diff --git a/introduction/intro.md b/introduction/intro.md index 265fc22e..b4f750f4 100644 --- a/introduction/intro.md +++ b/introduction/intro.md @@ -13,166 +13,124 @@ redirect_from: What is Qubes OS? ----------------- -Qubes OS is a security-oriented operating system (OS). The OS is the software -that runs all the other programs on a computer. Some examples of popular -OSes are Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, Android, and iOS. Qubes is free and -open-source software (FOSS). This means that everyone is free to use, copy, -and change the software in any way. It also means that the source code is -openly available so others can contribute to and audit it. +
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Qubes OS is a free and open-source security-oriented operating system meant for single-user desktop computing.

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Qubes OS leverages xen-based virtualization to allow for the creation and management of isolated virtual machines called qubes. + Qubes, which are also referred to as domains or compartments, have specific :

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Qubes OS Overview Example

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-Why is OS security important? ------------------------------ - -Most people use an operating system like Windows or OS X on their desktop -and laptop computers. These OSes are popular because they tend to be easy -to use and usually come pre-installed on the computers people buy. However, -they present problems when it comes to security. For example, you might -open an innocent-looking email attachment or website, not realizing that -you're actually allowing malware (malicious software) to run on your -computer. Depending on what kind of malware it is, it might do anything -from showing you unwanted advertisements to logging your keystrokes to -taking over your entire computer. This could jeopardize all the information -stored on or accessed by this computer, such as health records, confidential -communications, or thoughts written in a private journal. Malware can also -interfere with the activities you perform with your computer. For example, -if you use your computer to conduct financial transactions, the malware -might allow its creator to make fraudulent transactions in your name. - -Aren't antivirus programs and firewalls enough? ------------------------------------------------ - -Unfortunately, conventional security approaches like antivirus programs -and (software and/or hardware) firewalls are no longer enough to keep out -sophisticated attackers. For example, nowadays it's common for malware -creators to check to see if their malware is recognized by any signature-based -antivirus programs. If it's recognized, they scramble their code until it's -no longer recognizable by the antivirus programs, then send it out. The -best of these programs will subsequently get updated once the antivirus -programmers discover the new threat, but this usually occurs at least a -few days after the new attacks start to appear in the wild. By then, it's -too late for those who have already been compromised. More advanced antivirus -software may perform better in this regard, but it's still limited to a -detection-based approach. New zero-day vulnerabilities are constantly being -discovered in the common software we all use, such as our web browsers, and no -antivirus program or firewall can prevent all of these vulnerabilities from -being exploited. - - -How does Qubes OS provide security? ------------------------------------ - -Qubes takes an approach called **security by compartmentalization**, which -allows you to compartmentalize the various parts of your digital life into -securely isolated compartments called *qubes*. - -This approach allows you to keep the different things you do on your computer -securely separated from each other in isolated qubes so that one qube getting -compromised won't affect the others. For example, you might have one qube for -visiting untrusted websites and a different qube for doing online banking. This -way, if your untrusted browsing qube gets compromised by a malware-laden -website, your online banking activities won't be at risk. Similarly, if -you're concerned about malicious email attachments, Qubes can make it so -that every attachment gets opened in its own single-use [disposable -qube]. In this way, Qubes allows you to do everything on the same physical -computer without having to worry about a single successful cyberattack taking -down your entire digital life in one fell swoop. - -Moreover, all of these isolated qubes are integrated into a single, usable -system. Programs are isolated in their own separate qubes, but all windows are -displayed in a single, unified desktop environment with [unforgeable colored -window borders][getting started] so that you can easily identify windows from -different security levels. Common attack vectors like network cards and USB -controllers are isolated in their own hardware qubes while their functionality -is preserved through secure [networking], [firewalls], and [USB device -management][USB]. Integrated [file] and [clipboard] copy and paste operations -make it easy to work across various qubes without compromising security. The -innovative [Template] system separates software installation from software use, -allowing qubes to share a root filesystem without sacrificing security (and -saving disk space, to boot). Qubes even allows you to sanitize PDFs and images -in a few clicks. Users concerned about privacy will appreciate the -[integration][Qubes-Whonix] of [Whonix] with Qubes, which makes it easy to use -[Tor] securely, while those concerned about physical hardware attacks will -benefit from [Anti Evil Maid]. - - -How does Qubes OS compare to using a "live CD" OS? --------------------------------------------------- - -Booting your computer from a live CD (or DVD) when you need to perform -sensitive activities can certainly be more secure than simply using your main -OS, but this method still preserves many of the risks of conventional OSes. For -example, popular live OSes (such as [Tails] and other Linux distributions) -are still **monolithic** in the sense that all software is still running in -the same OS. This means, once again, that if your session is compromised, -then all the data and activities performed within that same session are also -potentially compromised. - - -How does Qubes OS compare to running VMs in a conventional OS? --------------------------------------------------------------- - -Not all virtual machine software is equal when it comes to security. You may -have used or heard of VMs in relation to software like VirtualBox or VMware -Workstation. These are known as "Type 2" or "hosted" hypervisors. (The -**hypervisor** is the software, firmware, or hardware that creates and -runs virtual machines.) These programs are popular because they're designed -primarily to be easy to use and run under popular OSes like Windows (which -is called the **host** OS, since it "hosts" the VMs). However, the fact -that Type 2 hypervisors run under the host OS means that they're really -only as secure as the host OS itself. If the host OS is ever compromised, -then any VMs it hosts are also effectively compromised. - -By contrast, Qubes uses a "Type 1" or "bare metal" hypervisor called -[Xen]. Instead of running inside an OS, Type 1 hypervisors run directly on the -"bare metal" of the hardware. This means that an attacker must be capable of -subverting the hypervisor itself in order to compromise the entire system, -which is vastly more difficult. - -Qubes makes it so that multiple VMs running under a Type 1 hypervisor can be -securely used as an integrated OS. For example, it puts all of your application -windows on the same desktop with special colored borders indicating the -trust levels of their respective VMs. It also allows for things like secure -copy/paste operations between VMs, securely copying and transferring files -between VMs, and secure networking between VMs and the Internet. - - -How does Qubes OS compare to using a separate physical machine? ---------------------------------------------------------------- - -Using a separate physical computer for sensitive activities can certainly be -more secure than using one computer with a conventional OS for everything, -but there are still risks to consider. Briefly, here are some of the main -pros and cons of this approach relative to Qubes: - -
- Pros + - * Physical separation doesn't rely on a hypervisor. (It's very unlikely - that an attacker will break out of Qubes' hypervisor, but if one were to - manage to do so, one could potentially gain control over the entire system.) - * Physical separation can be a natural complement to physical security. (For - example, you might find it natural to lock your secure laptop in a safe - when you take your unsecure laptop out with you.) +

Features

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Strong isolation

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Isolate software as if they were installed on separate physical machines using PV or HVM virtualization techniques

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Template system

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Allow qubes called AppVMs to share a root file system without sacrificing security using the innovative Template system

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Multiple operating systems

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Use multiple operating systems at the same time, including Fedora, Debian, or Windows

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Disposable VMs

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Create disposable VMs which are spawned quickly and destroyed when closed

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Whonix integration

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Run Tor securely system-wide using Whonix with Qubes

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Controller isolation

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Secure device handling through isolation of network cards and USB controllers

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Split GPG

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Utilize Split GPG to store private GPG keys in an AppVM

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U2F proxy

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Operate Qubes U2F proxy to use two-factor authentication

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Open-source

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Users are free to use, copy and modify Qubes OS and are encouraged to do so!

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+ + - * Physical separation can be cumbersome and expensive, since we may have to - obtain and set up a separate physical machine for each security level we - need. - * There's generally no secure way to transfer data between physically - separate computers running conventional OSes. (Qubes has a secure inter-VM - file transfer system to handle this.) - * Physically separate computers running conventional OSes are still - independently vulnerable to most conventional attacks due to their monolithic - nature. - * Malware which can bridge air gaps has existed for several years now and - is becoming increasingly common. -(For more on this topic, please see the paper -[Software compartmentalization vs. physical separation][paper-compart].) +Why Qubes OS ? +-------------- + +

Physical isolation is a given safeguard that the digital world lacks

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Throughout their lives, individuals engage in various activities such as going to school, working, voting, taking care of their families or visiting with friends.

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These activities are spatially and temporally bound : they happen in isolation of one another, in their own compartments, which often represent an essential safeguard, such as in the case of voting.

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In one's digital life, the situation is quite different : each activity, often intertwined with its real-life counterpart, tends to happen on a single computing device.

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Qubes OS compartmentalizes one's digital life

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Surprisingly, personal computing devices are not designed to offer means to enforce the same kind of isolation that people enjoy in the physical world.

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What if there were an operating system that provided a kind of digital compartmentalization almost as strong as physical isolation?

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Qubes OS allows users to compartmentalize various parts of their digital lives into well-isolated compartments.

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Made to support vulnerable users

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Thanks to Qubes OS, vulnerable or actively targeted individuals such as journalists, political activists, whistleblowers or researchers can enjoy the same benefits of using multiple computing devices at a fraction of the cost and without the associated loss of usability.

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It allows users to do everything on the same physical computer without having to worry about a single successful cyberattack taking down their entire digital life in one fell swoop.

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Computing should remain an activity where mistakes can be made and where users can explore the web freely, downloading attachments and clicking on links without having to constantly evaluate a myriad of risk factors.

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Qubes OS strives to bring back this experience. It creates a place where users can feel safe.

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@@ -199,17 +157,18 @@ pros and cons of this approach relative to Qubes:
+ More information ---------------- -This page is just a brief sketch of what Qubes is all about, and many +This page is just a brief introduction to what Qubes is all about, and many technical details have been omitted here for the sake of presentation. * If you're a current or potential Qubes user, you may want to check out the [documentation][doc] and the [FAQ][user-faq]. * If you're a developer, there's dedicated [documentation][system-doc] and an [FAQ][devel-faq] just for you. - * Ready to give Qubes a try? Head on over to the [downloads] page. + * Ready to give Qubes a try? Head on over to the [downloads] page or the [installation guide]. [disposable qube]: /doc/disposablevm/ @@ -232,4 +191,4 @@ technical details have been omitted here for the sake of presentation. [devel-faq]: /faq/#developers [downloads]: /downloads/ [getting started]: /getting-started/ - +[installation guide]: /doc/installation-guide/