Lightweight Portable Security is a portable Linux distro from the Department of Defense.

Lightweight Portable Security (LPS-Public) is a bootable live CD designed by the Department of Defense so that government employees can access data from a public computer without worrying about security violations.

Booting from a CD and executing from system RAM, the lightweight Linux distro should be safe from spyware or viruses, and since the LPS-Public does not mount to the hard drive of the host computer no trace of work activity is logged.

LPS-Public includes features designed to allow productive use of the Internet and CAC- or PIV-restricted Government websites from home or while traveling. LPS-Public comes preconfigured with a smart card-enabled Firefox web browser with Java and Flash support, Encryption Wizard-Public, a PDF viewer, a file browser, remote desktop software (Citrix, Microsoft or VMware View), SSH client, and the ability to use USB flash drives. This build does not contain any FOUO material or any customized software.

LPS-Public Deluxe adds OpenOffice software, which is a Microsoft Office-compatible suite of office applications, and Adobe Reader, which allows PDF files to be digitally signed.

LPS-Public allows general web browsing and connecting to remote networks. It includes a smart card-enabled Firefox browser supporting CAC and PIV cards, a PDF and text viewer, Java, and Encryption Wizard - Public. LPS-Public turns an untrusted system (such as a home computer) into a trusted network client. No trace of work activity (or malware) can be written to the local computer. Simply plug in your USB smart card reader to access CAC- and PIV-restricted US government websites.

LPS differs from traditional operating systems in that it isn't continually patched. LPS is designed to run from read-only media and without any persistent storage. Any malware that might infect a computer can only run within that session. A user can improve security by rebooting between sessions, or when about to undertake a sensitive transaction. For example, boot LPS immediately before performing any online banking transactions. LPS should also be rebooted immediately after visiting any risky web sites, or when the user has reason to suspect malware might have been loaded. In any event, rebooting when idle is an effective strategy to ensure a clean computing session. LPS is updated on a regular basis (at least quarterly patch and maintenance releases). Update to the latest versions to have the latest protection.

To get started, download the LPS-Public ISO image and burn it to a CD. Read the Quick Start Guide for more information.

Download the LPS-Public ISO image, version 1.3.3 (12 April 2012). If you have difficulty with the download you may wish to download the zipped version instead (13 April 2012).

Download the LPS-Public Deluxe ISO image, version 1.3.3 (12 April 2012). This version is the same as the LPS-Public edition, but also includes OpenOffice and Adobe Reader software. If you have difficulty with the download you may wish to download the zipped version instead (13 April 2012)

Updates:

A new version of Lightweight Portable Security (LPS), a Linux live CD with strong privacy protection features created by the United States Department of Defence, is out. Version 1.3.3 is a maintenance release, updating Firefox, Flash, Adobe Reader and OpenSSL, and adding Thunderbird and Pidgin to the "deluxe" edition. From the changelog: "Changes in version 1.3.3: updated Firefox to 10.0.3 ESR; updated Flash to 11.2.202.228; updated OpenSSL to 0.9.8u; updated Adobe Reader to 9.5.1; updated Encryption Wizard application to 3.3.2; added Thunderbird 3.1.20 and DAVmail to LPS-Public Deluxe for S/MIME email support with MS Exchange OWA; added Pidgin 2.10.2 (with SameTime support); added VMware View 1.4; added option for OpenDNS DNSCrypt; added Firefox extension HTTPS Everywhere 2.0.1; added Firefox extension NoScript 2.3.7 (disabled by default)." Download (SHA256) the live CD images from the project's download server: LPS-1.3.3_public.iso (176MB), LPS-1.3.3_public_deluxe.iso (377MB).

• 2012-04-13: Distribution Release: Lightweight Portable Security 1.3.3
• 2011-09-23: Distribution Release: Lightweight Portable Security 1.2.4
• 2011-07-19: Distribution Release: Lightweight Portable Security 1.2.2

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