The new version Tails 7.4 It is now available and it arrives as a minor update to this well-known privacy-focused live Linux distributionThe system, which runs from a USB drive or external media, maintains its main objective: to help people navigate, communicate, and work while minimizing their digital footprint and making surveillance and censorship more difficult.
This release introduces both practical changes for everyday life These include more technical adjustments affecting the browser, email, and the Linux kernel itself. Furthermore, it represents a significant shift in the official system download method, as torrent files are no longer offered—a decision justified by cryptographic security and maintenance reasons.
New feature to remember language, keyboard, and formats
One of the most useful new features of Tails 7.4 It has to do with the welcome screen that appears when the system starts up. From now on, it is possible save language settings, keyboard layout, and formats (such as the date and time type) directly on the USB drive where Tails is installed.
Thanks to this change, location preferences are applied automatically upon restarting Tails can be accessed from the same device without having to reconfigure settings each time it starts up. For users in Spain or other European countries, this makes it easier, for example, to always keep Spanish selected as the language and a Spanish or European keyboard, as well as using date and number formats common in the region.
Tor Browser 15.0.4 based on Firefox 140 ESR
Tails' default browser has also been updated with this release. Tails 7.4 incorporates Tor Browser 15.0.4, a major version based on Mozilla Firefox 140 ESRThis latest Firefox base brings with it new usability features and interface changes that add to Tor's usual anonymity-focused features.
Among the browser's notable new features are the support for vertical eyelashes and eyelash clustersThese options can help you better organize your browsing sessions when working with many pages open. A [feature/tool] is also added unified search button in the address bar, designed to simplify access to searches without having to constantly switch between URL bar and search box.
Update the mail client and the Linux kernel
In addition to the browser, the email client is also being updated. In Tails 7.4, the default client becomes... Mozilla Thunderbird 140.6.0This update, aligned with the latest versions maintained in the Debian ecosystem, aims to provide a more polished email experience in terms of stability and compatibility, especially important in environments where encrypted email and privacy are essential.
In terms of the system, the distribution now integrates the Linux kernel 6.12.63 LTSThis kernel, taken from the Debian 13 "Trixie" repositories, improves performance and compatibility with modern hardware, while also incorporating new features. security and stability fixes which are relevant in a context where the aim is to minimize any possible attack vector.
Tails 7.4 ends official downloads via BitTorrent
One of the most significant changes that accompany Tails 7.4 The issue isn't within the system itself, but rather with the official method of distribution. The developers have decided to abandon the distribution of Tails images via BitTorrent. Until now, ISOs and USB images could be downloaded via HTTPS or torrent files, a relatively common practice in Linux distributions.
This decision, the team explains, is based on the fact that the BitTorrent files used to date were based on version 1 of the protocolwhich uses the SHA-1 hashing algorithm. This algorithm is now considered problematic from a cryptographic security standpoint, as its collision resistance is questionable. The integrity of the BitTorrent download was verified precisely through this hash, so continuing to support this method posed a potential risk in the medium term.
Update all internal processes to move to BitTorrent v2This approach, which avoids the use of SHA-1 and improves security, would entail an additional migration and maintenance workload that the project considers difficult to justify. The team argues that the effort is not worthwhile, especially given that the Direct download via HTTPS from the official mirrors It is usually faster for most users in Europe, and torrent downloads were not the majority.
According to data provided by the developers, in March of last year approximately 11% of Tails downloads They were still doing it through BitTorrent. Even so, they have opted to close this route and focus on HTTP servers and their distributed replicas, reducing operational complexity and potential delays when releasing new versions, something that was sometimes affected by slow or scarce seeds on the exchange network.
Analysis of security concerns surrounding BitTorrent
The removal of torrents has not gone unnoticed among users and technical observers, who have raised questions about What specific dangers exist when using BitTorrent to distribute a system like Tails. From the developers' point of view, the focus is on the cryptographic integrity of the files and the dependency on SHA-1 as a verification mechanism within the old version of the protocol.
Some users have pointed out that BitTorrent already includes hash checks Regarding content, and in terms of privacy, the Internet service provider can still see what is being downloaded, whether via torrent or HTTPS, due to elements such as plaintext SNIs or unencrypted DNS resolutions. These criticisms emphasize that the main risk lies not so much in the file-sharing network itself, but in the encryption and metadata layer of the connection.
However, Tails' team focuses primarily on the robustness of integrity verificationMigrating to BitTorrent v2 and securely maintaining both systems (torrents, hashes, infrastructure) would represent an additional cost for a project with limited resources. Given this reality, and since direct downloads are usually fast enough from Europe thanks to the mirror network, they have opted to focus their efforts on the distribution mechanism they consider easier to secure and maintain.
Bug fixes and stability improvements in Tails 7.4
Along with the visible new features, Tails 7.4 incorporates a series of bug fixes that affect daily useOne of them solves a problem with opening encrypted files with the extension . .gpg Using Kleopatra: From this version onwards, files open correctly both by double-clicking and by selecting the "Open with Kleopatra" option from the context menu.
A bug that caused a Desktop lock when trying to unlock VeraCrypt volumes with an incorrect password. This fix is ​​especially relevant for those who manage encrypted containers on external drives, as it prevents annoying crashes or wasted time entering incorrect credentials.
Another, more subtle but important adjustment for interface consistency concerns the time format. Tails 7.4 ensures that the 24-hour format is applied consistently both in the top navigation bar and on the lock screen. This avoids mixing 12-hour and 24-hour formats, which could be confusing, especially for users accustomed to the 24-hour format typical in Spain and other European countries.
Tails 7.4 download, available images, and upgrade paths
The new version of Tails 7.4 is now available from the official websiteISO and USB images are available for 64-bit systems, designed to be burned to a USB drive for booting. The developers recommend following the verification instructions to ensure the downloaded image has not been tampered with.
Regarding updates, existing Tails users benefit from automatic updates from recent versions. Specifically, it's possible to update directly from Tails 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3.1 without needing a clean install. For other scenarios, or for those who prefer a fresh start, it's still possible to opt for a... manual update, downloading the new image and recreating the bootable USB device.
With these update methods and the abandonment of BitTorrent, the Tails team aims to simplify the process while maintaining a more direct control over the distribution of imagesFor users in Spain and other parts of Europe, the mirror network usually offers good speeds, so downloading via HTTPS is emerging as the main method without this posing a major drawback in practice.
The release of Tails 7.4 combines practical changes in the user experience —such as saving language and keyboard settings or new browser features— with strategic decisions like abandoning BitTorrent, motivated by cryptographic security and maintenance loadIn addition, there are key updates to the kernel and main applications, along with various bug fixes that reinforce the stability of a system whose raison d'être remains to offer a live, portable environment focused on preserving privacy as much as possible.
