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Tails Changelog

Tails operating system release summaries. Newest at the top. Each entry links back to the full translation.

How we rate urgency

  • NowAn emergency security release from the Tails project, marked by a third version number (7.10.1, for example). Upstream decided it could not wait for the next scheduled release, which means the flaw is serious.
  • SoonA scheduled release whose fixes cover kernel privilege escalation (a program obtaining full system privileges), sandbox escape (a program breaking out of its isolated environment to reach the rest of the system), or an important Tor Browser security update.
  • RoutineEverything else, mostly features and hardware support.

A compromise on Tails means something different from a compromise on an ordinary OS. Gaining administrator privileges means losing anonymity protection, and the attacker sees everything you do inside Tails, so "Now" on this page deserves to be taken more seriously than elsewhere.

"Now" on this page rests on how upstream shipped the release, not on anyone actively attacking. Most entries state plainly that no real-world exploitation is known, which does not mean it can wait: the Tails project only cuts a standalone emergency release when it judges the issue too serious to hold until the next scheduled one. The "Now" on the iOS and Windows pages requires evidence of active exploitation, so the basis differs from here.

The Tails project only distinguishes emergency from scheduled releases. The middle tier is a judgement community volunteers add after reading each advisory. Where the call is unclear, we round up.

Tails 7.12

2026-09-03 · Upstream announcement

  • RoutineRegular scheduled release, not an emergency security update. The announcement lists no fixed vulnerabilities, and upstream does not mention any being exploited.
  • Firefox moves to a two-week release cadence from September 2026, and Tor Browser and Tails follow. 7.12 is the first release on the new schedule, so updates arrive more often from here on.
  • Tor Browser updated to 15.0.21, which carries security fixes backported from Firefox 155.
  • Electrum updated from 4.7.2 to 4.8.1.
  • Updated some firmware packages, improving support for newer hardware such as graphics and Wi-Fi.
  • Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later. Fresh installations will erase existing Persistent Storage.

Tails 7.11

2026-08-19 · Upstream announcement

  • SoonA scheduled release that also carries a Linux kernel security update.
  • Tor Browser updated to 15.0.20 (based on Firefox ESR 140.14).
  • The kernel is updated to 6.12.101, covering the 24 flaws in Debian security advisory DSA-6415-1, whose impact ranges over privilege escalation, denial of service, and information leaks.
  • Fixes Persistent Storage failing to unlock on some computers. Activation used to wait for udevadm settle, so an unrelated hardware problem could make that step time out or fail; the wait has been removed.
  • Adds the proc_mem.force_override=ptrace kernel parameter, which stops a process from writing directly to its own memory mappings and makes privilege-escalation flaws harder to exploit.
  • Circumvention settings now import Moat fronts and reflectors from Tor Browser automatically, so connections fail less often because of stale settings.
  • The flatpak package follows the Debian security update and is now based on 1.16.6-1~deb13u2.
  • Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later; a manual upgrade is available if the automatic one fails. Fresh installations will erase existing Persistent Storage.

Tails 7.10.1

2026-08-05 · Upstream announcement

  • NowEmergency security release fixing critical flaws in the Linux kernel and the expat XML library.
  • The kernel is updated to 6.12.100, fixing CVE-2026-64560, which could let Tor Browser inside Tails gain administrator privileges. A malicious website that exploits it could fully compromise Tails and deanonymize the user. The attack is unlikely and would take a strong adversary such as a government or a hacking firm; no active exploitation has been observed.
  • The expat XML library is updated to 2.8.2, fixing DSA-6404-1, a set of flaws that could let applications using expat gain administrator privileges. Opening a malicious file in LibreOffice, Audacity, or Git could lead to the same full compromise and deanonymization. No active exploitation has been observed.
  • USB images and automatic upgrades are 70 MB smaller after removing unused firmware.
  • Automatic upgrades are now compressed with zstd for a faster startup, matching what the USB image has done since Tails 7.0.
  • This is a security-only release that keeps 7.10's software set. Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later.

Tails 7.10

2026-07-23 · Upstream announcement

  • SoonA scheduled release introducing a new shutdown procedure and a new video player.Upstream mentions no real-world attacks involving these.
  • Adopts GNOME's standard shutdown procedure. The Power Off dialog now warns about unsaved documents and open applications, and shutdown completes automatically after 60 seconds. It is a bit slower in exchange for better data protection. An emergency shutdown option remains for a faster power-off.
  • The video player is now Celluloid, more modern and reliable, and it has no network access. To watch videos online, use Tor Browser or install VLC as additional software. Celluloid does not work on computers manufactured in 2011 or earlier.
  • Tor Browser updated to 15.0.19.
  • Updated some firmware to improve support for newer hardware such as graphics cards and Wi-Fi.
  • Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later; a manual upgrade is available if the automatic one fails. Fresh installations will erase existing Persistent Storage.

Tails 7.9.1

2026-07-01 · Upstream announcement

  • NowEmergency security release fixing two local privilege-escalation flaws in the Linux kernel.
  • Patches CVE-2026-43503 (DirtyClone) and CVE-2026-46331 (PACKET_EDIT_MEME), with the kernel updated to 6.12.94. Such flaws let an application inside Tails gain administrator privileges; combined with other unknown vulnerabilities they could fully compromise Tails and deanonymize the user. No active exploitation has been observed.
  • Tor Browser updated to 15.0.17, and the Tor client to 0.4.9.11.
  • This is a security-only release; aside from Tor Browser, the kernel, and the Tor client, it keeps 7.9's software set. Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later.

Tails 7.9

2026-06-18 · Upstream announcement

  • RoutineRegular scheduled release, not an emergency security update.Upstream mentions no real-world attacks involving these.
  • Tor Browser updated to 15.0.16.
  • Updated some firmware packages, improving support for newer hardware such as graphics and Wi-Fi.
  • Fixed a bug where the "outdated Secure Boot certificate" prompt could appear in the rare case when the certificates were already up to date.
  • The Linux kernel, Thunderbird, and the Debian base are unchanged from 7.8. Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later.

Tails 7.8.1

2026-06-04 · Upstream announcement

  • NowEmergency security release fixing a serious Linux kernel vulnerability and several Tor client security vulnerabilities.
  • Patches the Linux kernel flaw CVE-2026-43503 (kernel updated to 6.12.90-2), a local privilege escalation that lets an application inside Tails gain administrator privileges; combined with other unknown vulnerabilities it could fully compromise Tails and deanonymize the user. No active exploitation has been observed.
  • Tor client updated to 0.4.9.9, fixing several security vulnerabilities.
  • This is a security-only emergency release; Tor Browser, Thunderbird, and the Debian base version are unchanged from 7.8. Automatic upgrades are available from Tails 7.0 or later.

Tails 7.8

2026-05-21 · Upstream announcement

  • SoonTor Browser updated to 15.0.14 (based on Firefox ESR 140.11).Upstream mentions no real-world attacks involving these.
  • Mitigates the Linux kernel local privilege escalation "Fragnesia" (alongside the earlier "Dirty Frag" mitigation). Such flaws let an application inside Tails gain administrator privileges, which combined with other unknown vulnerabilities could fully compromise Tails and deanonymize the user.
  • Mitigates a Flatpak sandbox escape via Yelp; yelp updated to 42.2-4tails1.
  • Patches CVE-2026-46529 (evince), CVE-2026-41989 (libgcrypt20), and CVE-2026-41054 (haveged).
  • Thunderbird is no longer shipped with the image. It can still be installed automatically through Persistent Storage's additional software, pulling the latest version from Debian on each Tails startup. The previously bundled version was often out of date because Debian's Thunderbird update typically lands shortly after each Tails release, both of which follow Firefox's release cadence.
  • Base system upgraded to Debian Trixie 13.5.
  • The Secure Boot CA upgrade prompt now only appears when Secure Boot is enabled, avoiding misleading notifications when it is disabled.
  • WhisperBack error reports now include installed Flatpak applications and runtimes.

Tails 7.6

2026-03-26 · Upstream announcement · Full translation

  • RoutineAutomatic Tor bridges (region-aware via Moat API), GNOME Secrets replaces KeePassXC as the built-in password manager, routine component bumps (Tor Browser 15.0.8, Thunderbird 140.8.0, Electrum 4.7.0).Upstream mentions no real-world attacks involving these.

Earlier versions

Translations of Tails 7.7.3, 7.7.2, 7.7.1, 7.7, 7.1, 7.0, 7.0~rc2, and 6.18 are currently available only in traditional Chinese. English versions will be added as the community translates them.