Since you're using Qubes have you ever been hacked?

General Discussion
1

Hi, i wanted to know if some users have noticed something suspicious that happened to them under Qubes

1 Like
2

In my current experience, no. Because, many Email providers filter those spam with quarantine flag by default. So, nothing suspicious because of that. Thanks for asking the question.

3

@dkzkz

No.
Have you?

4

The thread title asks if we were hacked, which is totally different form “something suspicious happening”. The answer is:
→ Hacked: no.
→ Suspicious things: yes, but my threshold for suspecting the OS is very very low.

1 Like
5

I’m not Ed Snowden, Glenn Greenwald or Laura Poitras - the most of us weren’t and so ‘a person’ must doing somethings illegal or being a known dissident or journalist, a higher level (State) should have increased interest in hacking that person.
Hacking is overrated in my eyes - even here on “All Around QubesOS”

2 Likes
6

Here’s another question for you all: have you ever noticed a meaningful attempt at an attack? Apart from the obvious low-effort stuff like hammering ssh ports or DoS

It saddens me that we have all this alleged security but so little observability into it. The best option I can think of is monitoring the logs.

1 Like
7

@otter2

Every time I must pass through something like a Google reCAPTCHA or “Verifying your browser” I consider it an attack attempt. Anything that requires from me to reduce the security settings of my browser is that.

A less visible but known one is the Crimeflare traffic decryption. Or things like Hotjar.

Unfortunately, such things need more than choosing a secure OS.

8

I don’t think it’s what @dkzkz is meaning, but I have to say…

As a fairly regular target of attempted invoice fraud, spear phishing and similar, including carefully registered typosquat domains (“cIient-site.comsite” vs “client-site.comsite” **), etc, etc, …

… I just love my Open-in-disposable, secure backup and pw storage compartments, netless domains and all the rest.

It’s fairly recent that I’ve seen so much activity, so technically “since I’ve been using Qubes”, but I don’t see it as a consequence of using Qubes. More likely what used to be “script kiddies” has turned into “AI hack-farms”.

** PSA: Don’t forget to check those fonts in your mail reader, folks. None of my Windows-using colleagues noticed the difference between the two domains.

1 Like
9

I have an opposite experience. I am now acting a bit more reckless with files. I configured my disposable Qube to not have networking. So I open about any file I encounter without any fear

4 Likes
10

not while using qubes

11

Could you please expand on this? What makes this an attack attempt/why would it be one? This happens to me all the time, but I assumed it’s because I use a VPN, I never imagined it could be an attack attempt. How does it work/what would it do exactly? And do you mean a targeted attack attempt or typical big tech surveillance/bots?
(I don’t ask to doubt you, I’m trying to learn still so that’s why I ask!)

1 Like
12

@user10

Could you please expand on this? What makes this an attack attempt/why would it be one?

The requirement to enable JS, SVG, 3rd party resources (incl. frames) reduces the security of your browsing and increases fingerprint-ability. Also:

https://gor-grigoryan.medium.com/how-recaptcha-turned-internet-users-into-unpaid-ai-trainers-a2107adf31e3

And do you mean a targeted attack attempt or typical big tech surveillance/bots?

One could lead to the other, so it could be either or both.

2 Likes
13

I have not been attacked myself (or at least I assume I have not, ha), but I am interested in the question as well.

It would be neat to see how QubesOS fairs in various cyber security tests. Does anyone know if there have been any “red team / blue team” tests with public results and / or breakdowns?