Most Popular Linux Distributions For Anonymity in 2024

A Linux distribution, or “distro,” is a version of the open-source operating system packaged with other components that help people use it for particular purposes. Many people in internet, surfing to deep web and dark web using linux for hide identity and protect his data .

Here are three of the most popular options to consider using for hide your identity like a anonymous.

1. Tails

The Amnesic Incognito Live System (Tails) is a Debian-based live DVD/USB with the goal of providing complete Internet anonymity for the user. The product ships with several Internet applications, including web browser, IRC client, mail client and instant messenger, all pre-configured with security in mind and with all traffic anonymised. To achieve this, Incognito uses the Tor network to make Internet traffic very hard to trace.

Tails is designed to hide your identity.

But some of your activities could reveal your identity:

• Sharing files with metadata, such as date, time, location, and device information
• Using Tails for more than one purpose at a time

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

Tails can safely run on a computer that has a virus.

But Tails cannot always protect you when:

• Installing from an infected computer
• Running Tails on a computer with a compromised BIOS, firmware, or hardware

Hardware requirements

• A USB stick of 8 GB minimum or a recordable DVD.

          All the data on this USB stick or DVD will be lost when installing Tails.

• The ability to start from a USB stick or a DVD reader.
• A 64-bit x86-64 compatible processor:
• IBM PC compatible but not PowerPC nor ARM.
• Tails works on some older Mac computers with an Intel processor.
• Tails does not work on newer Mac computers with an Apple processor (M1 or M2).
• Tails does not work on 32-bit computers since Tails 3.0 (June 2017).
• Tails does not work on phone or tablets.
• 2 GB of RAM to work smoothly.

        Tails can work with less than 2 GB RAM but might behave strangely or crash.

Download Tails

2. Whonix

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.

Whonix is an anonymous operating system that runs like an app and routes all Internet traffic through the Tor anonymity network. It offers privacy protection and anonymity online and is available for all major operating systems.

Whonix defeats common attacks while maintaining usability. Online anonymity and censorship circumvention is attainable via fail-safe, automatic and desktop-wide use of the Tor network. This helps to protect from traffic analysis by bouncing communications around a distributed network of relays run by global volunteers. Without advanced, end-to-end, netflow correlation attacks, an adversary watching an Internet connection cannot easily determine the sites visited, and those sites cannot discover the user's physical location.

Whonix uses an extensively security reconfigured of the Debian base (Kicksecure™ Hardened). It consists of two virtual machines -- Whonix-Gateway and Whonix-Workstation -- which are designed to be used on a supported host OS (Host Operating System Selection). The host OS supporting Whonix is usually the one installed on the user's computer, but OSes installed on external drives will also work (USB Installation). Users choose the preferred Whonix configuration and may use either a Type I hypervisor (Qubes-Whonix™), or a Type II hypervisor like KVM and VirtualBox.

This architecture provides a substantial layer of protection from malware and IP leaks. Applications are pre-installed and configured with safe defaults to make them ready for use with minimal user input. The user may install custom applications or personalize their desktop without fear of information leaks that could lead to de-anonymization. Whonix is the only actively developed OS designed to be run inside a VM and paired with Tor. Though technically a "desktop" operating system, the security and anonymity tools Whonix provides also make it ideally suited for hosting secure and anonymous onion services.

By helping users run applications anonymously Whonix aims to preserve privacy and anonymity. A web browser, IRC client, office suite, and more come pre-configured with security in mind. Internet traffic by Whonix is all routed through the Tor anonymity network.

Whonix is Freedom Software and is based on Kicksecure The Web ArchiveOnion Version (security-focused Linux Distribution), Tor, Debian GNU/Linux, and the principle of security by isolation.

Download Whonix

3. Qubes-OS

Qubes OS is a free and open-source, security-oriented operating system for single-user desktop computing. Qubes OS leverages Xen-based virtualization to allow for the creation and management of isolated compartments called qubes. These qubes, which are implemented as virtual machines (VMs). This allows each component of the operating system to be isolated from other pieces, preenting compromises from spreading or information from leaking.

System requirements :

Minimum

• CPU: 64-bit Intel or AMD processor (also known as x86_64, x64, and AMD64)
• Intel VT-x with EPT or AMD-V with RVI
• Intel VT-d or AMD-Vi (also known as AMD IOMMU)

• Memory: 6 GB RAM

• Storage: 32 GB free space

Recommended

• CPU: 64-bit Intel or AMD processor (also known as x86_64, x64, and AMD64)
• Intel VT-x with EPT or AMD-V with RVI
• Intel VT-d or AMD-Vi (also known as AMD IOMMU)

• Memory: 16 GB RAM

• Storage: 128 GB free space
• High-speed solid-state drive strongly recommended

• Graphics: Intel integrated graphics processor (IGP) strongly recommended
• Nvidia GPUs may require significant troubleshooting
• AMD GPUs have not been formally tested, but Radeons (especially RX580 and earlier) generally work well

• Peripherals: A non-USB keyboard or multiple USB controllers

• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) with proper BIOS support (required for Anti Evil Maid)

Download Qubes OS