It has always been said that Linux was more secure and private than Windows . And, on many occasions, it is so. The OpenSource operating system has advanced security and privacy measures that allow users to safely browse the web. It is not invulnerable, since perfect security does not exist. But it does provide us with greater protection for our security, and especially for our privacy. However, not all Linux distros are equally private, anonymous, and secure. And, if privacy and anonymity is the most important thing for us, we can opt for one of the Linux distros that we are going to see below.
The following Linux distributions are not the easiest to use, nor are they the prettiest. But they are the ones that are going to offer us the greatest security against all kinds of threats and the ones that will take care of our privacy and anonymity the most when we connect to the Internet.
Tails, the Linux distro specialized in the Tor network
The first of the Linux distributions that we are going to talk about is Tails. The Amnesic Incognito Live System is a Debian-based distribution whose main objective is to offer users a secure environment to preserve security and anonymity when we connect to the Internet. This distro has a large number of isolation functions that protect us against all kinds of threats, and it also comes with a large amount of software, all updated, to be able to use it from the first moment we load it in Live mode.
This distro is prepared to allow us to surf the Tor network thanks to its browser, Tor Browser, based on Firefox. In this way, we will prevent our ISP or any government body from identifying and tracking us, and we will also be able to bypass censorship by accessing any website without problems.
An ideal distro to always carry on a USB to be able to use it when we need it that we can download Tails for free from the following link .
Kali Linux, the king of ethical hacking
Kali is one of the most popular distros for advanced users that we can find on the net. Its main objective is to allow us to always have at hand a Swiss army knife with all kinds of hacking and security tools with which to check the protection of any network, system or infrastructure.
In addition, Kali is one of the safest distros that we can use in our day to day, since, in addition to having its own suite of tools, we can have all the typical programs to work in Windows and thus take advantage of its security measures .
We can download Kali Linux for free from their website .
Parrot OS, one of the most secure Linux distros
Parrot OS is one of the most complete and secure Linux distributions that we can find in terms of a variety of tools. This distro fights directly with Kali to become one of the most secure, suitable for both inexperienced users and computer security experts.
This distro is based on Debian’s “testing” branch stands out for offering one of the best out-of-the-box experiences so that any user can use it without problems. In addition, we can choose it on the MATE desktop, if we want something simple and fast, or KDE, for a much more effect-filled experience.
We can download Parrot OS for free from the following link .
Kodachi, a Linux even more secure than tails
This Linux operating system seeks to bring us as much security and privacy as possible to a much easier environment to use so that anonymity is not synonymous with advanced knowledge of Linux. This distro is based on Xubuntu and offers its users a complete safe environment, protected against all kinds of forensic analysis. In addition, anonymity is also another of its strengths, allowing us to go online with the maximum security and privacy possible.
When it comes to connecting to the Internet, this Linux does so through a VPN network, which is forwarded by Tor and has services such as DNSCrypt so that anonymity is maximum without having to be aware of any configuration. We can choose through which country we always want to go online. And, of course, it comes with a good collection of programs with which we will be able to do almost everything.
We can download Linux Kodachi for free from their website .
Qubes OS, security thanks to virtualization
For most advanced Linux users, Qubes OS is one of the most secure distros we can find. The main purpose of this Linux is to take advantage of virtualization and isolation systems to provide maximum protection to both the system and all files and user data.
Unlike other operating systems, this Linux does not delegate its protection to an antivirus and a firewall, but rather uses the Xen Hypervisor to isolate and virtualize absolutely everything the user does, from opening files to using all kinds of programs.
Despite using a different security and privacy concept, it is not exactly a complicated distro to use. Everything is already configured and prepared so that, with a minimal configuration, we can start using it.
We can download Qubes OS for free from your website . Of course, we must bear in mind that, given its nature, it does not work well in virtual machines, so it must be installed on a normal PC.
Whonix, a Linux that even hides our IP
Whonix does not work like previous systems, but rather, roughly, it acts as a “filter” between our real operating system and the Internet. This Debian-based Linux can be used as a compromise with any Windows, macOS or Linux system for added security, privacy and isolation.
The main Whonix system, also known as Gateway, acts as an intermediary, forcing all the connections that come to it to be automatically forwarded through the Tor network, protecting our IPO and making it impossible for them to track us wherever we browse.
We can download the Whonix system from here .