Privacy-focused Debian 9 'Stretch' Linux-based operating system Tails 3.0 reaches RC status

By Brian Fagioli

If you want to keep the government and other people out of your business when surfing the web, Tails is an excellent choice. The Linux-based operating system exists solely for privacy purposes. It is designed to run from read-only media such as a DVD, so that there are limited possibilities of leaving a trail. Of course, even though it isn't ideal, you can run it from a USB flash drive too, as optical drives have largely fallen out of favor with consumers.

Today, Tails achieves an important milestone. Version 3.0 reaches RC status -- meaning the first release candidate (RC1). In other words, it may soon be ready for a stable release -- if testing confirms as much. If you want to test it and provide feedback, you can download the ISO now.

This is quite the significant upgrade, as the operating system is moving to a new base -- Debian 9 "Stretch." The Debian kernel gets upgraded to 4.9.0-3, which is based on Linux kernel 4.9.25. As previously reported back in February, Tails 3.0 will drop 32-bit processor support too.

Using Tor is a huge part of the privacy aspect of Tails, and the tor web browser sees an update to 7.0a4. Tor itself is updated to 0.3.0.7-1. Less important is the move from Icedove to Thunderbird for email. This is really in name only, as Debian has begun using the "Thunderbird" branding again. From a feature perspective, it is inconsequential.

Of course, bug fixes are included, and the Tails team shares them below.

Install xserver-xorg-legacy, to fix support for various graphics
adapters that still don't work with rootless X.Org (Closes: #12542).
Use the "Intel" X.Org driver for Intel Q35 and Intel Atom
D4xx/D5xx/N4xx/N5xx graphics controllers (refs: #12219).
Give UEFI bootloaders upper-case filenames (Closes: #12511).
Some UEFI firmware, such as the one in the ThinkPad X220, only recognize them if they have an upper-case name.
KeePassX: enable "Automatically save after each change" again, like we did in Tails 2.x (fixes a regression introducedin 3.0~beta3).
Install packages needed by the "Test speakers" functionality (Closes: #12549).
Fix automatic upgrades when one is already applied (Closed:
#12501).

Ready to download the ISO? You can get it here. Don't forget to to read the full changelog before using it.

betanews.com/2017/05/21/tails-debian-stretch-privacy-rc/

Other urls found in this thread:

rt.com/usa/344502-fbi-tor-child-porn
theregister.co.uk/2017/01/06/fbi_lets_people_off_to_keep_methods_secret
tails.boum.org/doc/about/finances/index.en.html
packages.debian.org/jessie/live-build.
vocaroo.com/i/s1jEMoyTXCNw
tails.boum.org/support/faq/index.en.html#index4h2
twitter.com/NSFWRedditVideo

Tor has been compromised since ages ago tho.

rt.com/usa/344502-fbi-tor-child-porn
theregister.co.uk/2017/01/06/fbi_lets_people_off_to_keep_methods_secret

Invalid signature.

You mean modern web browsers have an insane amount of attack surface and it's stupid to try to the browse the web anonymous using one.

Any decent adversary can obtain 0days for any web browser you use.

(((Who))) could be behind this post?

Some Tor devs heard a rumour that the FBi secret is way to sneak javascript pass noscript. Giorgio Maone has even refused an offer from nation state to add a backdoor.

The FBI also has a non-javascript firefox exploits but they are much less reliable.

tails.boum.org/doc/about/finances/index.en.html

How the fuck does Tails get so much money? All it is a Debian live image built with packages.debian.org/jessie/live-build. (with preconfigured iptables, an auto updater, a control port filter and few customizations)

And it includes every non-free firmware/drivers/blobs because they care too much about compatibly..

Always go bareback on any imageboard.

Tor hasn't been compromised. An attacker requires spyware to be installed in order to "attack an individual through the Tor network".

Tor itself wasn't compromised, but they used an exploit on Tor Browser to execute arbitrary code.

99% of people who use Tor use it with Tor Browser (which they should for fingerprinting reasons). Tor and any other anonymity network / vpn you use with web browsers can always be compromised by decent adversaries.

Most people don't need to worry about browser exploits unless you're visiting a CP site or a drug dealer.