View source for Software:Tails (operating system)

{{Short description|Linux distribution for anonymity and privacy}}
{{Infobox OS
| name = Tails
| logo = [[File:Tails-logo-flat-inverted.svg|Tails logo|250px]]
| screenshot = TAILS 5.21 desktop with Tor Browser.png
| caption = Tails 5.21 Desktop, with Tor Browser open.
| developer = The Tails project
| family = [[Software:Linux|Linux]] ([[Unix-like]])
| source_model = [[Open-source software|Open source]]
| working_state = Active
| released = {{Start date and years ago|2009|6|23}}
| latest release version = {{wikidata|property|preferred|reference|edit|Q2801412|P348|P548=Q2804309}}
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|{{wikidata|qualifier|preferred|single|Q2801412|P348|P548=Q2804309|P577}}}}
| latest_preview_version = 
| latest_preview_date = 
| marketing target = [[Engineering:Personal computer|Personal computer]]s
| kernel_type = [[Monolithic kernel|Monolithic]]
| userland = [[Software:GNU|GNU]]
| ui = [[Software:GNOME|GNOME 3]]
| updatemodel = Tails Upgrader<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/contribute/design/incremental_upgrades/|title=Tails - Incremental upgrades|website=tails.boum.org|access-date=June 15, 2017|archive-date=December 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033355/https://tails.boum.org/contribute/design/incremental_upgrades/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| preceded_by = [[Software:Incognito (operating system)|Incognito]]
| succeeded_by = 
| package_manager = [[Software:APT (Debian)|APT]] (front-end), [[Software:Dpkg|dpkg]]
| supported_platforms = [[X86-64|x86-64]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/doc/about/requirements/|title=Tails - System requirements|website=tails.boum.org}}</ref>
| license = [[Software:GNU General Public License#Version 3|GNU GPLv3]]{{r|H}}
| website = {{URL|https://tails.net/}}
}}

'''Tails''', or "'''The Amnesic Incognito Live System'''", is a [[Security-focused operating system|security-focused]] [[Software:Debian|Debian]]-based [[Software:Linux distribution|Linux distribution]] aimed at preserving [[Internet privacy]] and anonymity.{{r|LWN}} It connects to the Internet exclusively through the anonymity network [[Software:Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]].{{r|TC}} The system is designed to be booted as a live DVD or [[Software:Live USB|live USB]] and never writes to the hard drive or SSD, leaving no [[Digital footprint|digital footprint]] on the machine unless explicitly told to do so. It can also be run as a [[Virtual machine|virtual machine]], with some additional security risks.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Running Tails in a virtual machine |author=<!--not stated--> |website=tails.boum.org |access-date=20 September 2021 |url= https://tails.boum.org/doc/advanced_topics/virtualization/index.en.html }}</ref> 

The Tor Project provided financial support for Tails' development in the beginnings of the project,{{r|"finances"}} and continues to do so alongside numerous corporate and anonymous sponsors.

== History ==
Tails was first released on June 23, 2009. It is the next iteration of development on [[Software:Incognito (operating system)|Incognito]], a discontinued [[Software:Gentoo Linux|Gentoo]]-based Linux distribution.{{r|LJ}} The original project was called Amnesia. The operational system was born when Amnesia was merged with Incognito.<ref name=wired>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/04/tails/ |title=Out in the Open: Inside the Operating System Edward Snowden Used to Evade the NSA |last=Finley |first= Klint |date= 14 Apr 2014 |magazine=WIRED |access-date=18 Apr 2014 }}</ref> The Tor Project provided financial support for its development in the beginnings of the project.<ref name="finances">{{cite web|title=Finances|url=https://tails.boum.org/doc/about/finances/index.en.html|website=Tails|access-date=13 May 2013|date=4 April 2013}}</ref> Tails also received funding from the Open Technology Fund, Mozilla, and the Freedom of the Press Foundation.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/news/report_2014_05/index.en.html|title=Tails report for May, 2014|website=Tails|date=14 Jun 2014|access-date=July 6, 2014|archive-date=July 1, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140701134844/https://tails.boum.org/news/report_2014_05/index.en.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Laura Poitras, Glenn Greenwald, Bruce Schneier and Barton Gellman have each said that Tails was an important tool they used in their work with [[Organization:National Security Agency|National Security Agency]] whistleblower Edward Snowden.<ref name=wired/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://pressfreedomfoundation.org/blog/2014/04/help-support-little-known-privacy-tool-has-been-critical-journalists-reporting-nsa |title=Help Support the Little-Known Privacy Tool That Has Been Critical to Journalists Reporting on the NSA |last=Timm |first=Trevor |date=2 Apr 2014 |website= Freedom of the Press Foundation |access-date=18 Apr 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://gizmodo.com/try-the-super-secure-usb-drive-os-that-edward-snowden-i-1563320487|title=Try the Super-Secure USB Drive OS That Edward Snowden Insists on Using|last=Condliffe|first=Jamie|date=15 Apr 2014|website=Gizmodo|access-date=15 Apr 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Air Gaps - Schneier on Security |url=https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/10/air_gaps.html |access-date=2023-08-03 |website=www.schneier.com}}</ref>

From release 3.0, in 2017, Tails requires a 64-bit processor to run.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tails - Tails 3.0 is out|url=https://tails.boum.org/news/version_3.0/index.en.html|website=tails.boum.org|access-date=14 June 2017|archive-date=May 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522152235/https://tails.boum.org/news/version_3.0/index.en.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Features ==
<!-- This section is not for a comprehensive list of software. -->
Tails's pre-installed desktop environment is [[Software:GNOME 3|GNOME 3]]. The system includes essential software for functions such as reading and editing documents, image editing, video watching and printing. Other software from Debian can be installed at the user's behest.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/contribute/APT_repository/|title=APT repository|date=7 October 2019|website=tails.boum.org|access-date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925050831/https://tails.boum.org/contribute/APT_repository/|archive-date=25 September 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=features>{{cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/doc/about/features/index.en.html|title=Features and included software|date=7 October 2019|website=tails.boum.org|access-date=7 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190823092502/https://tails.boum.org/doc/about/features/index.en.html|archive-date=23 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Despite being [[Open-source software|open-source]], Tails contains non-free [[Firmware|firmware]] [[Binary blob|blobs]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explaining Why We Don't Endorse Other Systems |url=https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622234047/https://www.gnu.org/distros/common-distros.html |archive-date=2023-06-22 |access-date=2023-06-23 |website=www.gnu.org}}</ref>

Tails includes a unique variety of software that handles the encryption of files and internet transmissions, cryptographic signing and hashing, and other functions important to security. It is pre-configured to use [[Software:Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]] with multiple connection options. It tries to force all connections to use Tor and blocks connection attempts outside Tor. For networking, it features a modified version of Tor Browser with the inclusion of [[Software:UBlock Origin|uBlock Origin]],<ref>{{Cite web |title=Browsing the web with Tor Browser |url=https://tails.boum.org/doc/anonymous_internet/Tor_Browser/index.en.html#fingerprint |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208114930/https://tails.boum.org/doc/anonymous_internet/Tor_Browser/index.en.html#expand |archive-date=2022-02-08 |access-date=2022-03-16 |website=tails.boum.org}}</ref> instant messaging, email, file transmission and monitoring local network connections for security.<ref name=features/>

By design, Tails is "amnesic". It runs in the computer's random access memory (RAM) and does not write to a hard drive or other storage medium. The user may choose to keep files, applications or some settings on their Tails drive in "Persistent Storage". Though the Persistent Storage is encrypted by default, it is not hidden and detectable by forensic analysis.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/configure/index.en.html|title=Tails - Creating and configuring the Persistent Storage|website=tails.boum.org|access-date=October 7, 2019|archive-date=October 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007142456/https://tails.boum.org/doc/first_steps/persistence/configure/index.en.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> While shutting down, Tails overwrites most of the used RAM to avoid a [[Cold boot attack|cold boot attack]].<ref name="memory-erasure">{{Cite web|url=https://tails.boum.org/contribute/design/memory_erasure/|title=Tails - Memory erasure|website=tails.boum.org}}</ref>

==Security incidents==
In 2014 Das Erste reported that the NSA's XKeyscore surveillance system sets threat definitions for people who search for Tails using a search engine or visit the Tails website. A comment in XKeyscore's source code calls Tails "a [[Communications security|comsec]] mechanism advocated by extremists on extremist forums".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://daserste.ndr.de/panorama/aktuell/NSA-targets-the-privacy-conscious,nsa230.html |first1=J. |last1=Appelbaum |first2=A. |last2=Gibson |first3=J. |last3=Goetz |first4=V. |last4=Kabisch |first5=L. |last5=Kampf |first6=L. |last6=Ryge |title=NSA targets the privacy-conscious |website=DasErste.de |date=3 Jul 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2014/07/nsa_targets_pri.html|title=NSA Targets Privacy Conscious for Surveillance|author=Bruce Schneier|work=Schneier on Security|date=3 Jul 2014}}</ref>

In the same year, {{lang|de|Der Spiegel}} published slides from an internal [[Organization:National Security Agency|National Security Agency]] presentation dating to June 2012, in which the NSA deemed Tails on its own as a "major threat" to its mission and in conjunction with other privacy tools as "catastrophic".{{r|"spiegel1"}}{{r|"spiegel2"}}

In 2017, the FBI used malicious code developed by [[Company:Facebook|Facebook]], identifying sexual extortionist and Tails user Buster Hernandez through a zero-day vulnerability in the default video player. The exploit was never explained to or discovered by the Tails developers, but it is believed that the vulnerability was patched in a later release of Tails. Hernandez had eluded authorities for a long time; the FBI and Facebook had searched for him with no success, and resorted to developing the custom hacking tool.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/v7gd9b/facebook-helped-fbi-hack-child-predator-buster-hernandez |title= Facebook Helped the FBI Hack a Child Predator |newspaper=Vice |date=10 Jun 2020 | first= Lorenzo | last=Franceschi-Bicchierai}}</ref>

== See also ==
{{Div col|colwidth=20em}}
* [[Crypto-anarchism]]
* [[Dark web]]
* [[Deep web]]
* Freedom of information
* [[Software:GlobaLeaks|GlobaLeaks]]
* [[Software:GNU Privacy Guard|GNU Privacy Guard]]
* [[Software:I2P|I2P]]
* [[Social:Internet censorship|Internet censorship]]
* [[Software:Off-the-record messaging|Off-the-record messaging]]
* [[Software:Parrot OS|Parrot OS]]
* [[Proxy server]]
* [[Software:Signal|Signal]]
* [[Software:Tor2web|Tor2web]]
* [[Software:Whonix|Whonix]]
{{div col end}}

== References ==
{{Reflist|refs=

<ref name="spiegel2">{{cite magazine|title=Presentation from the SIGDEV Conference 2012 explaining which encryption protocols and techniques can be attacked and which not|url=http://www.spiegel.de/media/media-35535.pdf|magazine=Der Spiegel|access-date=23 Jan 2015|date=28 Dec 2014|archive-date=December 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230100059/http://www.spiegel.de/media/media-35535.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="spiegel1">{{cite news|author=SPIEGEL Staff|title=Prying Eyes: Inside the NSA's War on Internet Security|url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/inside-the-nsa-s-war-on-internet-security-a-1010361.html|newspaper=Der Spiegel|access-date=23 Jan 2015|date=28 Dec 2014}}</ref>

<ref name=H>{{cite web|url=http://www.h-online.com/open/news/item/Tails-0-11-incognito-live-system-released-1563498.html|title=Tails 0.11 incognito live system released|work=The H|date=30 Apr 2012|access-date=12 Aug 2012 }}</ref>

<ref name=LJ>{{cite web|url=http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/tails-projects-amnesic-incognito-live-system-tails|title=The Tails Project's The Amnesic Incognito Live System (Tails)|first=James|last=Gray|work=Linux Journal|date=16 Sep 2011|access-date=12 Aug 2012}}</ref>

<ref name=LWN>{{cite web|url=https://lwn.net/Articles/440279/ |title=The Amnesic Incognito Live System: A live CD for anonymity|first=Koen|last=Vervloesem|work=LWN.net|date=27 Apr 2011|access-date=12 Aug 2012}}</ref>

<ref name=TC>{{cite web|language=de|url=http://www.tecchannel.de/sicherheit/news/2038771/tails_0101_the_amnesic_incognito_live_system/|title=Anonym im Netz|trans-title=Anonymous on the Net|work=TecChannel|date=6 Feb 2012|access-date=12 Aug 2012}}</ref>
}}

== External links ==
* {{distrowatch|tails|NAME=Tails}}

{{Tor project}}
{{Linux distributions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Amnesic Incognito}}
[[Category:Anonymity networks]]
[[Category:Debian-based distributions]]
[[Category:Free security software]]
[[Category:Linux distributions]]
[[Category:Privacy software]]

{{Sourceattribution|Tails (operating system)}}