Less than a month after the previous 5.22 release, the much-anticipated Tails 6.0 is out, much to the excitement of individuals passionate about online privacy. As an acronym for The Amnesic Incognito Live System, it is a Debian-based Linux distribution aimed at preserving privacy and anonymity.
It achieves this by routing all its internet traffic through the Tor network, thereby anonymizing users’ online activities. With Tails 6.0, users are introduced to a version that enhances security and usability and incorporates many new features and updates.
Tails 6.0: What’s New?
Built on Debian 12 (Bookworm) and featuring GNOME 43, Tails 6.0 introduces several key improvements catering to new and seasoned users. Among the notable new features is the implementation of error detection on the Persistent Storage.
This functionality warns users about potential read or write errors on their Tails USB stick, allowing for timely backups and mitigating the risk of data loss due to hardware failures.
Enhancing user convenience, Tails 6.0 now mounts external devices automatically. This includes regular USB sticks and external hard disks, with added support for automatically unlocking encrypted partitions, thus simplifying the user experience without compromising security.
Moreover, a critical security update in Tails 6.0 is its protection against malicious USB devices, as Tails 6.0 safeguards users by ignoring any USB devices plugged in while the screen is locked. A feature crucial for preventing unauthorized access and ensuring that only trusted devices can connect to the system when it is in use.
Introducing Dark Mode and Night Light is another addition that offers users more control over their visual environment, reducing eye strain and improving accessibility. These options can be easily toggled from the system menu, providing a customizable user experience suited for different lighting conditions.
Other usability enhancements include easier screenshots and screencasts with GNOME 43, streamlined configuration for Gmail accounts in Thunderbird, and the addition of Diceware passphrases in five more languages, making strong password generation more accessible to a global audience.
Tails 6.0 also boasts updates to various included software, such as Tor Browser, Electrum, and KeePassXC, alongside improvements supporting various protocols and hardware wallets. Notably, some features and applications have been removed or modified to align with the latest security practices and user interface improvements.
Despite these advancements, Tails 6.0 acknowledges some known issues and limitations, including challenges with OnionShare 2.6 integration and interactions between automatic device mounting and the Back Up Persistent Storage utility.
Those interested in the technical details and the complete list of changes can refer to the release announcement or visit the full changelog.
