Introduction[edit]

Kicksecure ™ is a free and open-source (non-anonymous) Linux distribution that aims to provide a highly secure computing environment. It has been developed from the ground up according to a formidable -- and time proven -- defense in-depth security design. In the default configuration, Kicksecure ™ provides superior layered defenses of protection from many types of Malware.

Kicksecure ™ is a complete desktop operating system designed. Numerous applications come pre-installed with safe defaults which can be used immediately upon installation with minimal user input.

Design[edit]

Usability by Default[edit]

While developed with security-focused design goals, Kicksecure ™ remains highly flexible. The layered approach to security allows applications to retain usability. Kicksecure ™ can be used for everyday "general-purpose computing" or for more risky activities that require a highly advanced security-centric platform. Since Kicksecure ™ is Freedom Software users may install any application of their choosing -- no restrictions are placed on how Kicksecure ™ can be used, customized or modified.

Based on Debian[edit]

In simple terms, Kicksecure ™ is a collection of configuration files and scripts. Based on Debian, anything possible in "vanilla" Debian GNU/Linux can be replicated in Kicksecure ™. Likewise, most problems and questions can be solved in the same way. For example, "How do I install OpenVPN in Kicksecure ™?" would be answered with "The same way as in Debian; apt-get install openvpn".

Based on Freedom Software[edit]

Many people wonder why developers would spend countless hours of their own time to build an operating system and then give it away. Kicksecure ™ developers believe it is immoral to benefit from those Free ^[archive] / Freedom Software components and give back nothing to the community. We stand on the shoulders of giants. Kicksecure ™ and many other Libre software projects are only made possible because people invested time in writing code and kept it accessible for the public's benefit. Of course, a lot of us just find it great fun.

Releases[edit]

Kicksecure ™ Version[edit]

Each Kicksecure ™ release is based on a particular version of Debian:

Kicksecure ™ version	Debian Version	Debian Codename
Kicksecure ™ 16	11	`bullseye` ^[archive]

Release Schedule[edit]

Kicksecure ™ does not have a fixed release schedule. A new stable release only becomes available when it is deemed ready.

Support Schedule[edit]

Table: Kicksecure ™ Support Schedule

Release	Description
New Debian Release	One month after a new stable version of Debian is released, Kicksecure ™ VMs may no longer be supported on any older version of Debian. All users must upgrade the Debian platform promptly after the deprecation notice in order to use Kicksecure ™ safely.
New Kicksecure ™ Release	One month after a new stable version of Kicksecure ™ is released, older versions will no longer be supported. All users must upgrade the Kicksecure ™ platform promptly in order to remain safe.
Deprecation Notices	The deprecation notice is provided at least one month in advance and posted in the Whonix.org news forum ^[archive]. Stay Tuned! All users must upgrade the respective platform promptly in order to remain safe.

FAQ[edit]

Is Kicksecure ™ an Anonymity Distribution like Whonix?[edit]

While Kicksecure ™ and Whonix ™ share the whonix.org website, Kicksecure ™ is a security-focused operating system not a security and anonymity-focused operating system like Whonix ™. Kicksecure ™ may be hosted on its own URL once a sizable user population emerges and/or additional resources become available for development.

Table: Kicksecure ™ vs. Whonix ™ Comparison

	Kicksecure ™	Whonix ™
Based On	Debian ^[1]	Tor, Kicksecure ™ and Virtualizer ^[2]
Security Focus	Yes ^[3]	Yes ^[4]
Online Anonymity	Maybe ^[5]	Yes ^[6]
Freedom Software	100%	100%
Usability	High ^[7]	Moderate ^[8]

What's Next?[edit]

Learning more about Kicksecure ™ will allow you to leverage the numerous security enhancements to their fullest potential.

TODO:

Warning page
Features and Advantages
Finalize the FAQ
Installation Guidelines

Footnotes[edit]

↑ And Virtualizer when run inside VM. At the time of writing (November 2019), Kicksecure ™ ™ is supported in VirtualBox and KVM with and Qubes support is expected in the future.
↑ Whonix-Workstation ™: Other operating systems are also supported. With respect to Whonix-Gateway ™, developers are agnostic about supporting any other secure distributions. Of course another operating system could be used as the base, but it requires significant effort.
↑ By design.
↑ By design. Whonix ™ is an security AND anonymity focused operating system based on Kicksecure ™.
↑ With Tor Browser installed. It can also be used as a custom Whonix-Workstation ™.
↑ Anonymity by design.
↑ Usability by design.
↑ Based on Tor which increases complexity and can decrease usability in some areas. (Anonymity vs. Usability trade-off).