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Sparrow on Qubes OS 4.1

In this tutorial, I will be walking you through setting up Sparrow Wallet in its own AppVM. We will be enhancing our security with a private electrum server connected over the TOR network. You will need:

• QubesOS 4.1 Installation (amd64)
• (optional) Private Electrum server running on Umbrel, RoninDojo NOTE: You can use a public electrum server with potential loss of transction privacy

Create and configure a new AppVM Qube

Open a dom0 terminal: [user@dom0 ~]$

Create a new sparrow AppVM Qube

qvm-create sparrow -t debian-11 -l orange

Set the net-vm qube for our Sparrow AppVM to sys-whonix

qvm-prefs sparrow netvm sys-whonix

Create an allowance for our sparrow AppVM qube to bind ports on sys-whonix

Edit the network policy on dom0:

sudo nano /etc/qubes/policy.d/30-user-networking.policy

Add the following line to 30-user-networking.policy:

qubes.ConnectTCP * sparrow @default allow target=sys-whonix

Launch a terminal in your sparrow AppVM qube:

Launch a sparrow AppVm Terminal from Qubes menu:

[Qubes Launcher] > [Qube: sparrow] > [sparrow: Terminal]

In terminal: [user@sparrow ~]$

Setup qubes-bind-dirs:

sudo mkdir -p /rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d
sudo mkdir -p /rw/bind-dirs/opt/sparrow
sudo mkdir -p /rw/bind-dirs/usr/share/desktop-directories

Setup qubes-bind-dirs.d to bind directories on launch:

sudo nano /rw/config/qubes-bind-dirs.d/50_user.conf

Add the following lines 50_user.conf:

binds+=( '/opt/sparrow' )
binds+=( '/usr/share/desktop-directories' )

Setup /rw/config/rc.local to bind port 9050 on sys-whonix:

sudo nano /rw/config/rc.local

Add the following lines rc.local:

qvm-connect-tcp 9050:@default:9050

Shutdown your Sparrow AppVM qube using Qube Manager

Download Sparrow Wallet on a disposible VM

Launch fedora-37-dvm (dvm): Firefox

Open Sparrow Wallet download page

Download 3 files:

• sparrow_1.8.1-1_arm64.deb
• sparrow-1.8.1-manifest.txt
• sparrow-1.8.1-manifest.txt.asc

Copy files to our sparrow AppVm:

• Open the downloads page on Firefox [Ctrl+Shift+Y]
• Click the folder icon
• Select the three files, then right click and choose “Copy to other AppVm”
• Choose sparrow as the target AppVm

Verify and install Sparrow Wallet on sparrow AppVm

Launch a sparrow AppVm Terminal from Qubes menu:

[Qubes Launcher] > [Qube: sparrow] > [sparrow: Terminal]

In terminal: [user@sparrow ~]$

Change directory to ~/QubesIncoming/disp*:

cd ~/QubesIncoming/disp*

Grab the key of the developer (Craig Raw):

curl https://keybase.io/craigraw/pgp_keys.asc | gpg --importsha256sum --check sparrow-1.8.1-manifest.txt --ignore-missing

Don’t trust; verify the manifest:

gpg --verify sparrow-1.8.1-manifest.txt.asc

Now, verify the installation package:

sha256sum --check sparrow-1.8.1-manifest.txt --ignore-missing

Install the package

sudo apt install ./sparrow_1.8.1-1_amd64.deb

You can ignore this warning:

N: Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file '/home/user/Downloads/sparrow_1.8.1-1_amd64.deb' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)

Final setup and configuration

Setup a Sparrow launch key-binding

• [Qubes Launcher] > [System Tools] > [Keyboard]
• Choose the [Application Shortcuts] Tab, then click the [+Add] button
• Command: qvm-run -q -a sparrow /opt/sparrow/bin/Sparrow
• Enter Keyboard Shortcut: [Ctrl+Alt+S]

Test your Sparrow Qube installation

NOTE: If you have a previous Sparrow Wallet installation, copy your existing .sparrow folder into sparrow AppVm /home/user/ directory

To Launch Sparrow Wallet: Press [Ctrl+Alt+S]

Configure Sparrow to use sys-whonix torsocks proxy

• Open Sparrow Wallet preferences: Press [Ctrl+P]
• Choose the Server tab (bottom):
• Choose [Type:] Private Electrum
• Enter your Umbrel or Dojo or other Electrum [URL:] `**************.onion
• Toggle on [Use Proxy:]
• Set [Proxy URL:] localhost 9050

Final Thoughts:

The goal of this set up is to maximize security and privacy of our Sparrow Wallet setup. It is also possible to connect USB harwarde signers to the instance. Raise an issue here if you want me to add udev settings for usb-connected hardware wallets (I would rather you stay safe and airgap).