Do you know you can use a USB stick or DVD to anonymize, encrypt, and hide everything you actually do on a computer? Yes, it is possible, and the answer is Tails Live Operating System. Tails is a Debian-based Open Source live operating system allowing users to “browse without leaving a trace”.
This live operating system can be started on almost any computer simply from a DVD, USB stick, or SD card. In this write-up, we aim to list out the features of Tails; this will help an end number of readers understand how Tails’ live operating system powers them to perform secure and anonymous browsing.
Tails Live Operating System
The core purpose of Tails’ live operating system is that it is immensely secure. It is a live OS with many security features that help the user protect their privacy and anonymity. Tails uses untraceable Internet connectivity through Tor and I2P networks; this allows a user to have secret live sessions anywhere and on any computer without anyone knowing about it.
To create live sessions, the user must make a LiveCD or Flash drive of Tails. Post this; they need to plug it and boot on any PC. Once the user is done with the live session with Tails live operating system, this software automatically wipes out all the information about the browsing session, which means it doesn’t leave any trace about the session on the host PC.
Many online tasks demand secure environments. With Tails live sessions, the user can perform business work, make online payments, and shop without any privacy and security issues.
Tails OS security features
- Total network protection
Tails’ live operating system upholds the anonymity and privacy of its users by allowing all internet connections through the Tor network only. Any unknown connection coming to the Tails network is immediately blocked, as all internet connections in Tails go through the Tor network. Users are totally protected from any type of network monitoring done by websites.
- Option to connect to I2P network
Tails live operating system also allows the user to choose to communicate through I2P (Invisible Internet Project) networks. These I2P networks also enable anonymous web surfing, chatting, and other communications over the Internet.
- Encrypted communications
Communications to most of the websites involve encryption. This is done with the use of HTTPS protocol.
- Encrypt your USB sticks and external hard drives
Encrypt your USB sticks and external hard drives with tails. The software uses Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) algorithm for encryption.
- Persistent storage feature
Tails live operating system also offers a provision for Persistent storage feature on live USB; this allows users to store their important apps and personal data on it. The user can also save important documents across multiple live sessions.
- Fearless browsing
Tails live session powers you to browse fearlessly. Perform any business task or online shopping without any fear of being monitored.
- Block websites or scripts
Tor network automatically notifies the users you about any website trying to collect personal data while browsing the internet. The user can immediately block that particular script or even the website.
- Highly flexible
Tails’ live system is highly flexible, allowing the user to create secure live sessions on almost any PC and almost everywhere.
Tails live operating system is designed to create multiple live sessions on any PC. The best part about this software is that the OS underlying the host PC cannot track the activities on Tails.
Tails is one of the most secure ways to communicate online and maintain anonymity and confidentiality. With Tails relay your internet connection through the Tor network and become untraceable. You can read more about it on their website.
So, why not just use the Tor browser? Reading on the web site reveals that this is just a portable OS that allows you to access the Tor network. Any Windows based apps one has installed won’t work on this system until after you reboot to get rid of it.
Seems like a lot of work to get something that is no better than simply using the Tor browser and network. A BIG “meh!” from me.
You dont think microsoft tracks everything you do when using windows even if you use Tor? You don’t think google tracks everything you do if you have used google chrome just once, even if you use Tor? You don’t think the NSA or other nefarious agency could track everything on you’re computer even with tor? Tor browser just covers internet browsing traffic, tails covers everything. So if you say, wanted to send bitcoin from your hardware wallet to an online wallet, normally your ip and other metadata would get loaded on the blockchain for that transaction. But tails would give a fake ip and other metadata, because tails obfuscates that connection metadata.