Tails OS and Whonix
When to use Tails or Whonix for amnesic sessions and network isolation on Tor.
Handbooks that start with “choose your OS” are pointing at the same problem: a normal desktop remembers too much.
Tails
Amnesic live system. Default routing through Tor. Useful when you want sessions that leave minimal disk trace on the host. Verify ISO signatures from the Tails project before every write to USB.
Whonix
Two virtual machines: Gateway (Tor) and Workstation (apps). Strong network isolation if the hypervisor is set up correctly. Heavier than Tails; better for persistent but separated workflows.
Neither is magic
Wrong USB, unverified image, or logging into a real-identity account from the same session undoes the design. Pair with OPSEC.