An anonymous reader writes:
The Tails Project (http://tails.boum.org/) is happy to announce the release of Tails 0.7, The Amnesic Incognito Live System.
Built upon many years of work and thorough review, Tails is the spiritual successor of the well-known Incognito Live System and is developed with the support of the Tor Project (https://www.torproject.org/projects). With human rights workers and freedom activists in mind, Tails is a GNU/Linux operating system based on Debian Live (http://live.debian.net/) that runs directly from CD and/or USB flash memory and provides a secure environment for work and communications.
As no installation or configuration is required, Tails turns virtually every PC(*) into a secure workstation in a matter of seconds. The Tails operating system, all software and all hardware drivers shipped with it operate independently of the PC's operating system and leave no trace after use.
Tails does not store any data permanently and channels all Internet connections through the Tor anonymization network (the I2P network is available, too). Tails offers carefully preconfigured, security-enhanced Free and Open Source Software, including the Firefox/Iceweasel web browser, the Pidgin Instant Messenger with the Off-The-Record encryption plugin and built-in support for GoogleTalk, Jabber/XMMP, AIM, Yahoo and others, the OpenOffice suite, GIMP, Inkscape, the Scribus desktop publishing software, the Claws mail client with OpenPGP mail encryption, Cryptkeeper and many other programs (see http://tails.boum.org/features/ for details).
Tails is easy to use, designed for average computer users and is available for free download at http://tails.boum.org/. Once downloaded, the hybrid image can be written to CD/DVD or USB thumb drive and is immediately ready for use. From image scanners and printers through WiFi to audio and graphics cards, Tails comes equipped with preinstalled and preconfigured drivers for virtually all common devices and automatically loads the right ones for your hardware.
The Tails operating system also offers a language selection menu at boot, where the user can select between English (default), Arabic, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Portuguese and Spanish.
"There are many professional tools to enhance privacy and protect sensitive data and communication", a Tails developer said in a recent chat session. "Human rights workers and freedom activists usually are not aware of all these tools and most recent developments in computer science, and they don't know all the switches and buttons to configure the programs correctly. On the one hand the tools waiting to be used, and on the other hand the users do not know about those tools and how to use them", he added. "This is where the Tails Project comes in and carefully selects, reviews, configures and refines the best tools for the job into a free Operating System package that can be downloaded and used right off the shelf".
On this occasion, another member of the Tails Project described its purpose in three sentences: "Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Press consist of both free thoughts to be spoken and a voice to actually speak them. As they can't suppress the thought, oppressive regimes suppress the voice. With Tails, we provide a tongue and a pen protected by state-of-the-art cryptography to guarantee these basic human rights and allow journalists worldwide to work and communicate freely and without fear of reprisal."
As you are aware, the Web plays a vital role in the current struggles for freedom and justice and will most likely continue to do so in the future. From all over the world, human rights workers and organizations like Reporters Without Borders, Greenpeace and Amnesty International â" not to mention the countless local organizations and human-rights workers whose names most of us have never heard — are in need of secure communications that can only be provided by a trusted computing platform at their workplace.
A notification about or review of Tails in your magazine will not only offer a unique and highly interesting insight into state-of-the-art privacy systems to your readers, but also is a comfortable opportunity for you to provide for a better future: helping human rights workers and activists all over the world by making them aware of Tails and the possibilities it offers.
* Minimum System Recommendations:
— 800 MHz x86 processor or better
— 512MB of system memory (RAM) or more
— Monitor capable of 800 by 600 or better
— CD/DVD Drive or a USB port
— Rule of Thumb: If your Computer can run Microsoft Windows XP or newer, it can run Tails as well
