This Linux distro routes all your traffic through the Tor network – and it’s my new favorite for privacy

Privacy has become a keystone for keeping your information safe and preventing third parties from creating consumer profiles that could then be used for targeted marketing… or worse.

To that end, there are countless products and services that promise to keep you and your information private. Some work, and some are nothing but snake oil.

For me, the best route to privacy goes through Linux and one of the many privacy-focused distributions. Recently, I stumbled upon another such distribution, Securonis. The name reminds me of the Arconis cybersecurity solution, but I’m confident the Linux distribution and the proprietary business software have nothing to do with one another.

Securonis is based on the Debian testing branch and automatically, out of the box, routes all traffic through the Tor network, which means it’s private and secure from the jump. It also includes a good number of applications geared toward keeping you even more secure.

Also: I found the most private and secure way to browse the web — and it isn’t incognito mode

Securonis can be run as a live distribution (directly from RAM without installing it on your drive) or it can be installed with the easy-to-use Calamares installer.

All of this might sound complicated. After all, you’ll find several preinstalled apps that might make you go, “Huh?” But even with added software like I2P Router, PxrtalCrypt, Securonis DNSCrypt, System Knight, VesperaCrypt, SecDNSChanger, and Wireshark, this distribution can be used like a standard OS — only more private. And with Securonis defaulting to the MATE desktop, anyone, regardless of skill level, will feel right at home.

Even the web browser (FireScorpion) is geared toward privacy.

Also: The best Linux VPNs: Expert tested and reviewed

What is Securonis like to use? I approached it as if I knew nothing about Linux, Tor, or any privacy-focused tools, and here’s how it went.

My experience with Securonis 

I decided to go the installation route, which was incredibly simple. I answered a few quick questions, typed my user information, and the installer was off. After roughly five minutes, the installation completed, and I was ready to log in.

After logging in, my first impression was that Securonis looks like any other Linux distribution with security and privacy in mind. The MATE desktop is as simple as it gets, and the theme is the usual dark take on the desktop. There are some application shortcuts that have me curious, such as the launchers in the top bar. One is named Seconionis (not a typo). 

This is the Securonis take on the Onion network. 

When I click that icon, a window appears with options such as Start Tor Routing, Stop Tor Routing, Tor Status, Restart Tor, Set Autostart, and more. Essentially, Seconionis is my gateway to the Tor network, which makes it an important tool.

In fact, before opening Seconionis, I launched the FireScorpion browser only to find I couldn’t reach the internet.

Also: For anonymous browsing, these extensions are the next best thing to Tor

I was pretty sure the key to reaching the internet lay in two tools — Seconionis and DNSCrypt. The first thing I did was open DNSCrypt and select 1 (to start DNSCrypt). This terminal application manages DNS encryption. Once it was running, I realized it would be redundant for my needs, since Tor would encrypt my outgoing traffic. So, I shut it down and turned to the Seconionis tool.

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From the Seconionis tool, I started the Tor network and then enabled autostart by clicking Set Autostart. 

After Tor was running, I went back to FireScorpion to see how things were behaving. To my surprise, the privacy was so strong that I couldn’t reach either DuckDuckGo or Google. I could, however, reach other sites. Even then, on every site, FireScorpion informed me that a secure site (HTTPS) wasn’t available, even when I knew it was. I could, of course, click “Continue to HTTP Site,” and all was fine. I could even type https://www.zdnet.com (a URL that always works) and get the same error.

What’s frustrating is that each site connection varies. In some instances, I saw a window indicating my request was being verified, and the connection went no further. Some sites worked, but only marginally.

If I had to guess what was going on, it was all of the various privacy and security mechanisms working against one another. To test that theory, I decided to try using a different web browser. First, I fired up Tor Browser to see if that would resolve the issues. 

It took a while to download Tor Browser for the first time, but once it was installed, I ran it and was surprised that it asked me to connect to the Tor network, given that the OS was already connected. I was not surprised when Tor Browser wasn’t able to connect to the Tor network. On to the next browser.

I installed Chromium to see how that would fare. Since I was still on the Tor network, the installation took considerable time but ultimately failed. It was then that I realized my problem.

The OS was set to the wrong time zone. Or so I thought. I ensured the time zone was correct, but the time refused to change. In the end, I had to set the correct time via the command line like so:

sudo date -set=”23 June 2025 07:55:00″

Once that was taken care of, everything suddenly worked!

Also: 5 great Chrome browser alternatives that put your privacy first

OK, this shouldn’t be a problem because I set the proper time zone during installation. I’m not sure what was going on, but at least I was able to resolve it. However, when I launched FireScorpion, I checked my IP address, and clearly things weren’t being routed through the Tor network. I checked to make sure the Tor network was running, and it was. After restarting Tor, everything was back to how it should have been all along – my IP address and location were masked, and all was well.

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Should you try Securonis?

Securonis is a Linux distribution with powerful privacy tools. The problem is that the average user might struggle to get up to speed with the intricacies and complexities of using such an operating system. If, on the other hand, you know how to troubleshoot time zones and understand how Tor and SecureDNS work, you’ll find Securonis to be a powerful ally in the struggle for privacy.

Also: 5 best Linux distros for staying anonymous – when a VPN isn’t enough

I could easily see myself defaulting to Securonis when I need serious security and privacy. I could use it as a virtual machine, fire it up, do some business, and close it down. I can’t imagine ever using it as a default OS, but having it at the ready — when I need to get real with privacy — could be a great option.

If you’re interested in giving Securonis a go, download an ISO and either run it as a live instance or install it to see what’s what.

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