Tails 7.4.1 has been released, and it's not just a minor update; there are significant security fixes under the hood. A critical OpenSSL fix has addressed serious vulnerabilities that could have allowed attackers to compromise user anonymity online through Tor relays. Although there's no evidence of these flaws being actively exploited yet, the update still includes other important upgrades, such as an updated Tor client and Thunderbird email app. Additionally, user experience improvements have been made, including fixes for Gmail login issues in Thunderbird and a smoother Wi-Fi settings display in the Tor Connection assistant.

Tails 7.4.1 released

Tails 7.4.1 has landed, and while it might sound minor at first glance, the update's really got our attention because of what's underneath the hood.

The core change here is an urgent fix to OpenSSL, that encryption engine powering Tor itself. Turns out there were serious flaws identified as DSA 6113-1 in version 3.5.4. For users relying on Tails for anonymity online, this was a critical one because it could allow a bad actor running a malicious Tor relay to potentially pull the mask off.

But before you get too worried, we should note there’s no confirmed evidence these vulnerabilities have been actively weaponized by attackers yet. Still, there are serious flaws fixed in this latest code.

The release isn’t just about security, though; it also means other upgrades along the way. The Tor client has now jumped to version 0.4.8.22, and that popular email app Thunderbird finally gets its update to version 140.7.0.

On the user experience front, two specific issues got addressed: fixing Gmail login hassles in Thunderbird, which had been tracked under bug ID #21384, and updating how the Tor Connection assistant displays Wi-Fi settings; now it properly shows a spinner to keep things feeling smoother.

Tails - Tails 7.4.1

Tails - Tails 7.4.1