Comparison - Whonix versus Kicksecure

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This page contains a detailed comparison of Whonix and Kicksecure.

Comparison Table[edit]

Table: Comparison Whonix versus Kicksecure

Feature Whonix Kicksecure
Based On Debian, Kicksecure Debian
Network Routing All traffic through Tor No Tor routing by default, except, see footnote [1]
Main Focus Anonymity and privacy Security hardening
Use Cases Anonymous activities General secure computing

Comparison with Kicksecure[edit]

Both Whonix and Kicksecure are Linux distributions based on Debian and developed by some of the same contributors. However, they serve different purposes:

Key Differences[edit]

Security vs Anonymity

Network Routing

  • Kicksecure does not route all traffic through Tor by default.
  • Whonix employs a two-VM model (Gateway and Workstation) to enforce Tor routing.

Intended Use Cases

  • Kicksecure: For users needing a hardened Linux environment without requiring anonymity.
  • Whonix: For users requiring anonymity and privacy protections.

When to Use Kicksecure[edit]

  • For applications needing security hardening without anonymity.

When to Use Whonix[edit]

  • For tasks that require guaranteed Tor routing and anonymity.

Can Kicksecure Be Used Instead of Whonix?[edit]

No. While both share many features, they are designed for different use cases. Kicksecure cannot provide the same anonymity guarantees as Whonix.

What are you trying to achieve?[edit]

  • "I need security but don't need Tor routing" → Use Kicksecure.
  • "I need anonymity or Tor routing" → Use Whonix.

Why are there two separate projects?[edit]

Kicksecure and Whonix have different goals: one focuses on security (Kicksecure), and the other on anonymity (Whonix).

Footnotes[edit]

We believe security software like Whonix needs to remain open source and independent. Would you help sustain and grow the project? Learn more about our 12 year success story and maybe DONATE!