Tails 6.17 Released: Enhanced Privacy Features and Security Audit Success

On June 26, 2025, the privacy-focused specialized distribution Tails 6.17 was released. This version is based on Debian 12 and features the GNOME 43 desktop environment, designed for anonymous internet access. The initial Tails 6.0 release took place in February 2023.

Tails is the continuation of the Incognito operating system project, with its first distribution launched back in June 2009. In Tails, all outgoing connections are routed through the Tor network, while any non-anonymous connections are blocked.

The Tails system is intended to be run from a LiveCD or LiveUSB and does not leave traces on the computer it is used on. User data is secured through encryption. An ISO image of the Tails distribution, which is 1 GB in size, is available for download.

Changes and improvements in Tails 6.17 include:

— Updates to Tor Browser 14.5.4 and the uBlock Origin extension 1.62.0;
— A reduction in the size of the boot image by removing duplicate CPU microcode;
— An added option in the password prompt dialogue on the lock screen to display the entered password.

Earlier, the development team of Tails announced that the privacy-focused distribution, designed for anonymous online activity, successfully passed a security audit conducted by Radically Open Security. No remotely exploitable vulnerabilities were found in the code, and there were no critical issues in the components.