I just stumbled through Tails and I thoughts that I'd share with you, my readers. Sorry about not much recent updates on the blog but I was sick with a flu and this was around for a while, so. But it's over now and I'm back. So what is Tails all about? It is a basically an Operating system with preinstalled software, which you'll install on an USB stick and you can use it when you're at a shared computer etc. where you need a privacy. Tails is a Private OS on USB stick.
Shut down the computer and start on your Tails USB stick instead of starting on Windows, macOS, or Linux. Tails leaves no trace on the computer when shut down. Tails is Free software destined to free and independent security researches, and it's based on Debian GNU/Linux.
Who would use Tails?
- Journalists use Tails to hide their identities, avoid censorship, and communicate securely.
- People who need extra privacy in this digital world.
At first boot, you choose your language. You can create your persistent storage later if you want. Don't have to do it immediately when first starting Tail OS.
You can create a persistent storage which can be used by you to store some settings, files etc. But the storage is encrypted and when you stop Tails, the storage is locked.
Tails uses the Tor network because it is the strongest and most popular network to protect from surveillance and censorship.
The network connection
Usually, everything is seamless, but if you run into problems you can try to:
Use an Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi if possible. Wired interfaces work much more reliably than Wi-Fi in Tails.
Share the Wi-Fi or mobile data connection of your phone using a USB cable. Sharing a connection this way is called USB tethering.
Installation of Tails
The documentation recommends rufus like software to create your USB stick. People using other software for creating bootable sticks can probably keep their choice, but I do like rufus too.
Screenshot from Tails homepage. Follow the installation instructions from here.
Limitations of the security protection:
Quote:
Tails uses the Tor network because it is the strongest and most popular network to protect from surveillance and censorship.
But Tor has limitations if you are concerned about:
Hiding that you are using Tor and Tails
Protecting your online communications from determined, skilled attackers
Screenshot from the lab. There is all necessary storage pre-installed.
Lab Test
FYI, I tested in in my lab with VMware Workstation. All you need to do to test it by yourself, you need to:
- create a VM (W7 for example)
- Use PLOP boot manager (plbt.iso) to boot this VM and THEN connect the USB stick (otherwise you won't have enough time to press the option to boot from USB.
- Boot the VM.
Then boot Tails….. -:)
Wrap Up
I hope you enjoyed the post. I think this is a great value in this tool. Having your own OS on-the-go which is secure, stable, with pre-installed software, and also light weight, is important. You'll need 8Gb USB stick, a 64-bit IBM PC compatible processor. (does not work on ARM or Power PC machines). Tails also does not work on 32bit computers (since tails 3.0 – June 2017). You only need 2 Gb of RAM which is really nothing.
Enjoy -:)
Tails home page here.
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