Clarify text and improve examples

Thanks to @marmarta's feedback
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Andrew David Wong 2022-10-24 11:18:11 -07:00
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@ -88,14 +88,15 @@ the other. Alice's setup looks like this:
that things can be messy and disorganized *within* a qube while her overall
digital life remains well-organized.
- Several email qubes. Since Alice is a serious programmer, she likes to use a
command-line mail client, so both her work and personal email qubes are based
on a template with
- Several email qubes. Since Alice is a command-line aficionado, she likes to
use a terminal-based email client, so both her work and personal email qubes
are based on a template with
[Mutt](https://github.com/Qubes-Community/Contents/blob/master/docs/configuration/mutt.md)
installed. The email qubes where she sends and receives PGP-signed and
encrypted email access her PGP backend qube (more on that below). For
security, she configured Mutt to open all attachments she receives in
[disposable qubes](/doc/how-to-use-disposables/).
encrypted email securely accesses the private keys in her PGP backend qube
(more on that below). To guard against malicious attachments, she configured
Mutt to open all attachment files in [disposable
qubes](/doc/how-to-use-disposables/).
- Several qubes for communication tools, like Signal, Slack, Zoom, Telegram,
IRC, and Discord. This is where she teleconferences and chats with clients.
@ -109,23 +110,30 @@ the other. Alice's setup looks like this:
she claims; in reality, it's mostly for feuds over programming language
superiority, Vim vs. Emacs wars, and tabs vs. spaces crusades).
- A backend PGP vault. This offline qube holds her PGP code signing keys and is
securely shared among several projects. Only the frontend qubes she
explicitly authorizes have access to this qube, and even then, they only have
access through the secure [Split GPG](/doc/split-gpg/) system so that her
private keys aren't at risk.
- A GPG backend vault. Vaults are completely offline qubes that are isolated
from the network. This particular vault holds Alice's private keys (e.g., for
code signing and email) and is securely accessed by several other "frontend"
qubes via the [Split GPG](/doc/split-gpg/) system. Split GPG allows only the
frontend qubes that Alice explicitly authorizes to have the ability to
request PGP operations (e.g., signing and encryption) in the backend vault.
Even then, no qube ever has direct access to Alice's private keys except the
backend vault itself.
- A password manager vault. This is where she runs her offline password manager
for logging into everything.
- A password manager vault. This is another completely offline,
network-isolated qube where Alice uses her offline password manager to store
all of her usernames and passwords. She uses the [secure copy and paste
system](/doc/how-to-copy-and-paste-text/) to quickly copy credentials into
other qubes whenever she needs to log into anything.
- Personal qubes. One of the things Alice loves the most about Qubes is that
she can use it for both work *and* personal stuff without having to worry
about cross-contamination. Accordingly, she has several qubes that pertain to
her personal life. For example, she has a vault that holds her medical
documents, test results, and vaccination records. She has another vault for
her government documents, birth certificate, scans of her passport, and so
on. She also has some personal social media accounts in a separate qube for
keeping up with family members and friends from school.
her personal life. For example, she has an offline vault that holds her
medical documents, test results, and vaccination records. She has another
offline vault for her government documents, birth certificate, scans of her
passport, and so on. She also has some personal social media accounts in a
separate qube for keeping up with family members and friends from school.
When she finishes her work for a given client, Alice sends off her
deliverables, [backs up](/doc/how-to-back-up-restore-and-migrate/) the qubes
@ -184,17 +192,17 @@ for work, which contains:
desktop app is installed). One is linked to his work mobile number for
communicating with co-workers. The other is a public number that serves as
another method of allowing sources to contact him confidentially. This is
especially useful for individuals who aren't tech-savvy enough for Tor but
for whom unencrypted communication could be dangerous.
especially useful for individuals who don't use Tor but for whom unencrypted
communication could be dangerous.
- Several data vaults. When someone sends Bob material that turns out to be
useful, or when he comes across useful material while doing his own research,
he stores a copy in an offline vault qube. Most of these files are PDFs and
images, though some are audio files, videos, and text files. Since most of
them are from unknown or untrusted sources, Bob isn't sure if it would be
safe to put them all in the same vault, so he makes different vaults (usually
one for each story or topic) just in case. This has the side benefit of
helping to keep things organized.
he stores a copy in a completely offline, network-isolated vault qube. Most
of these files are PDFs and images, though some are audio files, videos, and
text files. Since most of them are from unknown or untrusted sources, Bob
isn't sure if it would be safe to put them all in the same vault, so he makes
different vaults (usually one for each story or topic) just in case. This has
the side benefit of helping to keep things organized.
- A [VPN
qube](https://github.com/Qubes-Community/Contents/blob/master/docs/configuration/vpn.md)
@ -203,7 +211,9 @@ for work, which contains:
VPN qube so that he can upload his work and access anything he needs on the
local network without being there.
- A password manager vault. Bob stores all the login credentials he needs here.
- A password manager vault. Bob stores all of his login credentials in this
offline qube and [securely copies and
pastes](/doc/how-to-copy-and-paste-text/) them into other qubes as needed.
A colleague helped Bob set up his Qubes system initially and showed him how to
use it. Since Bob's workflow is pretty consistent and straightforward, the way
@ -296,8 +306,11 @@ setup looks like this:
about identity theft, so she has one qube dedicated to managing her free
credit monitoring services and downloading her free annual credit reports.
- One qube for taxes. This is an offline qube where she stores all of her
tax-related forms and documents, organized by year.
- Two qubes for taxes. Carol has a [Windows
qube](https://github.com/Qubes-Community/Contents/blob/master/docs/os/windows/windows.md)
for running her Windows-only tax software. She also has an offline vault
where she stores all of her tax-related forms and documents, organized by
year.
- One qube for financial planning and tracking. Carol loves spreadsheets, so
this offline qube is where she maintains a master spreadsheet to track all of
@ -310,8 +323,10 @@ setup looks like this:
online shopping accounts, and insurance companies; and another one for
personal email.
- A password manager vault. Carol stores all of her account usernames and
passwords here.
- A password manager vault. A network-isolated qube where Carol stores all of
her account usernames and passwords. She uses the [Qubes global
clipboard](/doc/how-to-copy-and-paste-text/) to copy and past them into her
other qubes when she needs to log into her accounts.
The vast majority of Carol's assets are in broad-based, low-cost,
passively-managed indexed funds. Lately, however, she's started getting
@ -362,7 +377,7 @@ so most people will need at least one email qube and a suitable template to
base it on. But not everyone will need [Split GPG](/doc/split-gpg/), and not
everyone will want to use the same email client. On the other hand, almost
everyone will need a password manager, and it pretty much always makes sense to
keep it in an offline vault.
keep it in an offline, network-isolated vault.
As you're designing your own Qubes system, keep in mind some of the following
tips: