Whonix is an operating system focused on anonymity, privacy and security. It is based on the Tor anonymity network, Debian GNU/Linux and security by isolation. Whonix consists of two parts: One solely runs Tor and acts as a gateway, which is called Whonix-Gateway. The other, which is called Whonix-Workstation, is on a completely isolated network. Only connections through Tor are possible. With Whonix, you can use applications and run servers anonymously over the Internet. DNS leaks are impossible, and even malware with root privileges cannot find out the user's real IP.
To compare the software in this project to the software available in other distributions, please see our Compare Packages page.
Notes: In case where multiple versions of a package are shipped with a distribution, only the default version appears in the table. For indication about the GNOME version, please check the "nautilus" and "gnome-shell" packages. The Apache web server is listed as "httpd" and the Linux kernel is listed as "linux". The KDE desktop is represented by the "plasma-desktop" package and the Xfce desktop by the "xfdesktop" package.
Colour scheme:green text = latest stable version, red text = development or beta version. The function determining beta versions is not 100% reliable due to a wide variety of versioning schemes.
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Easy setup if ever used any type of virtual machine before. Semi-easy if never have. Very secure, encrypt drive then use this for security. Safer to me then Tails as Tails does not protect against malware showing true IP or important info. Whonix does help protect against that. More jumps in Tor router, four instead of three. Easy to load clean save on VB in case need open file.
Sorry English not very well yet. Great OS for Tor use, world spying getting worse with continued wars. We need more safer ways to learn news and speak. Thank Whonix for making this.
Whonix seems to be one of the most full proof (and foolproof) ways of ensuring that ALL network connections are TORified. No leaks possible if you set it up and use it correctly. And even though it may not be as beginner friendly as it could be, I don't know of a simpler way to accomplish this.
It's not perfect, and to their credit, they go into great detail explaining all of it's faults in the documentation, which is superb, BTW. I've learned a lot about privacy and security by reading Whonix documentation. It's eye-opening, to say the least!
If you find the installation to be a pain, you might consider taking a look at QubesOS. I won't try to explain QubesOS here, except to say that it allows you to run Whonix on a Xen Hypervisor, out of the box. Some might find it easier to set up and configure QubesOS than Whonix on bare metal.
A fantastically secure system according to reviews I read, from the tech press - ten out of ten for that.
Points off overall, though, because it is still a bit of a challenge for beginners, like me.
Installed about a dozen different Linux systems over the years.
In this case you're installing three different systems - the host (I'm using Kicksecure), the Whonix "Gateway" and the Whonixt "Workstation". All three will need updating and upgrading after installation, starting with host.
In my experience, Kicksecure installed (relatively) easily, as did updates and upgrades. Installing the Whonix gateway and workstation is as easy as one link pasted into a terminal. And yes, you'll be using the terminal. My first installation via TOR produced errors and from what I (finally) read in the documentation, far easier to delete faulty Whonix from VirtualBox than attempt to fix via fsck manual, for example.
So I did that, and then redownloaded Whonix via plain net (not TOR) and twice got download errors. Gave it one more try and bingo, third times the charm. Not so good for those in remote low/slow net areas and do not have unlimited data.
To check each installation, your friend is System check, which will advise if there are any updates to run, and how to run them.
Click on the programmes button top left to access system > system check
Skill level - if you don't know what a Windows update alert is, or what it looks like, or ever clicked an update until forced to, then Whonix is a whole other level of confusion and most likely not for you! Unless you've got a week or so set aside and are willing to read literally dozens of help topics.
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