Tails 7.6, a new version of the privacy-focused Linux distro that routes all internet traffic through the Tor network, is now available. The key change is a notification alerting users when their system still uses older Secure Boot certificates issued in 2011.
Microsoft began replacing those certificates in 2023, and the older ones will expire in June 2026. In light of this, Tails can now warn users that their computer’s Secure Boot certificates need updating before it causes boot issues.
The release also updates Tor Browser to version 15.0.10 and Thunderbird to 140.9.1. On the security side, Tails now makes the /root directory readable only by the root user.
Existing users can upgrade automatically from Tails 7.0 and later to version 7.7 while keeping Persistent Storage. Users who cannot complete the automatic upgrade or whose system fails to start afterward should use the manual upgrade method.
For full technical details, refer to the changelog or the release announcement.
Users installing Tails 7.7 on a new USB stick should note that installing rather than upgrading will erase any existing Persistent Storage on that drive.
