Overview
What NAILS is
Section titled “What NAILS is”NAILS is a NixOS tool for switching between a visible decoy system and a separate hidden environment.
It is built for operators who already work comfortably with NixOS and want a more repeatable process for dual-environment switching.
What the project leads with
Section titled “What the project leads with”- practical setup guidance
- honest limits
- a documented threat model
- a reference system in NAILS-OS
What the project does not lead with
Section titled “What the project does not lead with”The product started in academic work, but that is supporting context now. You do not need to read a thesis to understand whether the tool fits your workflow.
Read these first
Section titled “Read these first”Product shape in one pass
Section titled “Product shape in one pass”- You mount hidden storage that already exists and behaves like a normal Linux directory tree
nails activateoverlays the hidden environment onto the visible systemnails deactivaterestores the visible system and performs cleanup- NAILS-OS is the reference system for running NAILS when you want the surrounding platform to align with the same design
Next step
Section titled “Next step”If you are deciding whether to deploy NAILS, continue to Getting started.