Tails 7.2 released with upgraded Linux kernel, Tor Browser, and more

The Amnesic Incognito Live System, or Tails, has been updated to version 7.2. This version brings some notable changes, including an updated Tor Browser, the removal of the Root Console launcher, and a jump to the Linux Kernel 6.12 LTS.

Tails, in case you're unaware, is a security-focused Linux distribution designed to protect your privacy and anonymity. You can boot it from a USB drive on pretty much any computer. It is a "live" operating system, so it runs entirely from the computer's RAM and never touches the internal hard drive. When you shut it down, it leaves no trace of what you did, hence the term "amnesic".

In version 7.2, the devs updated the included Tor Browser to 15.0.1, which is based on Firefox 140.5.0 ESR. This new browser comes with features like vertical tabs, tab groups, and a unified search button in the address bar for switching search engines.

Speaking of search engines, this release also adds a version of the DuckDuckGo search engine that does not use AI and lists search engines alphabetically.

Tails 7.2 also removes some unwanted background connections that the Thunderbird email client was making. Users noticed in version 7.1 that Thunderbird was making several outgoing connections on startup to Mozilla and Thunderbird telemetry services. These connections to domains like live.thunderbird.net and location.services.mozilla.com happened without user consent. The devs have now disabled these remote services to prevent data leakage.

The Root Console launcher has been removed from the application menu. If you need root access now, you have to open the terminal and run the command sudo -i.

Other changes include updating the Thunderbird email client to version 140.4 and the non-free firmware packages. The system now waits for the clock to be properly synchronized before showing any "Don't ask again" notifications.

The devs also fixed an issue where upgrade notifications were not always visible and resolved a bug that reset the default zoom level.

The full changelog is available here.