Linux - Tails OS (Safe Surfing)

With the ever increasing security risks nowadays such as phishing, viruses, malware, spammers and worst the ransomware. A more secure system/protection is required and for an IT person like myself, I do most of my transactions online.

A recent attack of "ransomware" on one of my friend's computers make me wonders, is my computer really safe ? No ? How could I secure it at on a more robust way ?

So after some studies and research, I've decided to setup a few things in my home network :-

• Firewall Server.
• Backup/Storage Server.
• Norton Security Standard (Anti-Virus & Anti-Malware).

For this particular post, I will be showing how to create a portable OS (not just any OS, it must be safe, secure & lightweight) for my internet browsing & online transactions.

I came across this Linux distribution called "Tails OS", based on a Debian kernel and fully customised with one thing in mind, safe, secured & leaves no traces.

1. Download the latest version of Tails OS v.2.4 iso file (1.2GB).

2. Download the Tails 2.4 Signature file and the Tails Signing Key file. These files is also available in their download page, same page where you download the iso file.

Note : You need to ensure that all Tails files (iso, signature & key) resides in the same folder.

3. Download the latest version of Gpg4Win utility (this is to verify whether you're downloading the correct iso file and its not being tampered with).

4. Install the Gpg4Win (aka Kleopatra) utility, the installations is simple, just follow the on-screen instructions.

Don't worry, it's in "English" language.

5. After Gpg4Win is installed, run the program called "Kleopatra" and the following screen will be shown. Click on "Import Certificates" button.

6. Browse the signature file you have downloaded earlier. Select "tails-signing.key" file.

7. Once successfully imported, the following certificate will shown as below. Now you can exit the utility.

8. Now run "CMD" program and change the directory to where you have saved the Tails files earlier. This steps is required, as Gpg4Win cannot work if the signature key & iso file is not in the same folder.

9. Type the following command --> gpg --keyed-format 0xlong --verify tails-i386-2.4.iso.sig tails-i386-2.4.iso --> press [ENTER] key.

10. Please be patience & let it run, once completed you should have the results as shown below. This shows that the iso file is verified and confirmed correct.

11. Download another utility called "Universal USB Installer", you can visit their website at PenDrivelinux.com for more information. This utility is portable thus no installations required.

12. You will need a USB flash drive (at least 4GB) and then run the utility & you will see the screen as shown below, now follows the screenshot steps.

--> Step 1 : Tails
--> Step 2 : [ISO file location]
--> Step 3 : Select the correct USB flash drive.
--> Step 4 : Select "We will format...." option.
--> Step 5 : Click "Create" button.

!!! WARNING !!!
Ensure the flash drive is empty as this steps will format it, also ensure it's the correct USB drive selected, please unplug all USB storage devices before proceeding.

13. The progress display as shown. Please be patience and let it complete.

14. Click "Close" button when completed.

15. Unplug the USB flash drive, let's name it USB#1 for the convenience of this tutorial.

16. You will need another empty USB flash drive (USB#2), this flash drive will be your working drive and may contains your data thus a larger capacity is required.

17. Now restart your computer with USB#1 plugin and select boot from USB drive (booting to USB drive steps differs & depends on manufacturer), once booted you should see the following screenshot, select "Live" boot option and press [ENTER] key to continue booting.

18. You will be prompted with the following screen, click "Login" button to continue.

19. Once successfully booted, you will the following desktop as shown below.

20. Now plugin the empty USB#2 drive (note that the first USB drive aka USB#1 drive is still plugin) and then goto --> Applications --> Tails --> Tails Installer.

21. Click on "Install by cloning" option as shown below.

22. When prompted, select USB#2 drive as shown below. Ensure its the correct drive.

23. When prompted, click "Yes" button to continue.

24. The following progress will be displayed, please be patience and wait for it complete. If you disrupt this process it will rendered your USB#2 drive unusable.

25. Once the installation completed, click "Close" button.

26. Now you will need to shutdown the system, on the top right corner click on the drop-down arrow and the sub-menu will be displayed, click on the "Power" icon as shown to shutdown.

27. Once shutdown, unplug USB#1 drive but leave the USB#2 drive plugin. Then switch on back the computer & select boot from USB drive. Select "Live" boot option when prompted.

28. Click "Login" button to continue.

29. This steps is optional if you want to read/write your data files into the flash drive. Now to enable the "Persistent Volume" option, where you can read/write your data files into the flash drive, goto --> Application --> Tails --> Configure persistent volume.

30. It will prompt you for a "Passphrase", key-in your preferred passphrase (recommended to have at least 6 alphanumeric with special characters & hard to guess name, such as your favourite foods or drinks, your pet's name etc.). Next click "Create" button.

31. Wait for the installation to be completed, the progress screen is as shown below.

32. Now you will be prompted to select which services can be saved into the flash drive, the default selection is enough (unless you know what kind of services you will be using, then you can select more). Click "Save" button when you are done.

33. Just close the windows when prompted.

34. Now you need to restart the system in order for the new features to be activated, once restarted you will be prompted a new login screen as shown below. Click "Yes" button under "Use persistence ?" option and then click "Login" button to continue.

35. That's all, you can now surf the web safely.

So what do you do with USB#1 drive ? Well its entirely up to you, it can be reformatted for other purposes or leave it as a backup in case you need it.

So whenever I travel, I will surely bring this USB#2 drive along. You will never knows when you need it. It is very suitable when used in public computers (eg. Internet Café) or using your friend's computer (when you are unsure its safe or not). Whatever the reasons, it is better safe than sorry later.

I have tested this OS on the following models and it works :-

• HP ProBook 6470b.
• HP EliteBook Folio 9470m Ultrabook.
• HP Compaq Presario CQ42.
• HP Compaq Pro 3000 MT.
• Lenovo IdeaPad Z500.

On my next weekend project, I will be setting up a firewall server and configure it. So stay tune and until next week then.

HAPPY COMPUTING & SAFE SURFING !!!

Windows - Corrupted USB Flash Drive

From time to time you might be testing some sort of OS or trying to make an USB flash drive bootable. For me it is very often whereby I will try lots of utilities and OSes.

Over the time the flash drive will get corrupted or rendered it unreadable or worst a wrong partition table thus causing some read/write errors. Example of the problems as below screenshot :

Well don't worry, I have a simple solution to this problems..... just "zero fill" the flash drive.

I'm not going to explain what the heck is "zero fill" technology and for those who understand it..... well we need an utility to perform such task. When you "googled" it you will definitely found tons of utilities that does that, I'm suggesting this "LowVel" utility due to its easy to use and only perform a single functions, which is "Zero Fill" or "Low Level Format" task.

1. Download the utility here. For more information, please visit http://www.lowlevelformat.info/Default.aspx website. Or if you prefer, you can also download it from the author's website directly.

2. Once download complete, you need to install it. Now don't be scared by the intimidating splash screen when you first run it.

3. Now when install complete, just run the utility and you will have the following screen displayed.

4. Use the drop-down box to select your USB Flash Drive.

!!! WARNING !!!
Please ensure you are selecting the correct drive, as this utility can also detects your local HDD or any connected drives. There is no way to undo this.

5. Once the correct drive is selected, just click on the "Start" button as shown.

6. Now a warning message will be prompted, verify the USB flash drive information whether you are selecting the correct drive or not. After verification, click on the "Erase" button as shown.

!!! WARNING !!!
Please ensure the correct drive information is displayed before continue.

7. Once started, you will see the following progress. Depending's on the size of the USB Flash Drive, the time required for the completion varies and also the type of USB (eg. USB2.0 & USB3.0) also varies.

Also you need to disabled screen saver from running and ensuring your computer have sufficient battery status (if running from a notebook).

8. Once completed, you may proceed to close the program and unplug/remove the USB flash drive from the computer.

9. Now plug back the USB flash drive and Windows will automatically prompts you to format the drive, this is normal after the drive is "zero fill", please proceed to format it.

10. Once completed, you need to verify whether it fixes your problems or not. As below screenshot, you can see that the USB flash drive's volume & partition table returns back to normal.

11. Now you can use back the USB flash drive like normal.

HAPPY COMPUTING !!!

Samsung - Peel Smart Remote

This apps have been around for some time and yet I have ignore it for almost the entire year. I just so happens to tried out this apps as my very old LCD TV's remote went broken.

To my surprise it does works, so I have proceeded to add more remotes into the apps such as my Home Theatre System, the new LCD TV, Blu-Ray Player, DVD Player and Air-Conditioner.

Yes, air-conditioner and works flawlessly. Though some appliances couldn't be controlled due to incorrect iR frequency or its not listed in their database but heck you can send them the make & model and maybe... maybe they will add it in on the next release of updates.

You can also visit their website for more information at https://www.peel.com/

Oh did I mentioned it also works on Astro decoder & HyppTV Set-Top-Box ? Yupe, you heard me right it does works. Give it a try and you'll never regret it.

HAPPY COMPUTING !!!