Tails 7.8 removes Thunderbird, patches recent Linux kernel flaws, and updates Tor Browser

Tails 7.8 has been released as the latest version of this portable operating system that protects against surveillance and censorship. This update introduces a major change by removing the Thunderbird email client from its default installation. This adjustment addresses past security concerns, as previous versions of Tails often shipped with outdated Thunderbird releases containing known vulnerabilities. Users who still require Thunderbird can now install the latest version as additional software. When using persistent storage, Thunderbird will be included automatically in your additional software list and stay up to date with new releases.

Alongside application changes, Tails 7.8 addresses serious security vulnerabilities in the Linux kernel and the haveged entropy daemon. These updates fix issues that might allow a malicious application to gain administration privileges if attackers could exploit other unknown application vulnerabilities, thereby threatening user anonymity within Tails.

Following these security improvements, Tails 7.8 also brings Tor Browser up to version 15.0.14. This ensures users can continue to browse the web anonymously using the latest Tor Browser, which is essential for secure and private online activity through the Tor network.