Coinciding with the release of Tor Browser 8.0, the developers behind the privacy-focused operating system, Tails, have published Tails 3.9. Those working on the software have claimed that this is the “biggest update” of Tails this year. The claim is a reasonable one considering it ships with a huge Tor Browser update, better support for VeraCrypt, and automatic installation of additional software.
The major change that the developers are highlighting is the ability to install additional software automatically when you start Tails. When you install any additional Debian packages in Tails, you will now be given the option to “Install Only Once” or “Install Every Time”. This feature is useful for those who need to use software regularly that isn’t already bundled in Tails.
In order to see a list of your additional software, head to Applications > System > Tool > Additional Software. From this screen you can see your additional software and remove it. The developers do warn that the bundled software is tested carefully for security risks and by installing additional packages you may break the security built into Tails, so try not to install too much if any.
Another important change is VeraCrypt integration. The new feature will let you access your encrypted devices natively and can be accessed by heading to Applications > System Tool > Unlock VeraCrypt Volumes. This feature was added to the Files and Disks utilities by the GNOME project upstream and will be available in other systems such as Debian 10 and Ubuntu 18.10 when they’re released.
The last major change is the inclusion of Tor Browser 8.0. Some of the new changes with that are a new Tor circuit view, and that it’s based on Firefox Quantum. Unfortunately, Tails still requires you to enter details manually to use bridges where as the stand-alone Tor browser on other systems handles this for you automatically.
You can head to the Tails website now and grab the new update.