Please check this out https://askubuntu.com/questions/1550871/how-do-i-install-whonix-on-ubuntu-24-04-lts/1550872?noredirect=1#comment2727910_1550872 and make sure you scroll all the way down and read the comments at the bottom. I’d like second opinions here. I think I’m just gonna delete the parts that show you how to verify Whonix, I just don’t wanna confuse the user and honestly are they future proofed, will those instructions work 5 years from now? Probably not. I’m specifically referring to the instructions that show you how to verify Whonix, in both Method 1 and Method 2 there are instructions on how to verify Whonix but are they future proofed, are they gonna work 5 years from now? Probably not so I think I’m just gonna delete it. And I’m not even sure they work cause they were edits from someone else. I’m afraid it might be edits from someone who doesn’t even really know what he’s doing.
I could test it on my own but then I need to sit down and figure out how to run Ubuntu as a VM in VirtualBox. But that’ll take some time to learn how to do so I’d rather just not bother with it. Or I could just completely uninstall both VirtualBox and Whonix and follow those instructions and see if they work. Again, I’m referring to the instructions in Methods 1 and 2, the parts where it shows you how to verify Whonix. I’m not even sure those instructions are accurate and even if they are accurate today they probably won’t be just 5 years from now.
And if you read the comments on the bottom, the user on askubuntu @mchid made some edits to my post. He put diffutils in there
sudo apt install curl diffutils
What is that package and is it even needed to install Whonix? I’d never even heard of diffutils til he came along and made his edits.
I think I’m just going to delete mchid’s edits and delete the parts that talk about verifying Whonix and be done with it. Man that tutorial literally took me over 20 hours to make! I’m exhausted, I need to cook my dinner and go get some sleep.
So just check it out, read it, and please give me your feedback? Thanks.
The mods just closed my question apparently it’s too big for askubuntu, they want me to break it down into multiple question and answers. Can you guys still see it on your end, can you read my back and forth exchange with the mods https://askubuntu.com/questions/1550871/how-do-i-install-whonix-on-ubuntu-24-04-lts
Anyhow so I guess instead of one big all encompassing tutorial I need to break it down into individual questions. So I guess I’ll literally have to ask a question like “Is there anything you need to do for Whonix post installation?” and then answer this question and lay out the post installation steps like changing the password, manually updating gateway and workstation, how to create the shared folder etc.
I probably will just delete Method 2 though to make the tutorial shorter. And I’ll delete the part that talks about verifying Whonix (I don’t even know how to do that myself, and I think there’s only a small minority of people in the world who know how to do that, it’s very esoteric knowledge it seems. Well and to be fair the documentation could be cleaned up so it’s easier to follow, I’m referring to the documentation that tells you how to verify Whonix, it’s very hard to follow)
Anyhow I’ve gotta cook my dinner and get some sleep. I’ll pick this up later.
Oh and I hope someone answers my question about diffutils
Not a full review. Just selective observations.
extpack isn’t mentioned in our user documentation. Not required nor recommended for most users. Actually discouraged as per Avoid Non-Freedom Software.
In our developer documentation on this topic is here:
VirtualBox Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
Note:
- A)
VirtualBox Guest Additions; and
- B)
VirtualBox Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack
are different things.
Maybe more comments later.
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wget -O- https://www.virtualbox.org/download/oracle_vbox_2016.asc | sudo gpg --dearmor --yes --output /usr/share/keyrings/oracle-virtualbox-2016.gpg
That style can be described as:
- easier (maybe)
- “just get it done”
- but: less secure
It’s insecure because the signing key is imported without gpg key fingerprint verification.
How to do it more securely? Documented here: Install Newer Versions of VirtualBox
1. Adding the VirtualBox.org APT repository.
Choose either: A, B OR C.
wget is also discouraged. Documented here: Secure Command Line / Scurl
Steps, screenshots such as https://i.sstatic.net/0bBL6uZC.png :
On Whonix for Windows, macOS, Linux inside VirtualBox there are already such screenshots.
For Whonix VirtualBox import instructions, please press the learn more button on the right.
Such as this:
diffutils:
answered here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Whonix/comments/1lemars/tutorial_how_to_install_whonix_on_linux_ubuntu/
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So I see here Recommended VirtualBox Version for use with Kicksecure that there’s a recommended VirtualBox version for use with Kicksecure, so that begs the question, is there a recommended VirtualBox version for use with Whonix?
I mean I’m assuming the answer is no cause if there was then I’m sure you would have said so by now cause I mean I’ve made a big stink about this, that if you do this
curl --tlsv1.3 --output whonix-xfce-installer-cli --url https://www.whonix.org/dist-installer-cli
and then
bash ./whonix-xfce-installer-cli
that gives you VirtualBox 7.0.16 and that isn’t the latest version of VirtualBox. We’re now onto VB 7.1
And also, so here Dev/VirtualBox it says “Since VirtualBox version 7.0.0 support for USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 devices is included in the base package and no longer requires the Extension Pack.”
So if you wanted to use an external drive while in Whonix you do not need the VirtualBox extension pack?
But, if you wanted to use a webcam while in Whonix then you would need the VB extension pack? Can one even use a webcam in Whonix?
So when you go here Install Newer Versions of VirtualBox and see this
So this command
bash ./virtualbox-installer --oracle-repo
So is bash using apt to install VirtualBox? And so is this a safe and secure way to install VirtualBox? So apt is very safe to install packages (again I’m assuming here bash is running off apt, or maybe I’m just confused here)? Well, it seems that this way doesn’t verify VirtualBox to make sure it’s integrity is good. why? Why is there no need to verify VirtualBox here?
Anyhow, listen, I’m just gonna delete method 2 entirely and just keep method 1 (in my tutorial on askubuntu). I’m doing this cause the documentation is saying the wget command isn’t safe and then it goes on to talk about the scurl command and it appears you can only use scurl in kicksecure. So this is all over my head at this point, I’m not a computer expert so I’m just gonna delete Method 2 in my Whonix tutorial on askubuntu and I’m just gonna stick with Method 1 and be done with it. My brain is gonna explode. My average IQ brain is being pushed to it’s limits of understanding. Yeah I’m just getting confused but I do understand Method 1 though, that’s simple enough.
I’ve a question, in Method 1 of my tutorial https://askubuntu.com/questions/1550871/how-do-i-install-whonix-on-ubuntu-24-04-lts those commands will automatically install both VirtualBox and Whonix together, is there a need to verify both of them for integrity?
