Kicksecure Documentation

Kicksecure ™

Download

On Computer USB Installation Debian morph to Kicksecure Windows (VM) Linux (VM) Mac (VM) VirtualBox (VM) KVM (VM) Qubes (VM) More options Source Code

About

Overview Features Why Open Source? Project Activities Contributors Mission & Vision

Docs

Documentation FAQ Troubleshooting

Community

Forums Forum Best Practices Contribute

Support

Self Support First Policy Search Engines, Docs and AI Support (Limited) Reporting Bugs Contact (Restricted)

Tools Upload file Special pages Recent changes Print Version Page meta What links here Related changes Page information

Page Read Edit History Move Protection Unwatch Watch Delete Purge

User Preferences Watchlist Contributions Logout Create account Login

Donate

• Introduction
• About
• Based on Debian
• Documentation
• FAQ
• Advanced Documentation
• Support

This documentation is a course on security on the Internet. Kicksecure is a technological means to staying secure online, but staying safe necessitates complete behavioral change; it is a complex problem without an easy solution. The more you know, the safer you can be.

Expand all Collapse all

Kicksecure Overview

• Design and Goals
• Overview for First Time Visitors
• FAQ

• First Time Users
• Kicksecure Changelog

• Placing Trust in Kicksecure
• Privacy Goals and Non-Goals

Download Kicksecure

• Download
  • ISO
  • Debian
  • KVM
  • Qubes
  • VirtualBox
• Download Issues
• System Requirements

• Download Security
• Verifying Software Signatures
  • Download the Kicksecure Signing Key
  • Verify Kicksecure Images
    • Linux using gpg
    • Windows using Gpg4win
    • macOS using GPGTools

• VirtualBox-specific
  • Higher Screen Resolution without VirtualBox Guest Additions
  • Install the Recommended VirtualBox Version
  • Install Newer Versions of VirtualBox
  • VirtualBox Testers Only Version
  • Kicksecure does not Start

First Kicksecure Steps

• Change the System or Firefox Language
• Common Kicksecure CLI Commands
• Default Passwords

• Follow Kicksecure Developments
• Keyboard Layout
• Kicksecure APT Repository

• Network Obstacle
• Platform-specific Desktop Tips
• Secure Boot

Essential Kicksecure Security Guide

• Introduction
• Invisible Malicious Unicode Risks
• Essential Host Security
• Host Firewall
• Onionizing Repositories
• User Management
• Login Screen
• Timezone Settings

• Operating System Software and Updates
  • Point Release
  • Release Upgrade
  • Install Additional Software Safely
  • Avoid Non-Freedom Software
  • Safely Use Root Commands
  • sysmaint - System Maintenance User
  • unrestricted admin mode
  • Prevent Malware from Sniffing the Root Password
  • Defeat Login Spoofing
  • Verifying Software Signatures
• Passwords
  • KeePassXC Password Manager

• Secure Command Line / Firefox Downloads
• System Configuration and Access
  • Kicksecure on USB or other External Media
• System Hardening Checklist
  • Kicksecure for Qubes Security
• Tor Versioning
• Virtualization Platform Security
• Warnings: Kicksecure and Tor Limitations

Advanced Kicksecure Security Guide

• Introduction
• Who is an advanced user?
• Advanced Host Security
• Unprivileged User Namespace
• DNS Security

• Kernels
  • Install Newer Kernels
• Live Mode
  • Live Mode
  • Anti-forensics Precautions
  • VM Read-only Mode
• Social Engineering and (Spear) Phishing
• Network Time Synchronization

• Operating System Hardening
• Protection against Physical Attacks
• Sandboxed Application Launcher
• Enhanced Security via Mount Options and Compiler Restrictions (Planned)
• SUID Disabler and Permission Hardener
• System Audit
• systemcheck Hardening

Computer Security Education

• Introduction
• Mobile Phones Privacy and Security
• Computer Security Mental Model
• Core Dumps
• Evil Maid Attack

• Firmware Security and Updates
• General Threats to User Freedoms
• Hardware Threat Minimization
• Host Firewall Essentials
• Malware and Firmware Trojans

• Open-source Hardware
• Out-of-band Management Technology
• Router and Local Area Network Security
• TCP and ICMP Timestamps
• Two-factor Authentication (2FA)

Kicksecure Bugs and Troubleshooting

• Advice for Systems with Low RAM
• Bug Reports and Software Development
• Factory Reset

• Recovery Options
  • Compromise Recovery
  • System Recovery using SysRq Key
• Broken Boot

• Testing
  • Testers Wanted!
• Troubleshooting

Email, Chat and Communications

• Signal Messenger
• Session Messenger

Money, Filesharing and Other Services

• Cryptocurrency
  • Bitcoin Core
  • Cryptocurrency Hardware Wallet Security
  • Cryptocurrency Security Threats
  • Electrum
  • Ethereum (ETH)
  • Ledger Hardware Wallet
  • Trezor Hardware Wallet
  • Monero (XMR)

• Filesharing and Torrenting
• Secure Shell (SSH)

Browsing and Internet Connections

• Chrome
  • Google Chrome Repository Insecurity
• Chromium

• sdwdate: Secure Distributed Web Date
  • sdwdate-gui: sdwdate Graphical User Interface

• [[Gemini|Gemini (protocol) / Geminispace]

Encryption and Privacy

• Encrypted Images
• Full Disk Encryption (FDE)
  • Cold Boot Attack Defense

• OpenPGP Overview
• Text Encryption

• Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQCrypto)

Kicksecure Software Tools

• Accessibility
• Audio, Image and Video
  • VLC Media Player

• Communications
• Encryption
• Entertainment

• Miscellaneous
• Orca Screen Reader
• Work on Sensitive Documents

Kicksecure Only

• RAM Adjusted Desktop Starter
• Verify Kicksecure Images

• VirtualBox-specific
  • VirtualBox Guest Additions and Shared Folders
  • VirtualBox Troubleshooting

Kicksecure-Qubes Only

• Kicksecure-Qubes Overview

• Kicksecure-Qubes App Qube / Template Operations
  • Backup, Restore and Migrate VMs (.onion)
  • Install and Update Software in dom0 (.onion)

• Security Topics
  • Kicksecure-Qubes Security

Kicksecure Development and License

• Contributors
• Credits and other Sources

• History
• License

• Why Kicksecure is Freedom Software

Support or Contact Kicksecure

New program! Donors are now eligible to be added to a list of our donors. Find out more about our Donor Recognition Program.

• Contact
• Contribute

• Donate
• Donors Recognition

• Official Kicksecure Online Profiles and Social Media
• Support
• Utilize Search Engines and Documentation

Appendix

• Backup Kicksecure
  • MediaWiki Markup
  • MediaWiki XML
• VirtualBox Installer for Linux
• Packages for Debian Hosts

• Kicksecure Website Policies
  • Policy of Kicksecure Website and Kicksecure Chat
  • Kicksecure Policy On Non-Freedom Software
  • Kicksecure Policy On Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Wiki Comments Policy
  • Free Speech Limitations on Kicksecure Website and Kicksecure Chat
  • Transparency, Sponsors / Advertisement Policy
  • Imprint | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms of Service | E-Sign Consent | DMCA | Copyrights | Trademark Policy
• Kicksecure Website Technical
  • Kicksecure Website: Privacy Policy Technical Details
  • Force .onion on kicksecure.com
  • Kicksecure Website / Server Tests
  • Kicksecure Website API (application programmable interface)
• Kicksecure Specific
  • Kicksecure Art Gallery

Kicksecure A secure by default operating system with the latest security research in place.

Dark mode

Follow us on social media

Supported by Power Up Privacy

Kicksecure is proudly supported until 2025 by Power Up Privacy, a privacy advocacy group that seeks to supercharge privacy projects with resources so they can complete their mission of making our world a better place. (Strictly subject to our sponsorship policy.)

At Kicksecure we value freedom and trust, supporting Open Source and Freedom Software

By using this website, you acknowledge you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these agreements: Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, Cookie Policy, E-Sign Consent, DMCA, Imprint 2012- 2025 ENCRYPTED SUPPORT LLC

Your support makes
all the difference!

We believe security software like Kicksecure needs to remain Open Source and independent. Would you help sustain and grow the project? Learn more about our 13 year success story and maybe DONATE!