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| working_state = Current
| working_state = Current
| released = {{Start date and years ago|2009|6|23}}
| released = {{Start date and years ago|2009|6|23}}
| latest_release_version = 1.2.1
| latest_release_version = 1.2.2
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2014|12|03|df=yes}}<ref name="version1.2.1" />
| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2014|12|15|df=yes}}<ref name="version1.2.2" />
| latest_test_version =
| latest_test_version =
| latest_test_date =
| latest_test_date =

Revision as of 17:12, 17 December 2014

Tails
Tails logo
Tails OS
OS familyUnix-like
Working stateCurrent
Source modelOpen source
Initial releaseJune 23, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-06-23)
Latest release1.2.2 / 15 December 2014; 9 years ago (2014-12-15)[1]
Repository
Marketing targetPersonal computers
PlatformsIA-32
Kernel typeMonolithic (Linux)
UserlandGNU
Default
user interface		GNOME 3
LicenseGPLv3+[2]
Preceded byIncognito
Official websitetails.boum.org

Tails or The Amnesic Incognito Live System is a security-focused Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at preserving privacy and anonymity.[3] All its outgoing connections are forced to go through Tor,[4] and direct (non-anonymous) connections are blocked. The system is designed to be booted as a live DVD or live USB, and will leave no trace (digital footprint) on the machine unless explicitly told to do so. The Tor Project has provided most of the financial support for its development.[5]

History

Tails was first released on June 23, 2009. It is the next iteration of development on Incognito, a Gentoo-based Linux distribution.[6] Most of the financial support for its development has been provided by the Tor Project.[5] Tails has also received funding from the Debian Project, Mozilla, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation.[7]

Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, and Barton Gellman have each said that Tails was an important tool they used in their work with National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.[8][9][10]

On July 3, 2014, German public television channel Das Erste reported that the NSA's XKeyscore surveillance system contains definitions that match persons who search for Tails using a search engine or visit the Tails website. A comment in XKeyscore's source code calls Tails "a comsec mechanism advocated by extremists on extremist forums".[11][12]

Bundled software

Networking

Stream isolation
Regular and obfsproxy bridges support
The Vidalia graphical frontend
TorBrowser patches
Torbutton for anonymity and protection against JavaScript
HTTPS Everywhere a Firefox extension which transparently enables SSL-encrypted connections to a great number of major websites
All cookies are treated as session cookies by default; the CS Lite extension provides more fine-grained cookie control for those who need it

Encryption and privacy

One may choose among a large number of languages when the system is booted.

Release history

Legend:
Old version
Older version, still maintained
Latest version
Latest preview version
Future release
Release history
Version Release date Notes
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.1 23 June 2009
  • First release.
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.7 7 April 2011 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.7.1 30 April 2011 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.7.2 13 June 2011 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.8 21 September 2011 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.8.1 16 October 2011 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.9 11 November 2011 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.10 4 January 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.10.1 30 January 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.10.2 5 March 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.11 25 April 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.12 13 June 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.12.1 6 July 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.13 17 September 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.14 13 November 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.15 28 November 2012 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.16 12 January 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.17 25 February 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.17.1 23 March 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.17.2 9 April 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.18 18 May 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.19 26 June 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.20 9 August 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.20.1 19 September 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.21 29 October 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.22 11 December 2013 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.22.1 4 February 2014 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 0.23 19 March 2014 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.0[13] 29 April 2014 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.0.1[14] 10 June 2014 —
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.1[15] 22 July 2014
  • This release is based on Debian 7.0 'Wheezy'
  • Upgrade thousands of packages
  • Migrate to GNOME 3 'fallback' mode
  • Install LibreOffice instead of OpenOffice.org
  • UEFI boot support, which should make it possible to boot Tails on modern hardware and Apple computers
  • Replace the Windows XP camouflage with a Windows 8 camouflage
  • Bring back VirtualBox guest modules, installed from Wheezy backports, full functionality is only available when using the 32-bit kernel
  • Security fixes, bug fixes, and minor improvements to Debian
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.1.1[16] 2 September 2014
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.1.2[17] 25 September 2014
  • Security fixes only
Old version, no longer maintained: 1.2[18] 16 October 2014
  • Install (most of) the Tor Browser, replacing our previous Iceweasel-based browser. The version installed is from TBB 4.0 and is based on Firefox 31.2.0esr. This fixes the POODLE vulnerability.
  • Upgrade Tor to 0.2.5.8-rc.
  • Confine several important applications with AppArmor.
  • Install Linux 3.16-3 (version 3.16.5-1).
  • Upgrade I2P to 0.9.15, and isolate I2P traffic from the Tor Browser by adding a dedicated I2P Browser. Also, start I2P automatically upon network connection, when the i2p boot option is added.
  • Make it clear that TrueCrypt will be removed in Tails 1.2.1, and document how to open TrueCrypt volumes with cryptsetup.
  • Enable VirtualBox guest additions by default. In particular this enables VirtualBox's display management service.
  • Make the OTR status in Pidgin clearer thanks to the formatting toolbar.
  • Upgrade syslinux to 6.03-pre20, which should fix UEFI boot on some hardware
Current stable version: 1.2.1[19] 3 December 2014
  • Linux updated to 3.16.7-1.
  • Tor Browser updated to 4.0.2 (based on Firefox 31.3.0esr).
  • TrueCrypt support replaced.
  • Other security fixes, bugfixes and minor improvements.
Future release: 2.0 TBA
  • Will focus on sustainability and maintainability. Most of the work put into this release will aim at reducing the workload of creating new versions of Tails through infrastructure improvements and automated testing. The developers' objective is to be able to release same-day security updates.[13]
Future release: 3.0 TBA
  • Will focus on changes in the internals of Tails to make it more secure. That includes sandboxing critical applications and software hardening.[13]
Version Release date Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference version1.2.2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Tails 0.11 incognito live system released", The H, April 30, 2012, retrieved August 12, 2012
  3. ^ Vervloesem, Koen (April 27, 2011), "The Amnesic Incognito Live System: A live CD for anonymity", LWN.net, retrieved August 12, 2012
  4. ^ "Anonym im Netz", TecChannel (in German), February 6, 2012, retrieved August 12, 2012 {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  5. ^ a b "Finances". Tails. April 4, 2013. Retrieved May 13, 2013.
  6. ^ Gray, James (September 16, 2011), "The Tails Project's The Amnesic Incognito Live System (Tails)", Linux Journal, retrieved August 12, 2012
  7. ^ "Tails report for May, 2014". Tails. June 14, 2014.
  8. ^ Timm, Trevor (April 2, 2014). "Help Support the Little-Known Privacy Tool That Has Been Critical to Journalists Reporting on the NSA". Freedom of the Press Foundation. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  9. ^ Finley, Klint (April 14, 2014). "Out in the Open: Inside the Operating System Edward Snowden Used to Evade the NSA". WIRED. Retrieved April 18, 2014.
  10. ^ Condliffe, Jamie (April 15, 2014). "Try the Super-Secure USB Drive OS That Edward Snowden Insists on Using". Gizmodo. Retrieved April 15, 2014.
  11. ^ Jacob Appelbaum, A. Gibson, J. Goetz, V. Kabisch, L. Kampf, L. Ryge (July 3, 2014). "NSA targets the privacy-conscious". DasErste.de.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Bruce Schneier (July 3, 2014). "NSA Targets Privacy Conscious for Surveillance". Schneier on Security.
  13. ^ a b c "Tails 1.0 is out". Tails. April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
  14. ^ "Tails 1.0.1 is out". The Tor Blog. June 10, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  15. ^ "Tails 1.1 is out". Tails. July 31, 2014. Retrieved August 8, 2014.
  16. ^ "Tails 1.1.1 is out". Tails. September 2, 2014. Retrieved September 2, 2014.
  17. ^ "Tails 1.1.2 is out". Tails. September 25, 2014. Retrieved September 26, 2014.
  18. ^ "Tails 1.2 is out". Tails. October 16, 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  19. ^ "Tails 1.2.1 is out". Tails. December 3, 2014. Retrieved December 4, 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Amnesic Incognito Live System.

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