Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

--- en:howto:signal_on_tails [2022/11/29 19:06] – gelöscht - Externe Bearbeitung (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1
+++ en:howto:signal_on_tails [2024/05/30 14:02] (current) – add link to a modern howto marymalone
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+====== HOWTO: INSTALLING AND RUNNING SIGNAL ON TAILS ======
+//A more modern howto is available [[https://0xacab.org/about.privacy/messengers-on-tails-os/-/wikis/Signal/Install-Signal-desktop|here]] ([[http://wmj5kiic7b6kjplpbvwadnht2nh2qnkbnqtcv3dyvpqtz7ssbssftxid.onion/about.privacy/messengers-on-tails-os/-/wikis/Signal/Install-Signal-desktop|via Tor Onion Service here]])//
+(heavily based on: [[https://bisco.org/notes/installing-and-running-signal-on-tails/|bisco.org]] )
+Tested with:
+  * Tails versions 4, 5 and 6
+  * Signal version 7.4.0
+===== 1.) Install Tails on USB-Stick =====
+See howto: [[https://tails.boum.org/|Tails]] and run it.
+===== 2.) Configure Tails =====
+[[https://tails.boum.org/install/expert?back=1|Tails configuration]]
+  * Create a Persistent Storage: https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/
+  * Enable the Additional Software feature of Tails persistence: https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/additional_software/
+  * Enable Dotfiles feature: https://tails.net/doc/persistent_storage/configure/
+Reboot
+When logging in after the reboot, unlock persistence volume and set an Administration Password.
+===== 3.) Install Flatpak =====
+The approach used to run Signal on Tails is using flatpak. Flatpak is a utility for software deployment and package management for Linux (Tails is a Linux).
+**WARNING**: since you download (and update) Signal from flatpak source you now depend on Flatpaks integrity!!!
+Open Terminal:
+''sudo apt update && sudo apt install flatpak''
+Tails then asks if you want to add flatpak to your additional software. Choose: "Install every Time".
+===== 4.) Configure Flatpak =====
+Put these commands into a script (a simple text file) in persistent folder i.e. ''/home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh''. You can do so by opening it from the Terminal with a text editor:
+<code>
+gnome-text-editor /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh
+</code>
+Content of the file:
+<code>
+#!/bin/sh
+mkdir -p /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak
+mkdir -p /home/amnesia/.local/share
+if ! file /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak | grep -q 'symbolic link'; then
+        rm -rf --one-file-system /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak
+        ln -s /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak /home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak
+fi
+mkdir -p /home/amnesia/Persistent/app
+mkdir -p /home/amnesia/.var
+ln -s /home/amnesia/Persistent/app /home/amnesia/.var/app
+</code>
+  * Make script executable
+''chmod +x /home/amnesia/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh''
+  * Add script to autostart
+Create a file: ''/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart/FlatpakSetup.desktop''. To do so, first create the directory, then open the file with a text editor:
+<code>
+mkdir -p /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart/
+gnome-text-editor /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.config/autostart/FlatpakSetup.desktop
+</code>
+Content of the file:
+<code>
+[Desktop Entry]
+Name=FlatpakSetup
+GenericName=Setup Flatpak on Tails
+Comment=This script runs the flatpak-setup.sh script on start of the user session
+Exec=/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/Persistent/flatpak-setup.sh
+Terminal=false
+Type=Application
+</code>
+Reboot
+When logging in after the reboot, unlock persistence volume and set an Administration Password.
+===== 5.) Install Signal with Flatpak =====
+Open Terminal:
+<code>torify flatpak remote-add --user --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo</code>
+<code>torify flatpak install flathub org.signal.Signal</code>
+(This will take quite a couple of minutes.)
+===== 6.) Configure Signal =====
+Put these commands into a script (a simple text file) in ''/home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh''. To do so, open the file in a text editor:
+<code>
+gnome-text-editor /home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh
+</code>
+Content of the file:
+<code>
+#!/bin/sh
+export HTTP_PROXY=socks://127.0.0.1:9050
+export HTTPS_PROXY=socks://127.0.0.1:9050
+flatpak run org.signal.Signal
+</code>
+  * Make script executable
+''chmod +x /home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh''
+  * Add script to applications
+Create a file: ''/live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/applications/Signal.desktop''.
+To do so, first create the directory, then open the file with a text editor:
+<code>
+mkdir -p /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/applications
+gnome-text-editor /live/persistence/TailsData_unlocked/dotfiles/.local/share/applications/Signal.desktop
+</code>
+Content of the file:
+<code>
+[Desktop Entry]
+Name=Signal
+GenericName=Signal Desktop Messenger
+Exec=/home/amnesia/Persistent/signal.sh
+Terminal=false
+Type=Application
+Icon=/home/amnesia/.local/share/flatpak/app/org.signal.Signal/current/active/files/share/icons/hicolor/128x128/apps/org.signal.Signal.png
+</code>
+Reboot and unlock persistence volume. (You need to unlock persistence volume every time you want to use Signal)
+Signal now shows as part of the Gnome applications with a nice Signal icon (hit "windows" button and search for "Signal").
+It's possible to start Signal like this as well:
+''cd /home/amnesia/Persistent && ./signal.sh''
+===== 7.) Update of Signal =====
+**IMPORTANT**: to check for updates and update Signal you have to manually run:
+''torify flatpak update''