OSX Safety?

I've lurked for awhile now, and Tails isn't able to boot from a DVD due to a compatibility issue with my model (Macbook 8,2). rEFInd isn't allowing me to boot from a USB. I was wondering if installing a separate partition of Linux (Whonix?) would be my next option? There aren't a lot of posts concerning dual boots, from what I could find. Any help would be appreciated!


Comments


[6 Points] eltinaM:

If u don't need ReefIt press ALT while booting. This will allow u to boot from usb.


[4 Points] Illuzzi0nz:

tails 1.1 can now be run using a usb stick on a macbook. It works now after the recent update.


[3 Points] FW190:

Virtualbox maybe? Seems the most convenient in my opinion


[3 Points] None:

Whonix doesn't dual boot. It is run under Virtual Box. It's dead simple to setup, though, your security is in your hands.


[3 Points] sharpshooter789:

Don't bother with whonix you will need a second computer to be the middle box. Moreover, whonix is better for operating a hidden service.

Anyway, I would recommend getting a USB DVD drive and boot from a DVD. This is the safest solution and is preferred over running it through a virtual environment.

Also, you can avoid having to use a persistent drive (recommended) you can create an archive of your home directory

cd $HOME && tar cf backup.tar

Then use openssl to encrypt the file using a symmetric key algorithm. In addition, its a good idea to use base64 encoding so that the file is human readable (a file). Here is how you do that (it encodes the output into base64):

openssl aes-256-cbc -in backup.tar -a -out $HOME/backup.txt 

This will save your backup to the home directory under the file backup.txt (note: you can exclude the -out parameter and the output will go to std output). You can then copy the content of the file and save it to pastebin. Just make sure the data is not published.

When you need the data you simply visit the pastebin site copy the text and save it to a file (preferably home directory)[in this example the file name is backup.txt]. Then you decrypt the file:

openssl aes-256-cbc -d -in backup.txt -a -out $HOME/backup.tar && rm backup.txt

Then you simply extract the archive in your home directory:

cd $HOME && tar xf backup.tar


[1 Points] entactoBob:

Yes, you can run two instances of Virtual Box, each running a separate part of Whonix – it's part of how its security works. That's going to be pretty good OpSec, but because OS X is running VirtualBox, that could create a security vulnerability. At least, that's what I hear, but I'm not sure how or where that vulnerability lies. Sure OS X takes "snapshots" of the hard drive at particular moments, & I guess some RAM info is captured along with that, but would that include a snapshot of what the graphics card was presenting from a VM? I honestly just don't know; it's beyond the scope of my knowledge at this time.

Go on Craigslist, find someone selling an older PC laptop (but at least old enough to boot from USB), & scoop that off someone for like three bills. Gut it & run Debian super clean & non-persistent. Then run Whonix from Virtualbox inside of Debian. OR, just remove the HDD altogether & always boot into a thumb drive of TAILS.

Good luck.


[1 Points] thatsjustbullshit:

Virtualbox.


[1 Points] None:

I'll throw a Rasberry Pi in yo FACE!


[-11 Points] None:

Sell your MAC. Buy a PC or tablet running Droid. Problem solved.

[EDIT: Woahh MAC user downvotes haha. PS w0t is media access control?]

[EDIT: Downvote if you have no other better suggestions... pansies...)]