Tails Project Issues Warning Against balenaEtcher for ISO Writing

The Tails Project, known for its privacy-focused Linux distribution, has issued a warning regarding the use of balenaEtcher, a popular application for writing ISO files to USB drives and SD cards. This decision stems from recent changes in balenaEtcher's data handling practices that raise concerns about user privacy.

For many users, writing disk images in ISO or IMG format can be accomplished through command-line options like the 'dd' command on Unix-like operating systems. However, balenaEtcher has been a favored choice due to its user-friendly interface that simplifies the process with just a few clicks.

Initially, since 2019, Tails recommended balenaEtcher as a reliable tool for installing Tails on USB sticks from macOS and Windows systems. Its ease of use and compatibility with Mac computers were significant factors in this recommendation. Over time, however, balenaEtcher began displaying advertisements, which the Tails team tolerated at first, believing it did not compromise user privacy.

In 2024, a critical change occurred: balenaEtcher started sharing the file names of images and the models of USB sticks with Balena and potentially third parties. Although Tails has not reported any specific attacks resulting from this change, the developers expressed concern about the potential for misuse of this data, prompting them to seek alternative solutions.

After evaluating seven different ISO image writing tools, Tails has decided to recommend Rufus as the preferred alternative. Although Rufus had previously been considered less user-friendly and had made changes to the Tails image that the developers deemed 'risky', improvements in usability and reliability have made it a viable option. However, Rufus is not compatible with macOS, which poses a challenge for users on that platform.

For macOS users looking to install Tails, the Tails Project suggests using the 'dd' command in the terminal or the Raspberry Pi Imager, which is compatible across various operating systems. The Raspberry Pi Imager serves as a versatile tool for writing disk images to both SD cards and USB drives.

While Rufus is a solid choice for Windows users, Tails maintains some reservations about its use. The well-known Win32 Disk Imager is also an option, although there have been instances where it has failed to function properly, with updates sometimes taking years to roll out after issues were reported.