Pierluigi Paganini
May 16, 2015
The Debian-based distribution Tails, “The Amnesiac Incognito Live System,”version 1.4 is available online! Tails is a popular live operating system (that means that users can start it on almost any computer from removable devices like a DVD, USB stick, and SD card) designed to preserve user privacy and anonymity.
The popular live Linux distribution is used by the famous whistleblower Edward Snowden, just released version 1.4.
This Debian-based system is designed to preserve your privacy and anonymity online, providing better protection than just using the Tor browser alone on a typical operating system. Tails includes a set of tools to protect the user anonymity, such as the Tor Browser and the I2P anonymizing software. The Tails live OS is designed to route all the user traffic over the Tor network to prevent applications from leaking it.
The Tails ability to boot and run from a disc, USB drive, or SD card ensures no traces of a user’s activity remain on the local host hard drive and registry, this means that it could also run on an untrusted computer. Another point of strength for the Tails live distribution is the impossibility for spyware to run infect the Tails OS.
Theoretically the unique possibility for an attacker to spy on a Tails session is to use a malicious implant at firmware level on the targeted host.
Tails use other privacy software like KeePassX password manager, Electrum BitCoin wallet, Pidgin, and disk-wiping and encryption tools.
Pidgin for example, is a free chat client used by to connect to AIM, MSN, Yahoo, and more chat networks all at once. The version installed in the Tails 1.4 version comes with the Off-the-Record plug-in for encrypted chatting. You’ll also find software like the KeePassX password manager, Electrum BitCoin wallet, and disk-wiping and encryption tools.
What’s new in Tails release 1.4?
Of course, the new Tails 1.4 includes the new Tor Browser version 4.5, and fix numerous security issues as reported in the Tails 1.4 release notes.
Among the issues resolved in the Tails 1.4 release there, is the browser theme of the Windows 8 camouflage that has been made compatible with the I2P and Unsafe browsers.
The new version support for more printers, and better support for Vietnamese fonts in LibreOffice, and includes a Tails OpenPGP Applet that has a shortcut to the gedit text editor.
“Tails, The Amnesic Incognito Live System, version 1.4, is out,” was stated in the official release announcement for Tails 1.4. “This release fixes numerous security issues and all users must upgrade as soon as possible. […] There are numerous other changes that might not be apparent in the daily operation of a typical user.” states the Tails 1.4 official page.
The new release includes Paperkey that is a tool that allows users to print a backup of their OpenPGP secret keys on paper.
Tails 1.4 also removes the obsolete #i2p-help IRC channel from the Pidgin multi-protocol instant messaging client and disables the new circuit view of the Tor Browser 4.5 application.
Let me suggest to read the about page and warnings before starting use the Tails 1.4.
(Security Affairs – Tails 1.4, anonymity)
