Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
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- overkill22
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Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
I'd like to hear your opinion for a linux distro that is light (must be installed on a USB <8GB), and secure.
I'll need to save some files and install a couple of small programs, so it can't be a live cd.
I don't need to connect to internet while using this distro.
Reading I came accross to Discreete Linux, but the project and the twitter account seems inactive since dec 2016.
Edit: should be supported by an active community and developer for the security updates and etc
Do you have anything to suggest and why?
I'll need to save some files and install a couple of small programs, so it can't be a live cd.
I don't need to connect to internet while using this distro.
Reading I came accross to Discreete Linux, but the project and the twitter account seems inactive since dec 2016.
Edit: should be supported by an active community and developer for the security updates and etc
Do you have anything to suggest and why?
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
- overkill22
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Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
Why?
It reminds me of lubuntu when it first came out...
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
well - - I've had both anti-X & LM xfce on some older PCs
and the anti-X did seem to be the better system.
but, on those older PCs it was always the CPU that was the determining issue.
- you can do most things on them, not the YouTube thing, which was always what they wanted to so.
at least, that's been my experience, so far.
BTW: the main reason that I've gotten involved, was because they complained that win-xp was too slow
of course it was - - SP3 was the issue, and there was never an hardware upgrade to match the software upgrade.
& that 1Gb ram is great - - most of these PCs have 512Mb of ram or even 256mb ram
and the anti-X did seem to be the better system.
but, on those older PCs it was always the CPU that was the determining issue.
- you can do most things on them, not the YouTube thing, which was always what they wanted to so.
at least, that's been my experience, so far.
BTW: the main reason that I've gotten involved, was because they complained that win-xp was too slow
of course it was - - SP3 was the issue, and there was never an hardware upgrade to match the software upgrade.
& that 1Gb ram is great - - most of these PCs have 512Mb of ram or even 256mb ram
Please edit your original post title to include [SOLVED] - when your problem is solved!
and DO LOOK at those Unanswered Topics - - you may be able to answer some!.
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
In terms of Poker ....
" I'll see that anti-x and raise you MX-16 "
It's hard to fault and it just flies along .
One of the best light distros I've seen for some time ( and Solus is also very impressive ! )
" Secure " .... Hmmm , secure against what ?
Does that mean privacy focused or nearly unhackable ?
Many folks confuse those issues , and if you are not connecting to the internet , what is your security concern ?
At one end you have TAILS and at the other there is qubes , or whonix ( and maybe subgraph in between ? )
But if "light" is an important factor for you , forget about qubes and whonix ....
FWIW - Richard Stallman likes Trisquel , and he does not like going online .
I've played with it in a VM but not tried it on a USB stick yet .....
" I'll see that anti-x and raise you MX-16 "
It's hard to fault and it just flies along .
One of the best light distros I've seen for some time ( and Solus is also very impressive ! )
" Secure " .... Hmmm , secure against what ?
Does that mean privacy focused or nearly unhackable ?
Many folks confuse those issues , and if you are not connecting to the internet , what is your security concern ?
At one end you have TAILS and at the other there is qubes , or whonix ( and maybe subgraph in between ? )
But if "light" is an important factor for you , forget about qubes and whonix ....
FWIW - Richard Stallman likes Trisquel , and he does not like going online .
I've played with it in a VM but not tried it on a USB stick yet .....
Last edited by Faust on Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
- overkill22
- Level 4
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- Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 6:09 am
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
Faust wrote:In terms of Poker ....
" I'll see that anti-x and raise you MX-16 "
It's hard to fault and it just flies along .
One of the best light distros I've seen for some time ( and Solus is also very impressive ! )
" Secure " .... Hmmm , secure against what ?
Does that mean privacy focused or nearly unhackable ?
Many folks confuse those issues , and if you are not connecting to the internet , what is your security concern ?
At one end you have TAILS and at the other there is qubes , or whonix ( and maybe subgraph in between ? )
But if "light" is an important factor for you , forget about qubes and whonix ....
for secure I mean unhacakble or with some cryptography tool in case of someone stealing the USB.
I'm not planning to connect it to the internet, but I'll need to install a couple of programs and so using other devices (USB stick) to interact with the OS. The "light" factor is only because I'd like to use a USB with 8GB or less capacity.
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
Many distros allow you to choose Full Disk Encryption as part of the install process ,
and then there are the options of Veracrypt and LUKS .... so lot's of possibilities for locking it up tight .
and then there are the options of Veracrypt and LUKS .... so lot's of possibilities for locking it up tight .
- overkill22
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Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
yes, true, I know about those. So in the end any distro could work just fine if not used online.Faust wrote:Many distros allow you to choose Full Disk Encryption as part of the install process ,
and then there are the options of Veracrypt and LUKS .... so lot's of possibilities for locking it up tight .
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
+1 for TAILS with persistence
It has very regular updates and is designed to have a simple persistence set up that allows you to store key information and/or install additional programs.
It has very regular updates and is designed to have a simple persistence set up that allows you to store key information and/or install additional programs.
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
this page may be of help also https://mashtips.com/best-portable-linux-distro/
Easy tips : https://easylinuxtipsproject.blogspot.com/ Pjotr's Great Linux projects page.
Linux Mint Installation Guide: http://linuxmint-installation-guide.rea ... en/latest/
Registered Linux User #462608
Linux Mint Installation Guide: http://linuxmint-installation-guide.rea ... en/latest/
Registered Linux User #462608
- overkill22
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Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
super interesting! thank you! how can I know if one of these distros comes with the modules python-qt4 and python-pip preinstalled?kc1di wrote:this page may be of help also https://mashtips.com/best-portable-linux-distro/
- catweazel
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Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
Google.overkill22 wrote:kc1di wrote:how can I know if one of these distros comes with the modules python-qt4 and python-pip preinstalled?
"There is, ultimately, only one truth -- cogito, ergo sum -- everything else is an assumption." - Me, my swansong.
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
You state that your system will always be air-gapped .
The main focus of an OS such as TAILS is to protect the privacy/anonymity of users while online.
Well if you never connect your system to the sprawl , then your potential "attack surface" is very small ;
it is limited to physical access to your devices ( eg . " Evil Maid " , or simply stealing your USB stick ! ).
BTW - I'm wary of the term "unhackable" , and I prefer " not yet hacked ".
Now the problem is simply reduced to good physical security practices :-
invest in high quality locks and doors , buy a safe , or keep the USB on your person at all times
...... use something like Yubikey for logins ? .... build a Faraday Cage ?
Only you can know the factors that you think may threaten your security .
But do let us know what route you take and how it works out for you ,
.... and if you are working on some priceless , patentable invention .... feel free to send me a PM
The main focus of an OS such as TAILS is to protect the privacy/anonymity of users while online.
Well if you never connect your system to the sprawl , then your potential "attack surface" is very small ;
it is limited to physical access to your devices ( eg . " Evil Maid " , or simply stealing your USB stick ! ).
BTW - I'm wary of the term "unhackable" , and I prefer " not yet hacked ".
Now the problem is simply reduced to good physical security practices :-
invest in high quality locks and doors , buy a safe , or keep the USB on your person at all times
...... use something like Yubikey for logins ? .... build a Faraday Cage ?
Only you can know the factors that you think may threaten your security .
But do let us know what route you take and how it works out for you ,
.... and if you are working on some priceless , patentable invention .... feel free to send me a PM
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
you can make your own distro easily !
the best lightweight and versatile distro have to be based on Ubuntu... because have more apps that can be installed iin.
my opinion:
download mint xfce
install cinnamon DE on it
install all apps you desire
and make your custom live system with some commands
you can search over duckduckgo.
the best lightweight and versatile distro have to be based on Ubuntu... because have more apps that can be installed iin.
my opinion:
download mint xfce
install cinnamon DE on it
install all apps you desire
and make your custom live system with some commands
you can search over duckduckgo.
- overkill22
- Level 4
- Posts: 450
- Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2015 6:09 am
Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
Will adopt "not yet hacked" for the future! good oneFaust wrote:You state that your system will always be air-gapped .
The main focus of an OS such as TAILS is to protect the privacy/anonymity of users while online.
Well if you never connect your system to the sprawl , then your potential "attack surface" is very small ;
it is limited to physical access to your devices ( eg . " Evil Maid " , or simply stealing your USB stick ! ).
BTW - I'm wary of the term "unhackable" , and I prefer " not yet hacked ".
Now the problem is simply reduced to good physical security practices :-
invest in high quality locks and doors , buy a safe , or keep the USB on your person at all times
...... use something like Yubikey for logins ? .... build a Faraday Cage ?
Only you can know the factors that you think may threaten your security .
But do let us know what route you take and how it works out for you ,
.... and if you are working on some priceless , patentable invention .... feel free to send me a PM
that's correct, it will be always offline, but a good base is better than a bad one.
At the moment I tried to install lubuntu 17.10 live with persistence (casper-rw), but it didn't work. I can't save my preferences, only files on the partition that I created during the installation with unetbootin. I have not clear if the distros based on ubuntu still support this function since I read somewhere that it could be supported only until 16.10 or something similar. I wasn't able to find specific information about that.
I agree. I remember there was a website with all the libraries preinstalled in each distros, but I'm not able to find that site anymore... probably I'm not using the right keywords to find it. I'm trying with "list installed packages *distro name*" but I find only forum topics not relevant for my needs.catweazel wrote:Google.overkill22 wrote:kc1di wrote:how can I know if one of these distros comes with the modules python-qt4 and python-pip preinstalled?
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Re: Which light, secure, distro to run on USB?
antiX has been around a lot longer than lubuntu.overkill22 wrote:Why?
It reminds me of lubuntu when it first came out...