Silk Road forums
Discussion => Security => Topic started by: Oompaloompa on October 15, 2012, 06:34 pm
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So I'm setting up a tails USB and wanted a bit of advice from those who've already been there.
1) I've got existing private & public gpg keys on my (linux) computer and want to know how to transfer them onto the Tails USB once it's set up. Not sure how to go about this or where to find them. I've got Tails running on DVD right now and can't find a way to access my existing computer via it. Is putting the keys on another usb and copying them over to the tails usb going to work or is there another way?
2) Another related question is about the partitioning & persistent volume. I know that I should create an encrypted partition. Say I do an encrypted partition of 4Gb of an 8Gb USB. I get that everything I save & want to store securely goes on the encrypted secret volume but what about the other 4GB, the 'free volume'? What's the point in this, is it just camouflage so if someone sees my usb they'll find 4Gb of video, etc & not notice there's a secret volume?
3) Is Tails itself in the encrypted partition or is it stored in the free volume?
4) I don't understand the persistent volume, Tails documentation says it's created in "the free space left on the USB stick by the Tails USB installer", and " The persistent volume is an encrypted partition protected by a passphrase." - so what's the point in creating this in the free volume, couldn't I just store pgp keys & whatever else I need in the encrypted 4Gb volume?
I also see that "The persistent volume is not hidden" so surely that's a big security no no. Presume I'm missing something but I don't know what.
5) Any idea of the best split of encrypted volume to free volume on an 8Gb USB? how much should I need gor general silk road/pgp stuff?
6) One final question about the bitcoin client, is it feasible to run this via USB, given time to download blockchain, volume of data, etc?
Sorry for the string of newbie questions, I've been through the Tails documentation but there's a lot of it and I wanted to try to clear up some confusion that's not explicitly addressed there (that I can see).
Thanks
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1) I've got existing private & public gpg keys on my (linux) computer and want to know how to transfer them onto the Tails USB once it's set up. Not sure how to go about this or where to find them. I've got Tails running on DVD right now and can't find a way to access my existing computer via it. Is putting the keys on another usb and copying them over to the tails usb going to work or is there another way?
In order to store anything at all that will be usable by TAILS, you have to set up a persistent volume. Once you're in TAILS on your USB, you can mount your hard drive using your root password and access your keys from there. I don't suggest mounting your normal hard drive from within TAILS as it may leave traces behind on your regular system, nor do I suggest using PGP keys that you had on your normal system to do any anonymous (SR or otherwise) business.
2) Another related question is about the partitioning & persistent volume. I know that I should create an encrypted partition. Say I do an encrypted partition of 4Gb of an 8Gb USB. I get that everything I save & want to store securely goes on the encrypted secret volume but what about the other 4GB, the 'free volume'? What's the point in this, is it just camouflage so if someone sees my usb they'll find 4Gb of video, etc & not notice there's a secret volume?
I'm not sure if the free space would be usable. I don't think it would, but if it is it surely wouldn't be any kind of camouflage. Anyone can easily see that you have an encrypted partition.
3) Is Tails itself in the encrypted partition or is it stored in the free volume?
TAILS is not encrypted, but it doesn't need to be. Nothing at all is ever saved within the TAILS file system. (More knowledgable people please correct me if this isn't technically correct when working with a persisten volume.) TAILS is in its own partition, the persistent volume is separate and encrypted.
4) I don't understand the persistent volume, Tails documentation says it's created in "the free space left on the USB stick by the Tails USB installer", and " The persistent volume is an encrypted partition protected by a passphrase." - so what's the point in creating this in the free volume, couldn't I just store pgp keys & whatever else I need in the encrypted 4Gb volume?
I also see that "The persistent volume is not hidden" so surely that's a big security no no. Presume I'm missing something but I don't know what.
The persistent volume IS the encrypted partition. Your keys will be automatically stored in that persistent, encrypted partition, and anything else you want to save needs to be specifically placed under /home/amnesia/Persistent/. It's not hidden, meaning anyone can see that it's there but can't access it without your password (USE A STRONG PASSWORD). There is no way to hide the partition that I know of.
5) Any idea of the best split of encrypted volume to free volume on an 8Gb USB? how much should I need gor general silk road/pgp stuff?
I don't think you can use the free space if you leave any. If you can use it, I wouldn't suggest using it. Keep your SR/Tor stuff separate from everything else.
6) One final question about the bitcoin client, is it feasible to run this via USB, given time to download blockchain, volume of data, etc?
I think it's feasible, but as far as I've read it seems you should just use online services to handle your bitcoins. Also, you can't install anything on TAILS without recompiling it yourself with the software included. (Correct my terminology if I'm wrong. Kind of new to Linux.)
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That's great Cheezcake, thanks.
I'll try setting up the USB stick shortly, I'll try to find some more info on the free volume as I can't see the point of leaving it.
When I was using tails on dvd yesterday I noticed there didn't seem to be a way to switch off tails & reboot in the normal system. Do you know if there's a way to do this short of ejecting the dvd/pulling out the USB or switching off the computer?
Cheers
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When I was using tails on dvd yesterday I noticed there didn't seem to be a way to switch off tails & reboot in the normal system. Do you know if there's a way to do this short of ejecting the dvd/pulling out the USB or switching off the computer?
I'm not sure I completely understand what you're asking, but there should be a red power button at the top right that shuts down the system when you click it. It won't ask you if you're sure or if you want to restart or anything; it will just start shutting down.
In the process of shutting down, it should come up with some text telling you to eject the CD or remove the USB stick and then press enter.
Once the CD or USB stick is out and it finishes shutting down, your computer should boot back into whatever your installed OS is (but only if you've left the CD or USB stick out). Of course, if you could leave the media in and just change your boot priorities in your BIOS so that your hard drive is before your CD drive or USB port. Then you would have to change your priorities back if you want to boot into TAILS again, though.
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I dont know what tails is but I would recommend goggling your question, there is a lot of technical information out there.
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there should be a red power button at the top right that shuts down the system when you click it. It won't ask you if you're sure or if you want to restart or anything; it will just start shutting down.
Thanks, I was running it in windows camoflage mode so the red button wasn't there. I'll hunt about though, bound to be somewhere.