Whonix ™ Derivative Repository Tool

Whonix ™ APT Repository Overview[edit]

Whonix ™ currently provides four repository choices:

Whonix ™ stable APT repository: Recommended for most users. The production level packages focus on providing the most reliable Whonix ™ experience. ^[1]
Whonix ™ stable-proposed-updates APT repository: After testing by a wider audience, these packages migrate to the stable repository. ^[2]
Whonix ™ testers APT repository: Recommended for testers, since it is only briefly tested by Whonix ™ developers. It could break APT during an upgrade, requiring terminal commands to rectify the problem. ^[2]
Whonix ™ developers APT repository: As above, except it includes untested changes. These changes may eventually migrate to the testers repository there is reasonable certainty that these changes will not break the update system. It is not recommended, unless the user is in touch with the development team.

Due to the Whonix ™ design, a user's security is unlikely to be materially affected by preferring the "beta" (stable-proposed-updates) or "alpha" (testers) repositories over the default stable one. ^[3]

Change Whonix ™ APT Repository[edit]

It is easy for users to switch between Whonix ™ repositories.

Qubes-Whonix ™[edit]

If you are using Qubes-Whonix ™, please press Expand on the right.

Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q") → Template: whonix → Repository

Figure: Wizard Repository Selection

Figure: Wizard Auto-update Configuration

Whonix[edit]

If you are using Whonix ™, please press Expand on the right.

Start Menu → System → Derivative Repository → choose either "stable", "stable-proposed-updates" , "Testers" or "Developers" repository

Figure: Start Menu

Figure: super user password

Afterwards, the following window will appear.

Figure: Auto-update Configuration

Figure: Repository Selection

Command Line Interface[edit]

If you are a terminal user, please press Expand on the right.

In Terminal, run.

sudo repository-dist

sudo repository-dist

Figure: Launch Terminal

Figure: Run repository-dist

Choose one of the following repositories based on personal preferences.

sudo repository-dist --enable --repository stable

sudo repository-dist --enable --repository stable

sudo repository-dist --enable --repository stable-proposed-updates

sudo repository-dist --enable --repository stable-proposed-updates

sudo repository-dist--enable --repository testers

sudo repository-dist--enable --repository testers

sudo repository-dist --enable --repository developers

sudo repository-dist --enable --repository developers

To use the repository, follow the usual update instructions.

Disable Whonix ™ APT Repository[edit]

For Trust reasons some users may prefer not to use Whonix ™ APT Repository. In that case, it is necessary to update Debian packages in Whonix ™ from source code, which is inconvenient.

All Default-Download-Version Whonix ™ variants have the Whonix ™ APT repository enabled. It can be disabled via the GUI or in a terminal with the Derivative Repository Tool.

Table: Whonix ™ APT Repository Disabling

Platform / Method	Instructions
Whonix ™ Built from Source Code	If Whonix ™ is built from source code, Whonix ™ APT Repository is not added by default. The only exception is if users opt in using a build configuration. It is also possible to verify that it is already disabled.
Whonix ™ Default-Download-Version: GUI	Template:Qubes project name: `Qubes App Launcher (blue/grey "Q")` → `Template:` `whonix` → `Repository` → `"No, I will manually update from source code."` Whonix ™: `Start Menu` → `Applications` → `System` → `Whonix Repository` → `"No, I will manually update from source code."`
Whonix ™ Default-Download-Version: Terminal	To disable it in a terminal, run. sudo repository-dist --disable sudo repository-dist --disable

Users can optionally verify Whonix ™ APT repository is disabled after this procedure.

Verify Whonix ™ APT Repository is Disabled[edit]

To check the Whonix ™ APT repository was successfully disabled, run the following tests.

1. Use apt-key.

sudo apt-key finger

sudo apt-key finger

This test should not show any Whonix ™-specific keys, such as Patrick Schleizer's OpenPGP key.

2. Check if file /etc/apt/sources.list.d/derivative.list exists.

If it does not exist, the procedure was successful.

3. Optional: conduct additional tests as a precaution.

Examine the /etc/apt/sources.list file. It should not include the Whonix ™ APT Repository.

cat /etc/apt/sources.list

cat /etc/apt/sources.list

Next examine the /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ folder as well.

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/*

Footnotes[edit]

↑ If possible, users are requested to run a separate testers-only Whonix-Gateway ™ (sys-whonix) and Whonix-Workstation ™ (anon-whonix) that has the testers repository enabled. If too few people test Whonix ™, undiscovered issues might migrate to the stable repository.
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Users are recommended to make a VM clone for this repository just in case it breaks. That way changes can be rolled back if necessary.
↑ The terms alpha and beta are avoided because they have generally lost their meaning in the software field; many applications remain in alpha or beta status for years, even though they work perfectly well.