TAILS Linux 1.8 is out (Dec 15, 2015)

Anonymous Coward

in ask on 2015-12-21 21:30 (#YDC7)

TAILS Linux 1.8 is out (Dec 15, 2015)

# Tails is a live system that aims to preserve your privacy and anonymity.
It helps you to use the Internet anonymously and circumvent censorship almost
anywhere you go and on any computer but leaving no trace unless you ask it to
explicitly.

# It is a complete operating system designed to be used from a DVD, USB stick, or SD
card independently of the computer's original operating system. It is Free Software
and based on Debian GNU/Linux.

# Tails comes with several built-in applications pre-configured with security in
mind: web browser, instant messaging client, email client, office suite, image and
sound editor, etc. - https://tails.boum.org/about/index.en.html

https://tails.boum.org/
https://tails.boum.org/news/version_1.8/index.en.html
https://tails.boum.org/security/Numerous_security_holes_in_1.7/index.en.html
https://tails.boum.org/download/index.en.html
https://twitter.com/tails_live
https://git-tails.immerda.ch/tails/plain/debian/changelog

Good to see (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-12-22 14:38 (#YFJN)

The OS described in Little Brother come to life.. after "paranoid linux" died a while back

1.8.1 is out (Score: 1, Informative)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-12-23 23:26 (#YMBR)

1.8.1 is out

USB Unsafe? (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-12-26 15:53 (#YTR0)

Still no way to write-protect a USB drive at all, right?

Unless you use a finalized CDR (not rewriteable) and happen to find a device still equipped with a drive, it seems any pretense of inviobility of your portable boot medium is illusory. Yes?

Re: USB Unsafe? (Score: 1)

by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2015-12-26 21:41 (#YVCY)

There are options, they just aren't cheap...

http://www.cru-inc.com/products/wiebetech/usb_writeblocker/

Re: USB Unsafe? (Score: 0)

by Anonymous Coward on 2015-12-31 02:06 (#Z71F)

Thanks as always, EV. 200,bucks, eh? Man I miss Scotch tape over the floppy notch.

There's an $18 DIY version at http://www.instructables.com/id/Cheap-and-Effective-USB-Write-Blocker/

But now I wonder if just bringing a small external CD drive would be better/easier. Maybe there's a miniCD sized reader? Nope, apparently not. Safety and paranoia take the big bucks.

Hmm another approach is imaging more or less disposable 512MB-2GB sticks and just tossing or possibly refloormatting later....

Re: USB Unsafe? (Score: 1)

by evilviper@pipedot.org on 2016-01-01 07:11 (#ZA9W)

They still make a few USB flash thumb drives with write-protect switches:

http://amazon.com/Kanguru-SS3/dp/B008OGNM8E/

And you can mount the devices read-only, or otherwise disable writing in software:

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows-vista/registry-hack-to-disable-writing-to-usb-drives/

Not perfect, like a write-blocker, but probably usable, and much better than nothing.

Re: USB Unsafe? (Score: 1, Interesting)

by Anonymous Coward on 2016-01-02 17:17 (#ZDV3)

Hey, the "Netac" one is only 9 bucks on Amazon. Now we're getting somewhere!

Thanks again Viper.