Kicksecure ™ for VirtualBox with XFCE
From Whonix
< Kicksecure
Kicksecure ™: A Security-hardened, Non-anonymous Linux Distribution.
1. Download Kicksecure ™ XFCE for Windows , MacOS
and Linux
FREE
By downloading, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed to our Terms of Service and License Agreement.
Version: 15.0.1.5.4
Type | Connection | Link | Download Security without Verification |
Download Security with Verification |
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Verify images using this Signing Key |
Verify the Kicksecure ™ Images Whonix ™ virtual machine images are cryptographically signed by Whonix developer Patrick Schleizer using OpenPGP. [2]
Digital signatures can increase security but this requires knowledge. Learn more about digital software signature verification.
If you know how to use an OpenPGP key, download the Whonix ™ Signing Key and the Whonix ™ signatures straight away.
Otherwise, use the following instructions:
2. Install VirtualBox
- Windows
, Mac
: Download VirtualBox
[archive] and install.
- Linux
: please press expand on the right side.
Hosts using a non-Debian OS:
Install VirtualBox as per the normal mechanism for your Linux distribution.
Debian hosts:
These instructions are for Debian buster
, which is recommended. Other Debian releases might work, but this is untested. In that case, replace buster
with the actual codename your release.
Note: this applies to Kicksecure ™ 15
. Later Kicksecure ™ versions may use a codename different to buster
.
Package virtualbox
[archive] should be installed from Debian unstable (codename: sid
). This is non-ideal but required since VirtualBox in unavailable in Debian buster
/ buster-backports
at the time of writing. It has risks such as bricking the apt package manager. Therefore users should make sure to have their backup and restore process functional. Alternativly you could install from Oracle Repository but this comes with different risks.
1. On the host.
Open a terminal.
2. Add Debian stable codename buster
to the apt-conf
default-release.
sudo su -c "echo -e 'APT::Default-Release buster;' > /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/70defaultrelease"
3. Add Debian sid
to Debian apt sources.
sudo su -c "echo -e 'deb http://http.debian.net/debian sid main contrib non-free' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unstable.list"
4. Update the package lists.
sudo apt-get update
5. Install the selected software.
sudo apt-get install virtualbox/sid linux-headers-$(uname -r)
The procedure is now complete.
6. Undo.
On occasion it is necessary to undo this configuration, for example when upgrading from Debian buster
to bullseye
. [4] To proceed, run.
sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unstable.list
3. Import Kicksecure ™ into VirtualBox
For Kicksecure ™ VirtualBox import instructions, please press on expand on the right.
Click on File then choose Import Appliance...
Navigate and select Kicksecure ™ image and press next
Do NOT change anything! Just click on Import
Wait until Whonix-Gateway.ova
has been imported
Miscellaneous
There are also Video Tutorials.
If you still need help, please check the Support page.
For command line import instructions, see footnote. [5]
4. Start Kicksecure ™
Starting Kicksecure ™ is simple.
Start VirtualBox
→ Double-click the Kicksecure ™
.
Footnotes and Experimental Spectre / Meltdown Defenses
Please press on expand on the right.
Kicksecure Stable Version | Kicksecure Testers Only Version
Testers only! For more information please press on expand on the right.
These experimental [archive] Spectre/Meltdown defenses are related to issues outlined in Firmware Security and Updates. Due to the huge performance penalty and unclear security benefits of applying these changes, it may not be worth the effort. The reason is VirtualBox is still likely vulnerable, even after:
- A host microcode upgrade.
- A host kernel upgrade.
- A VM kernel upgrade.
- A "not vulnerable" result from spectre-meltdown-checker run on the host.
- Installation of the latest VirtualBox version. [6]
- All Spectre/Meltdown-related VirtualBox settings are tuned for better security as documented below.
To learn more, see: VirtualBox 5.2.18 vulnerable to spectre/meltdown despite microcode being installed [archive] and the associated VirtualBox forum discussion [archive]. [7] Users must patiently wait for VirtualBox developers to fix this bug.
On the host. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --ibpb-on-vm-entry o VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --ibpb-on-vm-exit on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --l1d-flush-on-vm-entry on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --l1d-flush-on-sched on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --spec-ctrl on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --nestedpaging off VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --mds-clear-on-vm-entry on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Gateway" --mds-clear-on-sched on
VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --ibpb-on-vm-entry on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --ibpb-on-vm-exit on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --l1d-flush-on-vm-entry on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --l1d-flush-on-sched on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --spec-ctrl on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --nestedpaging off VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --mds-clear-on-vm-entry on VBoxManage modifyvm "Whonix-Workstation" --mds-clear-on-sched on
These steps must be repeated for every Whonix or non-Whonix VirtualBox VM, including multiple and custom VMs.
The above instructions only apply to the default VM names Whonix-Gateway ™ and Whonix-Workstation ™. Therefore, if Multiple Whonix-Workstation ™ and/or Multiple Whonix-Gateway ™ are configured, then repeat these instructions using the relevant name/s.
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ It does not matter if the bulk download is done over an insecure channel if software signature verification is used at the end.
- ↑ OpenPGP is a standard for data encryption that provides cryptographic privacy and authentication through the use of keys owned by its users.
- ↑ Or alternatively use the .onion mirror.
sudo su -c "echo -e 'deb tor+http://vwakviie2ienjx6t.onion/debian sid main contrib non-free' > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/unstable.list"
- ↑ Most often this step applies before attempting major Kicksecure ™ upgrades; upgrade instructions are also made available at that time (see stay tuned).
- ↑
For Linux:
Read License Agreement.
vboxmanage import Kicksecure-XFCE-15.0.0.0.6.ova --vsys 0 --eula show --vsys 1 --eula show
vboxmanage import Kicksecure-XFCE-15.0.0.0.6.ova --vsys 0 --eula accept --vsys 1 --eula accept
- ↑
VirtualBox version
5.2.18
or above is required since only that version comes with Spectre/Meltdown defenses. See https://forums.whonix.org/t/whonix-vulerable-due-to-missing-processor-microcode-packages/5739/22 [archive]. - ↑ Also see the following Whonix forum discussion: Whonix vulerable due to missing processor microcode packages? spectre / meltdown / retpoline / L1 Terminal Fault (L1TF) [archive]
- ↑
--ibpb-on-vm-[enter|exit] on|off: Enables flushing of the indirect branch prediction buffers on every VM enter or exit respectively. This could be enabled by users overly worried about possible spectre attacks by the VM. Please note that these options may have sever impact on performance.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html [archive]There is a mistake in the VirtualBox manual stating
enter
which does not work. It is actuallyentry
. - ↑
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html [archive]
--l1d-flush-on-vm-enter on|off: Enables flushing of the level 1 data cache on VM enter. See Section 13.4.1, “CVE-2018-3646”.
- ↑
--l1d-flush-on-sched on|off: Enables flushing of the level 1 data cache on scheduling EMT for guest execution. See Section 13.4.1, “CVE-2018-3646 [archive]”.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html [archive] - ↑
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch13.html#sec-rec-cve-2018-3646 [archive]
For users not concerned by this security issue, the default mitigation can be disabled using
VBoxManage modifyvm name --l1d-flush-on-sched off
Since we want to enable the security feature we set
--l1d-flush-on-sched on
. - ↑
--spec-ctrl on|off: This setting enables/disables exposing speculation control interfaces to the guest, provided they are available on the host. Depending on the host CPU and workload, enabling speculation control may significantly reduce performance.
https://www.virtualbox.org/manual/ch08.html [archive] - ↑
According to this VirtualBox ticket [archive]
--spec-ctrl
should be set toon
. - ↑
--nestedpaging on|off: If hardware virtualization is enabled, this additional setting enables or disables the use of the nested paging feature in the processor of your host system; see Section 10.7, “Nested paging and VPIDs” and Section 13.4.1, “CVE-2018-3646”.
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