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A Checklist to aid in evaluating privacy/security-focused Linux Distros for daily use

This checklist is designed to help users thoroughly assess Linux distributions for their suitability as a daily driver, with a strong emphasis on privacy and security.

1. Base System & Stability

  • Upstream Foundation & Release Model:
    • Is it based on a stable, rolling, or testing branch of a well-established upstream distribution (e.g., Debian Stable, Arch LTS, Fedora, Ubuntu LTS)?
    • What is the release cycle (e.g., point releases, rolling release)? How does this impact long-term stability and update frequency?
  • Security Update Cadence & Responsiveness:
    • Does the distro receive regular, timely security updates for the kernel, core utilities, and included applications?
    • How quickly are critical vulnerabilities patched? (Look at their security advisories or mailing lists.)
    • Is there a clear communication channel for security advisories?
  • Developer & Community Activity:
    • How active and responsive is the development team and broader community? (Check forums, mailing lists, bug trackers, git repositories.)
    • Is there a clear development roadmap?
    • Are there dedicated security team members or auditors?
  • Critical Application Support & Environment Compatibility:
    • Is the system designed to natively support or easily accommodate your essential daily applications (e.g., productivity suites, development tools, communication platforms)?
    • Does it offer robust containerization solutions (e.g., Docker, Podman, Flatpak, Snap) for isolating applications?
    • Are specific software versions available that meet your workflow requirements?

2. Privacy & Anonymity Features

  • Network Traffic Routing & Anonymization:
    • Does it route all outbound traffic through Tor or a VPN by default? If not, how easily can this be configured system-wide?
    • Does it provide robust VPN integration (OpenVPN, WireGuard client support) and kill-switch functionality?
    • Are DNS queries encrypted by default (e.g., DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), DNS-over-TLS (DoT), DNSCrypt)?
    • Does it support or integrate with anonymous networks like I2P or Freenet?
    • Are there clear mechanisms to prevent IP leaks (e.g., DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks)?
  • Browser & Web Privacy:
    • Are privacy-respecting browsers (e.g., Tor Browser, Firefox with privacy hardening, Brave) included or easily installable?
    • Are there pre-configured browser extensions for privacy (e.g., uBlock Origin, HTTPS Everywhere, Privacy Badger)?
    • Is JavaScript sandboxing or isolation implemented where appropriate?
  • Telemetry & Data Collection:
    • Does the distribution collect any telemetry data by default? If so, is it anonymized, opt-in, or can it be easily disabled?
    • Are there clear statements on data retention policies?

3. System Hardening & Security Features

  • Kernel & Network Hardening:
    • Are kernel hardening features enabled by default (e.g., ASLR, NX bit, stack protection, ptrace restrictions)?
    • Are there built-in kernel modules or scripts for further hardening (e.g., grsecurity/PaX, although rare in daily drivers)?
    • Are firewall rules (e.g., UFW, nftables) configured to a sensible default, with easy customization?
    • Is IPv6 privacy extensions enabled?
  • Mandatory Access Controls (MAC):
    • Are AppArmor, SELinux, or other MAC frameworks (e.g., Yama, TOMOYO Linux) enabled and configured with a strong policy by default?
    • How well are these policies maintained and updated?
  • Malware & Rootkit Detection:
    • Does it include or recommend tools for malware/rootkit detection (e.g., ClamAV, rkhunter, chkrootkit)?
    • Are there recommendations or automated checks for system integrity?
  • Protection Against Physical & Hardware Attacks:
    • Does it support or recommend full disk encryption (FDE) with strong algorithms (e.g., LUKS)?
    • Are there features to mitigate cold boot attacks (e.g., RAM wiping on shutdown/reboot, though often limited by hardware)?
    • Is USB device protection (e.g., USBGuard, restricting untrusted USB devices) enabled or easily configurable?
    • Does it offer secure boot options or trusted boot mechanisms (e.g., TPM integration)?

4. Custom Security & Privacy Tools

  • Data Encryption & Management:
    • Are there integrated tools for encrypted notes (e.g., CryptPad client, Joplin), file encryption (e.g., GnuPG, VeraCrypt/Cryptomator), and secure file wiping (e.g., shred, srm)?
    • Are utilities for secure metadata cleaning (e.g., mat2, exiftool) readily available?
  • Secure Credential Management:
    • Are secure password managers (e.g., KeePassXC, Bitwarden) included or recommended?
  • RAM Management:
    • Are there features or scripts to securely wipe RAM on shutdown/reboot (though as noted, this can be complex and hardware-dependent)?
  • USB Device Health & Configuration:
    • Does it provide tools to assess the health of USB devices or control their behavior? (Beyond just basic mounting).

5. Usability & Installation

  • Desktop Environment & User Experience:
    • Is the default desktop environment lightweight, intuitive, and user-friendly for daily tasks (e.g., MATE, XFCE, Plasma, GNOME, but consider the “burden” of larger DEs)?
    • Are you able to utilize any prefered light window manager platforms in combination with a DE or as a stand alone (e.g. dwm, i3wm)
    • Does it balance security with usability, avoiding excessive complexity that might hinder adoption or lead to user frustration?
  • Installation Process:
    • Is there a straightforward and well-documented graphical installer (e.g., Calamares, Anaconda)?
    • Are options for full disk encryption and separate /boot partitions clearly presented during installation?
  • Live Environment & Persistence:
    • Can it run as a live USB/DVD for testing without installation, ideally with options for persistence?
    • Does the live environment provide a good representation of the installed system’s security features?
  • Security Tool Accessibility & Ease of Use:
    • Are the privacy and security tools easily identifiable, configured, and understood by a user who may not be a security expert?
    • Is there clear in-system documentation or help for using these tools?
  • Daily Task Suitability & Maintenance:
    • Is the system suitable for everyday tasks without requiring constant manual configuration or workarounds?
    • Is necessary system maintenance (e.g., updates, backups, log review) easily managed and accomplished, potentially through automated tools or clear instructions?

6. Attack Surface & Attack Vectors

  • Minimized Attack Surface:
    • Does the distribution aim for a minimal default installation, with only essential services and applications running?
    • Are unnecessary ports closed by default?
    • Are there clear guidelines for reducing the attack surface further?
  • Work-Flow Integration:
    • Is the system’s security posture and work-flow consistent with your normal work-flow, or does it impose significant changes that could lead to security fatigue or workarounds?
    • Are you satisfied with the ease or difficulty of maintaining adequate attack vector coverage (e.g., patching, configuration management, user awareness)?

7. Resource Requirements

  • Hardware Compatibility & Performance:
    • Validate the CPU, RAM, and storage requirements against your available hardware.
    • Does it run efficiently and smoothly on modest or older hardware, if that is a consideration?
    • Consider power consumption for mobile devices.

8. Community, Documentation & Reputation

  • Documentation Quality & Accessibility:
    • Is there comprehensive, up-to-date, and easy-to-understand documentation for setup, configuration, troubleshooting, and security best practices?
    • Are there clear guides for hardening the system beyond the defaults?
  • Active User Community & Support:
    • Is there an active and helpful user community or forums for support, troubleshooting, and sharing knowledge?
    • Are developers responsive to community input and bug reports?
  • Distro Reputation & History:
    • What is the distribution’s track record concerning security incidents, transparency, and responsiveness?
    • Are there independent security audits or reviews available?
    • Who are the developers, and what is their philosophy regarding privacy and security? (e.g., open source, non-profit, clear mission statement).

By going through this augmented checklist, you should be able to make a very informed decision about which privacy/security-focused Linux distribution best suits your daily use needs. Remember that the “best” distribution is subjective and depends on your specific threat model, technical expertise, and daily workflow.

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