Hello everyone
I trip over all sorts of things when I’m kicking around ideas for books.
How to Stay Invisible
I was researching how to be “invisible” on the internet when I came across Tails OS. And by “invisible” I mean:
- using a computer without leaving a digital trace of that use on that computer, and
- accessing a website anonymously (and leaving no trace that a government agency or other body could follow if they viewed the access logs of that website).
What is Tails?
Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System) is self-contained operating system that will work with any (Intel-compatible) computer. The prime focus of Tails OS is privacy and security; by design it will circumvent surveillance, censorship, and advertiser tracking.
To use Tails, you plug in a USB drive (with Tails installed) and boot the machine from that drive—instead of Windows, macOS, or Linux, Tails will run. Tails does not access the data stored on the host machine and when you are done, you turn off the computer and everything will be forgotten by the host computer.
While running Tails, you access the internet via Tor so your IP address is masked. There are range of specialist apps to help maintain privacy, including the Tor browser, a privacy focused version of Firefox. You can create a secure vault to store data (such as login details.) And if you want to go crazy, Tails even comes with a Bitcoin wallet.
Why Might You Want Tails?
Let’s be frank, you probably won’t want to get hold of Tails unless it is something that interests you. However, there are times when you might find Tails useful, for instance:
- If you travel to a country which routinely uses surveillance, and you want to access the internet and keep your communications private.
- If you want to keep something secret—whether you are a journalist looking to protect your sources or you are just concerned about privacy.
- If you need to borrow a computer and don’t want what you are doing to be tracked on the borrowed computer.
Who Might Need to Use Tails?
Most people are unlikely to uses Tails regularly, if at all. But there are some people for whom Tails could be critical—and indeed, in some circumstances, the use of Tails could be a matter of life and death. For instance:
- Dissidents and activists may need to conceal their identity to protect themselves and their families.
- Equally, many journalists around the world want to protect themselves from harassment, or worse.
- Some people need to disappear and/or want to avoid being watched within their home (domestic violence survivors).
I’m sure criminals could also find a use for Tails.
And Of Course…
Before I mention the limitations of Tails, it’s worth mentioning that simply using a tool that protects against surveillances is not sufficient in and of itself. For instance, if you use Tails and then post your name and address on a public forum, you will be very traceable. Equally, if you use Tails to log in to your email (and then send an email) then the recipient is going to know who the email came from. As an aside, confidential email is a whole other topic not covered here.
And seriously, if you need the sort of protection that Tails can offer, then investigate whether it is right for you—do not simply take this email as a recommendation.
What Are the Limitations of Tails?
Tails has limitations:
- First, it’s clunky. If you’re used to Windows or macOS, then Tails is much rougher. It works…but it’s nowhere near as easy to use and your regular apps may not be available.
- The security cannot be proved. Tails has a good reputation (Edward Snowden endorses it) and the source code is open so security researchers can verify the claims about privacy and security, but this doesn’t prove there aren’t bugs which could compromise your privacy.
One other limitation of Tails is that it cannot stop someone looking over your shoulder and watching what you are doing (whether they do this in person or with a CCTV camera).
However, despite these limitations, Tails is used everyday by many people to stay safe.
Until September
That’s me until September.
Until then, stay safe, and if you need to, hide yourself online.
All the best
Simon