Anonymised Linux: Tails 7.0 is here

Anyone who values anonymity and privacy cannot avoid the Linux distribution Tails. The anonymizing operating system has now been released in the new version 7.0. In the latest release, the developers have updated the Linux base and many tools, among other things.

Tails starts as a live system directly from a USB stick. It includes many open-source applications, such as the Tor Browser and Thunderbird. The system is fully designed for anonymity and privacy so that no profiles can be created when surfing the web, for example. For security reasons, the system resets itself to the factory settings after every restart. Data can be stored permanently on a persistent partition.

Data traffic is encrypted and protected via the Tor network. In some countries, this is the only way for journalists to access the internet.

This is new

As can be seen from an announcement on the current version, Tails 7.0 is based on Debian 13 and GNOME 48. Because the developers have changed the compression algorithm from xz to zstd, the image is around 10 percent larger, but the system should boot up to 15 seconds faster. However, according to the team, this requires fast USB sticks from brand manufacturers. It can now take even longer to boot on slow fake sticks.

The minimum requirements for operation have increased from 2 GB RAM to 3 GB RAM. An upgrade is only possible from 7.0 rc1 and 7.0 rc2. In other cases, a manual installation is required.

Thanks to GNOME 48, you can now activate a function in the settings to extend the life of a notebook battery. The developers also state that applications and tools such as Audacity, Electrum, and GIMP have been brought up to date.

Thanks to the Linux kernel 6.12.43, the system should be more compatible with new hardware, such as graphics cards and Wi-Fi modules.

(des)