The Best Linux Distros for Privacy in 2025

Linux is touted as the most privacy-friendly of all the popular operating systems, thanks to its privacy-focused approach and open-source distribution. Still, with so many Linux distros out there, made by any and everybody, some outperform others in terms of privacy and security. 

Let’s dive into some of our penguin pals’ most popular distros to discover which ones give you the best overall privacy protection. We assessed the different ways these distros ensure your privacy, and if they offer additional tools to encrypt offline files, emails, and instant messaging. We also looked at their ease of use, hardware requirements, and if they have support and documentation available. Then we investigated which distros offered the best privacy for specific tasks such as gaming or work. 

After going through our ranking of the best privacy-focused Linux distros, take a look at our tips to increase your privacy on any distro.

Wait, Aren’t All Linux Distros Ultra Private? 

Linux poses fewer security risks than operating systems like Windows or macOS, but not all Linux distros are created equal. Due to the highly customizable, open-source nature of Linux, anyone can alter a distro to meet their needs. That means the best Linux distro for gaming may not be the most private for work or protecting your anonymity online. 

While all Linux distros have several default security features in common, they don’t all offer advanced features like a built-in Tor browser or default encryption for offline files. So, to simplify your search, here’s the lowdown on Linux. We’ll look at the most private distro overall, plus four other distros with essential security and privacy features that make them stand out for work, anonymity, gaming, and streaming.

🥇 Kodachi – Best Overall for Privacy

We’ve ranked Kodachi as the best Linux distro for ultimate privacy because nothing beats its long list of built-in privacy and security tools. The system on this Debian-based distro routes all connections through a VPN and Tor encrypting your traffic and hiding your true IP address. You can also customize this setup with your own VPN. Note that Tor and VPNs increase your network latency to varying degrees. 

Kodachi also lets you encrypt offline files, emails, and instant messages. Its bundle of privacy tools includes:

• VeraCrypt: An open-source, disk encryption tool
• zuluCrypt: An open-source, hard drive encryption tool.
• KeePass XC: An open-source, multi-platform password manager
• Metadata Anonymization Toolkit (MAT): A toolkit that includes a GUI application, and a CLI application, which allows you to anonymize or remove metadata
• Panic Room Entry: A password-protected feature that allows you to erase the entire contents of your Kodachi install 

Kodachi uses a highly customizable Xfce desktop with various themes and backgrounds, so you can personalize it to your taste. You can also use all the common Linux desktop apps, including GIMP, VLC, LibreOffice, Virtual Box, and more. All this adds up to a powerhouse of a Linux distro, ready for just about any task. 

💼 QubesOS – Best for Work

If you want a high-security Linux distro for work, look no further than QubesOS. It operates like most standard distros, so you need only basic knowledge of Linux to use it. It’s based on Fedora and uses an Xfce desktop, so you can make customizations just as you would in Kodachi. QubesOS is also highly documented, which means you should be able to find troubleshooting information for just about any issue.

What makes the distro particularly secure is the way it lets you organize various apps and programs into secure compartments called qubes and name them appropriately (e.g., work or games). Once you create a qube, you will see it in your application menu, where you would normally see your list of apps on other Linux distros. 

For example, you can create a ‘Work’ qube for trusted work apps and add your favorite web browser. Then you can create another qube for ‘Other Browsing’ and add an instance of the same web browser. 

The benefit is if you get malware on one qube, your other qubes won’t be affected. This makes resolving issues easier, or you can simply create a new qube.

👻 Tails – Best for Anonymity

Tails, short for the Amnesiac Incognito Live System, is one of the best Linux distros if you value your anonymity. 

You can’t install Tails on your hard drive using Linux-recommended installation methods. The distro is designed to run on external media only, so no trace of activity is left on your device’s hard drive. None of your activity is saved for any amount of time. If you want to keep your settings or packages, you can use the OS in persistent mode, which stores them on an encrypted USB stick. 

Using external media like a disk or USB also makes Tails extremely portable. Other notable security features include automatic Tor routing to anonymize your connections, and the KeePassX password manager to keep your passwords safe and on hand.

🎮 Nobara — Best for Gaming & Multimedia

Fedora-based Nobara distro has everything a gamer or movie buff would need built-in. It was designed to cater to content creators, gamers, and streaming enthusiasts. You get tools like Steam, GOverlay, and Host Remote Play for gaming, in addition to content creation tools like Inkscape, LibreOffic, and Chromium. 

Anything not included for gaming and streaming is easy to install via the Nobara Welcome or Discover app. You get everything you need for any multimedia or entertainment activity in one place.

Main Privacy & Security Concerns with Linux

Linux is an open-source operating system that allows you to customize your experience, provided you have the know-how. Unfortunately, your ability to modify your Linux system makes you one of the biggest privacy and security threats to your distro.

Not using passwords can expose your system to malware and other threats, including:

• Remote Code Execution (RCE): A security vulnerability that allows an attacker to connect via a public or private network and run random code and malware on your system
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): An attack that overwhelms a server with requests until it shuts down
• Cryptominer viruses: A virus that steals system resources and uses them to make cryptocurrency
• Rootkits: Malware that allows cybercriminals to control your system and collect your private information remotely
• Ransomware: Malware that blocks all access to critical data, programs, applications, or other resources until you pay the attacker to release control

Failing to secure your ports and application programming interfaces (APIs) also puts your system at risk. APIs allow various computer components and applications to communicate with each other and share data. If the interface goes down, your internet service may not work. 

Additionally, failing to use authentication features like passwords, pins, and biometrics, can allow cybercriminals to steal passwords, session data, and other personal and device information.

Why You May Want More Privacy on Linux Distros

Online surveillance, censorship, and cybercrime levels continue to rise worldwide, and you remain a target, no matter what operating system you use. 

Linux also can’t stop your ISP or government from tracking your online activity. Secure browsers provide some privacy protection, but they aren’t a standalone solution. Fortunately, we found a few ways to increase the privacy and security of any Linux distro.

How to Maximize Privacy & Security on Linux 

Do Your Homework Before Installing Anything

The first and most important step to increase your privacy and security is using good judgment when installing anything on your device. Ensure you look into the privacy and data collection policies before you install any app and only download apps from trusted services. 

One of the best ways to prevent malware like viruses and ransomware is to do your homework on apps and programs before you install them. You should also avoid clicking suspicious links in emails, messages, or online in general.

Create Strong Passwords and Use 2FA

Some of the biggest risks to any system involve not creating strong enough passwords or bypassing using two-factor authentication like SMS, biometrics, or facial recognition. 

It’s best to choose a complicated password that combines lowercase and capital letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, avoid using personal information that could easily be guessed or found online, for instance, your first or last name, high school, or the name of a loved pet.

Use Onboard Privacy Features

Use available tools like the Uncomplicated Firewall (UFW). It’s usually pre-installed on Debian, Ubuntu, and Mint-based distros, but you can install it on other Linux applications, too. Also, enable secure boot and set a BIOS password to stop unauthorized users from changing your device’s software and hardware settings.

Installing firmware and security updates as soon as they become available is vital to protecting your privacy on Linux distros. Failing to install updates can create vulnerabilities in your software and hardware. This leaves backdoors for cybercriminals to exploit and gain access to your files, folders, passwords, and other information.

Use A VPN

If you want to add privacy and security to any Linux distro, download a Linux VPN. VPNs encrypt your online traffic and secure your network connections. Unfortunately, many don’t offer dedicated apps for Linux, and manually configuring one takes some technical knowledge, which is not ideal if you’re new to VPNs or Linux.

PIA VPN offers a dedicated app for Linux that works with Ubuntu 18.04+ (LTS), Mint, Debian, Fedora, and Arch-based distros. This eliminates the need for tedious command line configurations. 

Our VPN app lets you use the advanced split-tunneling feature to route some apps through the VPN while allowing trustworthy apps to run outside the VPN. You can choose between OpenVPN and WireGuard®, two of the most secure, open-source VPN protocols. 

Install an Ad & Malware Blocker

While Linux is considered one of the most secure OSs, it’s still vulnerable to malware. Having a bit of backup if you click on, or download, something you shouldn’t is a good idea. Most malware infections on Linux are rooted in user error. For example, not vetting an app properly or downloading from an untrustworthy source. 

Look for a multipurpose malware blocker that includes anti-tracking tools and allows you to customize your settings. 

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