Tails 6.12 was announced on February 6, 2025. It fixed security flaws that could let an attacker who had already taken control of an application in Tails monitor Tor circuits or change Persistent Storage settings. It is a historical release, not the current Tails version: the official archive lists later 7-series releases, including 7.14 dated September 29, 2026.
What security problems did Tails 6.12 fix?
Tails said the vulnerabilities were found during an external security audit by Radically Open Security and were disclosed responsibly to the Tails team. The fixes addressed two potential consequences of an attacker taking control of an application in Tails: monitoring Tor circuits through issues involving Onion Circuits and the Tor Browser wrapper, and changing Persistent Storage settings.
The Tails 6.12 announcement described the attack prerequisites this way: “These vulnerabilities can only be exploited by a powerful attacker who has already exploited another vulnerability to take control of an application in Tails.” This means the flaws were not described as a way to compromise a Tails system on their own; exploiting them depended on an earlier application compromise.
At the time of the announcement, Tails said, “We are not aware of these attacks being used against Tails users until now.” That statement reflects what the project reported on February 6, 2025, not a current assessment of threats or exploitation.
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What else changed in the release?
Tails 6.12 also included usability changes, software updates, and fixes for other bugs. The release announcement lists:
- A button in About Tails to check for upgrades.
- The keyboard shortcut Ctrl+Alt+T to open a Terminal.
- Tor Browser 14.0.5 and Thunderbird 128.6.0esr.
- A fix related to running Python in isolated mode.
- Fixes for upgrade troubleshooting, freezing when activating Persistent Storage, and time synchronization after restarting Tor.
- A fix for an error message that could appear if upgrading Persistent Storage encryption to LUKS2 failed.
Is Tails 6.12 still current?
No. Tails announced 6.12 in February 2025, and its official ISO archive lists later releases in the 7 series, including Tails 7.14, dated September 29, 2026. Use the current Tails installation instructions and official release information rather than treating 6.12-specific guidance as current.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How did upgrading differ from installing in the 6.12 instructions?
The 6.12 announcement said automatic upgrades were available from Tails 6.0 or later. It distinguished updating an existing Tails USB stick from installing Tails onto a new stick: upgrading the existing stick keeps Persistent Storage, while installing to a new stick loses it.
| Choice in the 6.12 instructions | Persistent Storage outcome |
|---|---|
| Upgrade an existing Tails USB stick | Keeps Persistent Storage. |
| Install Tails onto a new USB stick | Loses Persistent Storage. |
These are the choices described for the 6.12 release, not confirmation of present-day upgrade eligibility or steps. Before changing a Tails USB stick now, follow the current official instructions and make sure you understand how the chosen procedure affects your Persistent Storage.
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