Linux and privacy run by hand.
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It begins with strong security and ends with smart, preventive behavior from the user. Fortunately, it is not difficult to achieve additional privacy when using the Linux operating system and even better, it (mostly) can be done for free.
1. Use an anonymous concentrated distribution
Some linux distribution, such as Kodachi and Tail, are made in mind the privacy.
These distribution are used live (meaning they are not installed like a traditional operating system) and include components designed to help you maintain their privacy. You will find equipment for oblivion, encryption, logging, and more – all go a long way towards increasing your privacy.
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A warning to use such delivery is that every time you reboot, you return to the square one (which is by design and helps your OS to stop leaving any mark behind you).
2. Use tor browser
If you do not like the idea of using live distribution, then you should appoint at least Tor browser.
When using the tor browser, your web activity is automatically encrypted and anonymous. Tor browser is the best web browser for safety and privacy, and no other browser can touch it. This browser is for those who want to ensure their time on the web, protected from those who will steal information and use it against them.
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Tor browser can be installed with most standard repository and can be used free.
3. Use encryption
Another addition you can do is the use of encryption.
Linux enjoys GNUPG, which is a free implementation of very good privacy, and does an excellent job of encrypting the data. You can not only encrypse files and folders, but also integrate it with your email client to send encrypted communication.
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However, one thing to remember is that you should have a public key to the people you want to send an encrypted message. In addition, GNUPG is very simple to use and is worth the time involved in installing it.
4. Disable location sharing
Some Linux distribution (especially ganom or KDE Plasma Desktop) includes systems for telemetry (sending user information) to development teams.
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You do not want such information being sent out of your machine (even if the party receiving can be trusted, you never know if it will be intercepted). Gnome makes it easy for you to disable such information, including sharing the location. In the privacy section of the settings, you will find the location service option, which you can click on/off slider until in a closed position.
For Kde Plasma, you can disable the geoclue service with the Sudo Systemctl disabled geoclue.
5. Use a VPN
When in doubt, use a VPN.
Why? A VPN is not only an anonymous of your traffic, but also encryps it, making it almost impossible to intercept and use your data. Here’s the thing, however: You should use more than just one web browser extension for your VPN as you should also add this safety to email and other network-based traffic.
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Fortunately, desktops for Linux are VPN clients, such as protonVPN, expresswpn and windscribe.
6. Remove temporary files and logs
Linux retains temporary files and logs, which are often helpful for troubleshooting (this is especially true for log files). However, those files may contain information that can be used to negatively affect your privacy (such as IP address and running services).
Fortunately, at intervals set in Linux are features to automatically purify those files. For example, the content of the /TMP directory is usually removed on the reboot. The log is also rotated regularly.
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However, you can take care of those tasks. For example, you can only release command Sudo RM /TMP /*. Even better, you can remove all files that are more than 10 days old (if you need temporary files most recently) then with commands like Sudo Find /TMP -Type F -Time +10 -delete.
As far as the log is concerned, you can use the logrot, which is slightly more complicated. You have to create a configuration file in /tc/logrotate.d/ that can look like this:
/var/log/myapp/*.log { rotate 7 daily compress missingok notifempty create 0640 myapp myapp postrotate systemctl reload myapp endscript }
Then you can run the logro with that configuration like:
Logrotate -F /tc/logrotate.conf
7. 2-Use fake authentication
You should use it with any application or service that you use that provides a 2-factor authentication.
The reason is that this is an additional layer of safety for your accounts that you will not have otherwise. Once set, 2FA requires an additional 6-conductive passcode (which you either receive through SMS or get from the mobile certification app). Without that 6-conductive passcode, you will not be given access to your account.
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This can be an inconvenience, but it is one that is worth every extra second – even on Linux.
8. Monitor system activity
You should make a regular habit of monitoring system activity. But how do you do that?
There are some log files that you should know about, such as Syslog (which collects information from services, demons, and applications), Author Auth.Log (to monitor and troubleshoot the authentication), safe (certification and authority events), audits (security related events), WTMP (to track user activities), and other BTMP (to track).
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If you run other services (such as Apache or Mariadbi), then you should also monitor logs related log files.
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