Oh, I'd like to know : what distros do you use on the machines that aren't getting compromised? Are they doing the same kind of tasks? Do those distros have systemd too?
Discussion
Depends. I have a variety. Some systemd. Some not. NixOS is usually a safe bet for systemd based. Easier to lockdown with a good config. Alpine Linux is another nonsystemd one I use too. With a couple random other distros thrown into the mix too. Most of my computers are purpose based and have different requirements for each task they are assigned to do.
The one that got compromised today was my media server running KDE neon. I was experimenting with it to see how it faired as a long term support based distro.
Today is the day I am swearing off all Debian based distros for good. It is the only distro base that gets compromised. Anytime they have been hacked into over the past 15 years. Always a mother fucking Debian machine.
Debian based distros are insecure pieces of ape shit. Even with them locked down. The assholes somehow someway still can find their ways in.
And they're all fairly equally exposed in terms of opened ports, etc? (Just trying to see if there could be another reason). I've been using Xubuntu for well over a decade but I don't really run public servers (just small things, not very active).
I looked into NixOS but their politics concern me. I'm very interested in Alpine Linux.
Ports are pretty locked down. Not a public server either. NixOS politics concern me too. Especially being one of the first community members to be exiled in the notorious purge on non woke members.
I am in the process of forking NixOS and starting a new distro project. It is a couple months out though from a viable beta testing release. It will be a soft fork that will be focused on a non-woke / politics free community. While working together on creating actual proper documentation. That I am hoping one day rivals the Arch Wiki as the gold standard.
Look into starting out with NixOS, enable flakes, and get started with determinant nix. They don't really play into the politics aspect of NixOS. They also offer commercial support too.
As for Alpine Linux. My opinion is this. It is a pain in the ass to make it a desktop distro, but it can be done. If you do not mind a day, or two of headaches depending on your hardware. It is amazing for a headless server, or container based distro. Which is my preferred use case.