SentinelOne, an American cybersecurity firm, released a report earlier this month detailing the discovery of a hacker group called ModifiedElephant, which has been active for over a decade and allegedly planted incriminating evidence on the personal devices of Indian journalists, human rights activists, academics, and lawyers.
Is there, however, an operating system (OS) that can assist journalists in staying secure when traversing the internet and communicating with sources? Can it help activists and journalists maintain their anonymity when they go online? What about politicians who are concerned about cyber espionage from competing interests?
Tails, which stands for The Amnesic Incognito Live System, is an open-source operating system with a focus on security and privacy.
It is based on the Debian Linux system and was famously used to communicate with journalists and documentary filmmakers by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.
Suppose someone believes they are under attack from malevolent actors with significant resources, such as states and state-aligned entities. In that case, Tails OS could be the first step in defending their digital activity.
Unlike Windows and Mac OS, Linux is not created by a single organization.
A Linux distribution, also known as a distro, is an operating system that combines the Linux kernel (the computer software at the heart of the operating system) with various programs and applications that are suited to a specific use case.
Other popular operating systems that use the Linux kernel include Ubuntu, Manjaro, Linux Mint, and Pop! OS.
Tails operate on a straightforward premise: they are intended to be booted from a flash drive each time used. Tails can be used to operate a computer and connect to the internet without jeopardizing the user’s identity or data.
Tails runs independently of the operating system installed on a computer and do not utilize the hard disc. It also does not store any data, which might make it extremely difficult and inconvenient to use for most individuals. In theory, it can safeguard users even if the system is compromised.
Here’s a closer look at the Tails operating system and how to install it safely on any USB flash drive.
What is Tails? What are its features?
Tails was first launched in 2009 and has received financial assistance from the Tor project since its inception.
Other supporters include the United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, the Mozilla Foundation, and DuckDuckGo, an alternative search engine. By default, the operating system directs all internet traffic through the Tor network, a free worldwide volunteer network that obfuscates online activities through a network of relays.
When you use the Tor network to access the internet, your data is encrypted and routed through three relays. The first relay may know where you are seeking information from, but it has no idea where you are accessing it or what it is.
The second relay will not know from where you request information, but it will know from where you access it. The link to the final destination is frequently encrypted to prevent the relay from reading it.
When you boot Tails from a USB flash drive, your machine is momentarily transformed into a secure device, assuming you followed the proper steps to obtain Tails in the first place. Because it does not use the computer’s storage and instead operates off the flash drive and the computer’s memory, it contains a function called Amnesia that deletes all data whenever you exit the OS.
In essence, each time you log in, you begin with a blank slate. This is not to mean that every time you use the operating system, you will lose all of your information and storage.
It also includes a feature called persistent storage, which allows you to use the extra space available on the flash drive with the OS to save files and configuration indefinitely. By default, the operating system encrypts these saved files.
Tails also includes a number of open-source tools and software that can be used to operate and communicate securely, such as the Tor Browser with an integrated ad blocker, Thunderbird, an email client that encrypts emails, KeePassXC, a password manager, and OnionShare, which can be used to share files over Tor.
Tails require either an empty flash drive or an empty DVD with at least 8GB of free space (remember that any data on them would be deleted while installing). Other requirements include a PC with at least 2GB of RAM and a processor that supports 64-bit x86-64. Please keep in mind that this may not be sufficient for some systems with Linux compatibility difficulties.
How to make sure you have the safe version of Tails?
The first thing you should know before using Tails is that, while it is highly secure and anonymous compared to other operating systems, it is not impenetrable. It is not a miracle cure. You should also conduct your own research to confirm that Tails is the best option for you.
Once you’ve made that decision, keep in mind that Tails may become compromised if you install it on a flash drive from a hacked or infected device in the first place. You could possibly be using a modified version that has been tainted by malicious actors.
This is why it is advised that you obtain Tails via copying it from someone you know and trust. However, because this is not always possible, it is critical to understand how to download and install Tails on a flash drive while using a (non-compromised and non-infected) Windows PC.
“Make sure they get Tails from the official website.” “You must also ensure that the website certificate is real and valid,” said Jean-Pierre Leseur, a cybersecurity researcher and independent programmer, to indianexpress.com.
Leseur is the original creator of the malware DarkComet, which was updated and used against Indian residents by the hacking organization ModifiedElephant. He also recommended that you thoroughly read the Tails website and related documentation to confirm that it is appropriate for your use case.
After generating the hash, compare it to the one on the page to check that they match exactly.
After checking that the hash and size of the file match those listed on the Tails website, you can proceed to install the operating system on the flash drive.
Tails recommends balenaEtcher, a free and open-source tool to flash the image file onto a pen drive.
However, because we had inconsistent results flashing with balenaEtcher, we propose Rufus, another free and open-source utility for generating bootable USB devices.
Rufus is available for download as a portable executable file from the Rufus website (Rufus.ie/en). After downloading Rufus, insert the pen drive into which you want to flash the operating system and launch Rufus.
Select the flash drive you inserted in the “Device” dropdown menu and the Tails file you wish to flash in the “Boot Selection” item in the displayed dialogue box.
On other entries, you can leave the default choice selected. Start the program.
After flashing the image file onto the USB, you now have a functioning copy of the Tails operating system.
Remove the USB from the computer, and you’re ready to boot Tails OS from any Windows PC that supports it.
Click on the start menu on the computer where you wish to boot the operating system. Then, while holding down the shift key, press Power+Restart, which will bring up a “Choose Option” prompt. Then, follow Tails’ instructions to boot the OS from the correct drive.
That’s all. Tails is now available on your computer. Of course, as previously stated, this is not software for the average person.
However, if you are concerned about threats to your online safety, this is a solution you should investigate, providing you are willing to deal with the learning curve that comes with this software.
Published By: Jaspreet Singh
Edited By: Kritika Kashyap
