-
Is there a necessary or beneficial reason to create a sys-audio cube for analog headphones, or does that use case only apply to USB headphones? Is it safe for me to use my analog headphones without a sys-audio cube?
-
Is cloning templates considered good practice, or is it generally worse than building new templates from scratch?
-
Is my plan, cloning each template for every new app I install, reasonable if I have a sufficiently strong PC? Conceptually, I’d run multiple Debian, Fedora, and Whonix workstations, each dedicated to a specific purpose, so that if an app is malicious or compromised, it only affects that particular cloned template.
-
Is using multiple Whonix gateways a good idea from a privacy standpoint, assuming I maintain separate identities and want them isolated?
-
How can I change default application settings (e.g., Firefox preferences, Tor Browser security level) so disposable qubes inherit those settings while non-disposable qubes also keep the correct defaults? Should this be configured in the appVM or the templateVM? Also, when I try to start Tor Browser inside the Whonix workstation template, I get a warning and it won’t launch. What’s the right place for making that work?
-
Right now I use
default-dvmandwhonix-workstation-18-dvmto launch disposable qubes, but I noticeddefault-dvmis shared by other qubes. My idea is to clone both VMs and avoid using the shareddefault-dvm, instead, use a separate clone of it for each purpose I want to isolate.
Yes.
Nuanced answer:
Thanks. What about the first question?
IMO, it is, but experts may know better.
- Is cloning templates considered good practice, or is it generally worse than building new templates from scratch?
It is easier to clone a template before experimenting with it rather than mess it up and reinstall it.
- Is my plan, cloning each template for every new app I install, reasonable if I have a sufficiently strong PC? Conceptually, I’d run multiple Debian, Fedora, and Whonix workstations, each dedicated to a specific purpose, so that if an app is malicious or compromised, it only affects that particular cloned template.
For every single new app - unlikely. It would be an overkill and usability nightmare to e.g. have separate template for less and xterm.
You may be interested to read:
- Is using multiple Whonix gateways a good idea from a privacy standpoint, assuming I maintain separate identities and want them isolated?
As long as the gateway is not compromised, using only one gateway and one identity at a time would be best, IMO. Next identity can use the same gateway, ideally leaving some time interval between the the two identities to prevent correlation.
- How can I change default application settings (e.g., Firefox preferences, Tor Browser security level) so disposable qubes inherit those settings while non-disposable qubes also keep the correct defaults? Should this be configured in the appVM or the templateVM?
Setting the “correct defaults” in template would give you the same defaults for your AppVMs based on that template.
Setting custom defaults a disposable template (AppVM) would propagate to disposables based it.
Also, when I try to start Tor Browser inside the Whonix workstation template, I get a warning and it won’t launch. What’s the right place for making that work?
Don’t run any software in templates to keep them clean. Run it in AppVMs and disposables.
Thanks for the answer. Unfortunately, I lost access to my previous account.
It is easier to clone a template before experimenting with it rather than mess it up and reinstall it.
Yes. I meant cloning templates as a way to setup new templates I’d use for other AppVMs, not necessarily for experiments. What is unclear to me is if I could perhaps copy some config file that would make it less isolated than creating a new TemplateVM from scratch would be, or otherwise creating some connection between the two by cloning them.
For every single new app - unlikely. It would be an overkill and usability nightmare to e.g. have separate template for
lessandxterm.
It was a mistake to say every single new app, I meant some new apps. Thanks for the link.
As long as the gateway is not compromised, using only one gateway and one identity at a time would be best, IMO. Next identity can use the same gateway, ideally leaving some time interval between the the two identities to prevent correlation.
Would they not share the same entry node all the time, and isn’t that less safe than having 2?
Setting the “correct defaults” in template would give you the same defaults for your AppVMs based on that template.
Setting custom defaults a disposable template (AppVM) would propagate to disposables based it.
Makes sense. But when I try to open the tor browser in a disposable template AppVM (say whonix-workstation-18-dvm), I get a warning and it won’t launch. Likewise, Firefox is not on the list of apps in TemplateVMs, making me think I should not open it in the TemplateVM, even just to change the config of an app. Am I wrong?
Don’t run any software in templates to keep them clean. Run it in AppVMs and disposables.
I run software by clicking the Qubes icon → APPS → whonix-workstation-18-dvm → Tor Browser (which opens a disp) or APPS → default-dvm (which does the same)
Is this correct?
About sys-audio, I am not an expert either, but I would believe that for just your built-in analog sound hardware it is probably alright to keep dom0 as the system’s audio VM. Personally, I prefer having all the audio plumbing running in sys-audio rather than dom0, though.
But keep in mind that if you ever want to use a Bluetooth headset, you definitely want to do it with sys-audio, since running a full Bluetooth stack in dom0 is kind of yucky…
The general principle is not to transfer data from (potentially) dirty qubes to qubes you assume clean, and to be careful with what you copy as a whole (e.g. do not copy your password.txt blindly). Cloning a qube does not create a connection with its original.
Would they not share the same entry node all the time, and isn’t that less safe than having 2?
I don’t know about entry nodes. I haven’t investigated this.
They will use different circuits and exits, which is what matters, no?
Makes sense. But when I try to open the tor browser in a disposable template AppVM (say whonix-workstation-18-dvm), I get a warning and it won’t launch.
I guess the Whonix script starting TB prevents that to protect the disposable template. Customizing TB is something I have been fighting with, and I ended up with this:
Likewise, Firefox is not on the list of apps in TemplateVMs, making me think I should not open it in the TemplateVM, even just to change the config of an app. Am I wrong?
If you want to change config files in a template, you can do it safely without running apps in the template itself. qvm-copy config.txt to your text editor qube, edit it there, then copy it back to the template. This assumes the text editor qube is clean and non-networked.
I run software by clicking the Qubes icon → APPS → whonix-workstation-18-dvm → Tor Browser (which opens a disp) or APPS → default-dvm (which does the same)
Is this correct?
If you want to start an app in a disposable, yes.
Thanks. Can I see how you organized your qubes? It would be great if there were a thread for it. I’m aware of the examples given in the guides, but they are only 3 examples, more (of real users willing to share it on the forum) would be nice.
It’s a mess of 120+ qubes 
But if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.
I am totally baffled what any kind of headphones has to do with sys-audio. You’re not creating sys-audio to put there headphones but PCI audio controllers.