immutable

Kicksecure ™

Download

On Computer USB Installation Intel / AMD64 ARM64 Raspberry Pi PPC64 Windows (VM) Mac Linux (VM) VirtualBox (VM) Qubes (VM) KVM (VM) Debian morph to Kicksecure 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

• Live Mode
• ISO Live Mode
• read-only
• immutable
• Write Protection
• Grub-live
• Kicksecure on USB
• Persistent Mode

An "immutable" system is one where core parts of the system cannot be changed while it is running. In Kicksecure, this means important folders like /usr and /etc are read-only to protect the system from unwanted changes. Depending on the selected boot mode, personal files in /home may or may not be saved after shutdown. This page explains what immutability means in practice and how you can choose the right mode for your needs.

Introduction

The term "immutable" generally means that the running system cannot be altered. In technical terms, this is often achieved by using a read-only root file system. For further explanation and comparisons with other Linux distributions, see Dev/immutable.

When booting into Kicksecure live mode, the user session runs in a fully immutable (read-only) environment. System folders such as /usr, /etc, /var, /boot, and /root cannot be modified by the user account. While the /home folder is writable, all changes are stored temporarily in RAM and discarded after shutdown. In user session, the user account cannot escalate to administrative ("root") rights either.

In persistent mode, user session the system folders remain read-only for the user account, but changes made in the /home folder are saved and persist after reboot.

The GRUB boot menu allows you to choose the level of immutability. Want everything read-only? Select live mode. Need a persistent /home folder? Use persistent mode.

To make permanent changes to system folders like /usr, /etc, /var, /boot, or /root, boot into persistent mode, sysmaint session. For more details, see user-sysmaint-split.

If the user-sysmaint split does not suit your needs, consider using Unrestricted Admin Mode.

Simplified Boot Modes Comparison Table

Feature	PERSISTENT Mode (USER Session)	LIVE Mode (USER Session)	LIVE Mode (SYSMAINT Session)	PERSISTENT Mode (SYSMAINT Session)
What it’s for	Everyday use with saved personal files and settings.	Temporary use. All changes are forgotten after reboot.	Temporary system repair or maintenance.	Full access for permanent system changes.
Can change system files (like /usr, /etc)	No, read-only	No, read-only	No, read-only (temporary)	Yes, read-write
Can save files in /home (personal folder)	Yes, saved after reboot	No, temporary only	No, temporary only	Yes, saved after reboot

Advanced users, developers can also have a look at the more complex Boot Modes Comparison Table.

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 2026 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!