = ref<{ installed: boolean; service_active: boolean; key_present: boolean; anchor_connected?: boolean; authenticated_peer_count?: number } | null>(null)
 const fipsRowLabel = computed(() => {
   const s = fipsSummary.value
   if (!s) return '…'
   if (!s.installed) return 'Not installed'
-  // Service-active wins even on legacy nodes with no seed-derived key.
+  if (!s.service_active) {
-  if (s.service_active) return 'Active'
+    if (!s.key_present) return 'Awaiting seed'
-  if (!s.key_present) return 'Awaiting seed'
+    return 'Inactive'
-  return 'Inactive'
+  }
+  // Service is active — reflect anchor reachability so the row flips in
+  // sync with the full FIPS card below.
+  if (s.anchor_connected === false) return 'No anchor'
+  const peers = s.authenticated_peer_count ?? 0
+  return peers === 1 ? 'Active · 1 peer' : `Active · ${peers} peers`
 })
 const fipsRowTextClass = computed(() => {
   const s = fipsSummary.value
   if (!s || !s.installed) return 'text-white/40'
-  if (s.service_active) return 'text-green-400'
+  if (!s.service_active) return 'text-white/60'
-  return 'text-white/60'
+  if (s.anchor_connected === false) return 'text-orange-400'
+  return 'text-green-400'
 })
 async function loadFipsSummary() {
   try {
-    fipsSummary.value = await rpcClient.call<{ installed: boolean; service_active: boolean; key_present: boolean }>({ method: 'fips.status' })
+    fipsSummary.value = await rpcClient.call<{ installed: boolean; service_active: boolean; key_present: boolean; anchor_connected?: boolean; authenticated_peer_count?: number }>({ method: 'fips.status' })
   } catch { /* backend too old */ }
 }
 

neode-ui/src/views/web5/Web5Identities.vue

@@ -68,8 +68,13 @@
       >
         <!-- Avatar -->
         <button @click="openProfileEditor(identity)" class="relative flex-shrink-0 w-10 h-10 rounded-full overflow-hidden group" title="Edit profile">
-          <img v-if="identity.profile?.picture" :src="displayableUrl(identity.profile.picture)" class="w-full h-full object-cover" @error="($event.target as HTMLImageElement).style.display = 'none'" />
+          <img
-          <div v-if="!identity.profile?.picture" class="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center" :class="{
+            v-if="identity.profile?.picture && !listPictureFailed[identity.id]"
+            :src="displayableUrl(identity.profile.picture)"
+            class="w-full h-full object-cover"
+            @error="() => { listPictureFailed[identity.id] = true }"
+          />
+          <div v-if="!identity.profile?.picture || listPictureFailed[identity.id]" class="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center" :class="{
             'bg-blue-500/20': identity.purpose === 'personal',
             'bg-orange-500/20': identity.purpose === 'business',
             'bg-purple-500/20': identity.purpose === 'anonymous',
@@ -302,8 +307,14 @@
     <div class="glass-card p-6 w-full max-w-2xl mx-4 max-h-[90vh] overflow-y-auto" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" aria-labelledby="profile-editor-title">
       <div class="flex items-center gap-3 mb-5">
         <div class="relative w-16 h-16 rounded-full overflow-hidden bg-white/10 shrink-0">
-          <img v-if="profileForm.picture" :src="displayableUrl(profileForm.picture)" class="w-full h-full object-cover" @error="($event.target as HTMLImageElement).style.display = 'none'" />
+          <img
-          <div v-else class="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center">
+            v-if="profileForm.picture && !editorPictureFailed"
+            :src="displayableUrl(profileForm.picture)"
+            class="w-full h-full object-cover"
+            @error="editorPictureFailed = true"
+            @load="editorPictureFailed = false"
+          />
+          <div v-if="!profileForm.picture || editorPictureFailed" class="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center">
             <span class="text-2xl font-bold text-white/40">{{ profileEditorIdentity.name.charAt(0).toUpperCase() }}</span>
           </div>
         </div>
@@ -368,7 +379,7 @@
 </template>
 
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref } from 'vue'
+import { reactive, ref, watch } from 'vue'
 import { useI18n } from 'vue-i18n'
 import { rpcClient } from '@/api/rpc-client'
 import { safeClipboardWrite } from './utils'
@@ -409,6 +420,18 @@ const profilePublishing = ref(false)
 const avatarUploading = ref(false)
 const bannerUploading = ref(false)
 
+// Track image load failures so the UI can fall back to the initial/
+// identicon placeholder instead of showing a blank square. Pasted URLs
+// that 404 (or point at an onion the local browser can't reach) were
+// previously silently hidden by a display:none handler that left the
+// fallback unrendered.
+const editorPictureFailed = ref(false)
+const listPictureFailed = reactive<Record<string, boolean>>({})
+
+// Reset the failure flag when the URL changes so a freshly pasted URL
+// gets re-tried (the watcher fires once the form reacts).
+watch(() => profileForm.value.picture, () => { editorPictureFailed.value = false })
+
 // The backend returns onion-based public URLs for uploaded profile
 // pictures (so they're fetchable by external Nostr clients), but the
 // local browser session isn't Tor-routed and can't resolve .onion hosts.
@@ -423,10 +446,12 @@ function displayableUrl(url: string | null | undefined): string {
   return url
 }
 
-// Upload to the node's blob store and drop the returned public URL into
+// Upload to the node's blob store and drop a URL into the profile field.
-// the profile field. The /api/blob endpoint marks these blobs public, so
+// For small images (≤64KB) we inline the bytes as a data URL so external
-// the URL served back (`public_url`, onion-rooted when Tor is up) is
+// Nostr clients can render the picture without needing to reach a tor
-// reachable by external Nostr clients fetching kind:0 metadata.
+// onion. Larger uploads fall back to the onion-rooted public_url.
+const INLINE_MAX = 64 * 1024
+
 async function uploadAsset(ev: Event, field: 'picture' | 'banner') {
   const input = ev.target as HTMLInputElement
   const file = input?.files?.[0]
@@ -436,6 +461,14 @@ async function uploadAsset(ev: Event, field: 'picture' | 'banner') {
   profileError.value = ''
   try {
     const buf = await file.arrayBuffer()
+    // Inline small images as a data URL — universally fetchable by any
+    // Nostr client and bypasses the "only reachable over Tor" limitation.
+    if (buf.byteLength <= INLINE_MAX) {
+      const mime = file.type || 'image/png'
+      const b64 = btoa(Array.from(new Uint8Array(buf), (b) => String.fromCharCode(b)).join(''))
+      profileForm.value[field] = `data:${mime};base64,${b64}`
+      return
+    }
     const resp = await fetch('/api/blob', {
       method: 'POST',
       credentials: 'include',
@@ -451,6 +484,11 @@ async function uploadAsset(ev: Event, field: 'picture' | 'banner') {
     const url = public_url || self_test_url
     if (!url) throw new Error('blob API returned no URL')
     profileForm.value[field] = url
+    // Heads-up for large uploads: onion URLs only render on Tor-routed
+    // clients. Not an error, but worth telling the user.
+    if (url.includes('.onion/')) {
+      profileError.value = 'Large image stored on this node. Pasting a public https://… URL is recommended for Nostr visibility.'
+    }
   } catch (e: unknown) {
     profileError.value = e instanceof Error ? e.message : `${field} upload failed`
   } finally {

releases/manifest.json

@@ -1,25 +1,28 @@
 {
-  "version": "1.7.9-alpha",
+  "version": "1.7.10-alpha",
   "release_date": "2026-04-20",
   "changelog": [
-    "OTA verification release — nothing new to see. Click Install Update, grab a coffee, and watch the sidebar flip to 1.7.9-alpha on its own. If this one works end to end, the pipeline is solid and future updates will flow the same way."
+    "Install Update actually applies now. The installer had to write into system folders that the backend service was sandboxed out of — every earlier 'Failed to apply update' was a layer of that onion. Fixed by running the file swaps in a separate system context.",
+    "FIPS status on the Home and Server pages now reflects whether the public anchor is reachable. You'll see 'Active · N peers' (green) when healthy or 'No anchor' (orange) when the network is blocking the bootstrap — same signal as the full FIPS card.",
+    "Pasting an https://… URL into the profile picture or banner now previews correctly. Before, if the URL failed to load, the UI would silently blank out instead of showing your initial as a placeholder.",
+    "Uploaded profile pictures under 64 KB are now embedded directly in your Nostr profile (as a data URL), so any Nostr client can see them — not just ones routing over Tor. Larger uploads keep the onion URL for now, with a hint to paste a public URL for wider visibility."
   ],
   "components": [
     {
       "name": "archipelago",
-      "current_version": "1.7.8-alpha",
+      "current_version": "1.7.9-alpha",
-      "new_version": "1.7.9-alpha",
+      "new_version": "1.7.10-alpha",
-      "download_url": "https://git.tx1138.com/lfg2025/archy/raw/branch/main/releases/v1.7.9-alpha/archipelago",
+      "download_url": "https://git.tx1138.com/lfg2025/archy/raw/branch/main/releases/v1.7.10-alpha/archipelago",
-      "sha256": "1ec7383de8e6b5caa67ec93311db7b5695e1831730fbd40ce56a5aa5aa301629",
+      "sha256": "4a77c704b5c1ac0b424ccfc7ed123c50e2708764ac2b4916af534e80382aa6f8",
-      "size_bytes": 40378536
+      "size_bytes": 40379696
     },
     {
-      "name": "archipelago-frontend-1.7.9-alpha.tar.gz",
+      "name": "archipelago-frontend-1.7.10-alpha.tar.gz",
-      "current_version": "1.7.8-alpha",
+      "current_version": "1.7.9-alpha",
-      "new_version": "1.7.9-alpha",
+      "new_version": "1.7.10-alpha",
-      "download_url": "https://git.tx1138.com/lfg2025/archy/raw/branch/main/releases/v1.7.9-alpha/archipelago-frontend-1.7.9-alpha.tar.gz",
+      "download_url": "https://git.tx1138.com/lfg2025/archy/raw/branch/main/releases/v1.7.10-alpha/archipelago-frontend-1.7.10-alpha.tar.gz",
-      "sha256": "4fb796643cc9dc8469078ca3392f7cc5541071f6849979922b3259e5f20172e9",
+      "sha256": "0644a43611309031efbb9b235a3602f0828f709fcaec0047543d96e1cbd54f58",
-      "size_bytes": 76984615
+      "size_bytes": 76983846
     }
   ]
 }