[OPSEC/Computer] Would making a VM running a live tails disc with host OS being main windows PC safe?


Comments


[10 Points] None:

No, and tails will warn you about it if you try.


[8 Points] ziz1:

Two main problems:

  1. A virus or other malware on your Windows host system could compromise your virtual machine as well. Example: A keylogger installed on Windows would also log all of your keystrokes in the VM. It could capture passwords for accounts or passphrases for secret PGP keys or anything else you typed.

  2. If Windows decides to swap the virtual machine from RAM to disk for some reason (low on memory perhaps), things in the Tails VM RAM that should disappear when Tails is shut down could get saved to your hard drive.

https://tails.boum.org/doc/advanced_topics/virtualization/index.en.html


Advantages:

More secure than running on Windows alone. A bug in the Tor Browser won't immediately be able to de-anonymize you. They would need to have a root exploit as well to disable the Tails firewall.

Easy way to put a VPN between you and the Tor network as a last line of defense against a Tor network de-anonymization attack like the one CERT / FBI used in Operation Onymous. Since Tails doesn't currently support full VPNs, you can run a VPN on the host system so that all packets from the Tails VM are first sent over the VPN and then to the Tor network.

If you wanted to use Tails in a VM to get a VPN solution, it would be better to run it as a VM on a Linux machine, since most viruses / malware are written for Windows and you really can't trust Microsoft to not backdoor you in some way.


[1 Points] sapiophile:

No. A VM is only as secure as its host system.


[1 Points] nopantsjones:

Woot just had laptops for 150.00. If you can't afford that and a USB drive then you really shouldn't be here.


[1 Points] None:

[deleted]


[0 Points] rilksoadvb5piz3r:

anything that comes within wifi range of your windows machine should be considered compromised if you ask this question.


[0 Points] JewsMakeUGay:

windows PC

safe

Choose 1


[0 Points] Revilon_Dev:

Nope, windows is full of NSA backdoors and loopholes. Good luck keeping your freedom with a VM, just run it out of windows, a lit safer that way :)