this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2024
37 points (97.4% liked)

Linux

47940 readers
1152 users here now

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon by AlpΓ‘r-Etele MΓ©der, licensed under CC BY 3.0

founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I'd like to install/run Kicksecure from my "EAGET USB 3.2 Solid State Pen Drive" as described here. (Im not set on Kicksecure, just read about it on privacyguides; open for suggestions! I just want something ... well secure and easy to use.

... However, my Windows PC does not recognize the USB with Debian as a bootable medium.

What I did:

  1. Download debian-live-12.5.0-amd64-xfce
  2. Flash it to USB with balenaEtcher
  3. Try to boot from it in all possible ways

I also tried other Linux distributions like Mint and Ubuntu ... nothing gets recognized on that USB, expect Tails. After it recognizes it as UEFI OS and I select Harddisk Mode.

Tails is amazing, love it! But I just don't really need Tor, and mostly I need to use an App that will simply not connect via the Tor network and cannot be configured to do so.

Thank you very much 😊

Edit: Not everything can boot on windows I guess. But in my case Ubuntu suddenly could after turning off the PC and remove it from its power source.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

omg pls do digress! like i said, im reallly open to other distros.

did try other ports.

dont have another usb. i like this one cuz its fast and i dont want to buy a new one before being sure it will work.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

As someone who does do a lot of embedded work professionally, including custom kernel development and security research, I don't think the developers of the distro really understand what they wish to accomplish. They don't understand the technologies they are working with and how it fits into a good security posture. Let me cherry pick some examples from their website:

Torified operating system (apt) upgrades

Routing your upgrades through Tor seems really silly to me. Your packages are already authenticated using strong cryptography, and if you're concerned about Debian core repositories signing packages with their keys just to target you in particular, use a mirror. There's plenty of them. Debian maintainers won't know what you're downloading, and if you fear the maintainers as part of your threat model, then perhaps a Debian-based distribution that implicitly trusts those maintainers is the wrong choice.

TCP Initial Sequence Numbers Randomization prevents TCP ISN-based CPU Information Leaks; see footnote.

Okay... that seems rather contrived. They don't cite any sources, and I've never heard of this being a security concern.

Better encryption is achieved via preinstalled random number generators.

Woah, "better" encryption! That's a pretty extreme claim without establishing that there's anything wrong with how Linux already generates random numbers, which has been extensively studied and attacked. I'd be way more shy of their tweaks introducing security bugs. Do not get creative with cryptography.

I can't take their work seriously, I'm sorry. It sounds like a lot of hope and not a whole lot of experience.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

if you fear the maintainers as a part of your theat model

At that point just install gentoo

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago

TCP Initial Sequence Numbers Randomization prevents TCP ISN-based CPU Information Leaks;

Seems to be related to this: https://github.com/Kicksecure/tirdad

Although it looks like it's literally just slightly possible to leak the load on the system. It's hard to pull off, and isn't precise enough to leak anything important.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Appreciate it a lot, thanks. What Distro would you recommend running from a USB?

Beside security concerns about stuff that I don't understand, my only real needs are:

  • Kleopatra (to generate keys and passwords my Windows will never know about)
  • And this fucking App that will not connect to the internet on Tails.
[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Security is really hard. The most vulnerable part of any computer system is you, the user. Even a 100% secure computer can still be attacked if you can fool the user into approving malicious activity.

I struggle to recommend something specific, but I do recommend arming yourself with knowledge about security, what it means, and what you hope to achieve with it. Use things that have lots of eyes on them that get attention from security experts, such as popular distributions with good reputations. A vanilla Debian system, Ubuntu, or Linux Mint are going to be extremely secure out of the box, but even then I rather have a smart user in front of an unpatched Windows machine with no antivirus than an uneducated user on Tails.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

like i said, i tried mint, does not work from that stick, only tails works. what i want to achieve is not much:

  • create files that i cannot decrypt in my windows, even if i have the keys or the password, which i both dont have. (already done in tails)
  • run this one single app on a secure usb, so when my windows or phone have a virus/stolen/lost, this app is not there and not in danger.
[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I'm sorry but I'm not sure how to help further because I don't know enough about how tails booting is different from how Mint boots.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago

ok, appreciate your time and insight. thanks!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

ah crazy, i made it work with Ubuntu 22.04.4 LTS!

For some reason i had to unplug the PC before restarting. Then it got found as UEFI and could boot.

The full installation on the USB was a bit dirty, as i put the Live Ubuntu in a Virtual Machine and installed it from there. So i typed the full disk encryption and login passwords in Windows ... but I wont be too paranoid about that one now πŸ˜…

[–] [email protected] 2 points 8 months ago

Look into Windows Fast Startup I think that was the cause. (It will bug you in the future if you want to dual boot linux)