WHONIX OS

Content
 Introduction
 Why WHONIX
 Structure of WHONIX
 Pros
 Cons
 Applications
 Conclusion

Introduction
 WHONIX aims at preserving your privacy and anonymity
by helping you use your applications anonymously. A web
browser, IRC client, word processor and more pre-
configured with security in mind.
 It is a complete operating system designed to be used
inside a host operating system. It is Free Software and
based on Tor, <<vanilla>>Debian GNU/Linux and security by
isolation.

Why WHONIX?
Security by Isolation
 Two parts:
 Whonix Workstation – Working with applications
 Whonix Gateway – Routing via Tor

Cont…
Anonymity online through Tor
 Whonix relies on the Tor network to protect your
anonymity online
 All connections are either forced through it or blocked.
 Tor protects by bouncing communications around a
distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around
the world.

Cont…
Based on Debian
 To oversimplify it: Whonix is just a collection of
configuration files and scripts.
 Anything you can do with “vanilla” Debian GNU/Linux, you
can do with Whonix.
 Whonix doesn’t break anything and doesn’t stop you from
using anything you want.
 Ex. Installing xrandr

Structure of WHONIX
 Distributed as:
 Gateway
 Workstation
 Virtualization engine
 VirtualBox
 VM runs a check to ensure – software & date and time is up to date

Cont…
 Workstation
 Connected to the gateway
 Security by isolation
 Tor artefacts – xchat,
torchat, gpg encryption,
bitcoin software etc.
 Gateway
 Routing all internet
traffic through Tor
 Not recommended to use
for anything else than a
gateway

Cont…
 User applications therefore have no knowledge of the
user’s “real” IP address, nor do they have access to any
information about the physical hardware.
 In order to obtain such information , an application would
have to find a way “break out” of VirtualBox, or to
subvert the Gateway.

Cont…
 The Gateway VM
 Running Tor
 Virtual network interfaces
 One of it is connected to outside Internet on VM Host (Tor relays)
 Other connected to virtual LAN (Runs inside host)
 The Workstation VM
 Running user applications
 Internal virtual LAN communicate with Gateway
 Forces all traffic coming from workstation to pass through Tor
 Workstation VM can “see” only IP addresses on the Internal LAN

Cont…
 The web browser pre-installed in the Workstation VM is
the modified version of Mozilla Firefox provided by the
Tor as part of its Tor browser package.
 This Browser has been changed to reduce the amount of
system specific information leaked to Web servers.

Pros.
 All applications, including those, which do not support
proxy settings, will be routed through Tor
 Java / Javascript / flash / Browser Plugins /
misconfigured applications cannot leak your real external
IP
 Hide your IP address
 Prevent your ISP from spying on you
 Prevent websites from identifying you

Cont…
 Prevent malware from identifying you
 Whonix does even protect against root exploits(Malware
with root rights) on the workstation
 Best possible Protocol-Leak-Protection and
Fingerprinting-Protection
 Circumvent censorship

Cons…
 Whonix is produced independently from the Tor
anonymity software and carries no guarantee from the
Tor Project about quality, suitability or anything else.

Cont…
 Privacy & Security

Conclusion
 A free and open Operating System
 An anti-censorship tool
 The first step among many in hiding your identity
 The best thing to hide your identity
 A complete operating system designed to be used inside
host operating system.
 It is free software and based on Tor, Debian GNU/Linux
and security by isolation

Footnotes/References
 https://techrepublic.com/blog/smb-technologist
 https://www.whonix.org/wiki/About
 https://www.torproject.org/about/overview.html.en
 https://anonymous-proxy-servers.net/forum

WHONIX OS

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WHONIX OS