Tails no longer recommending balenaEtcher

tails.net Tails - Replacing balenaEtcher with Rufus as installer for Windows

I am shocked by this - the quote in below is very concerning:

"However, in 2024, the situation changed: balenaEtcher started sharing the file name of the image and the model of the USB stick with the Balena company and possibly with third parties."

Can't see myself using this software anymore...

162

Privacy Guides @lemmy.one Forumite @lemm.ee 23h ago

Tails has replaced balenaEtcher with Rufus in the Windows installation instructions to address privacy concerns

tails.net /news/rufus/index.en.html

95 3

Privacy @lemmy.dbzer0.com Otter @lemmy.ca 3d ago

Tails no longer recommending balenaEtcher

tails.net /news/rufus/index.en.html

58 7

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162 comments

What options are there for flashing to SD cards? Something that works on Mac too would be nice. A gui is preferred.
- Plug your usb drive in and run lsblk to figure out which letter to use instead of x in /dev/sdx
  
  sudo dd if=image.iso of=/dev/sdx bs=1M status=progress
  
  EDIT: I totally didn't read your request. This is not gui or Mac based, but it still might help someone.
  
  The comment said "SD Card" so it would be /dev/mmcblk*
  
  I use a microSD to usb adapter and have 2 spinning rust disks. So it's /sdc for me, but i still always double check. Dd isn't called the disk destroyer for nothing.
  
  I'm pretty sure mac, being based off freebsd, would include dd
  
  Thanks for trying.
  
  I'm not against terminal, but I'd just have to look up commands every time that I rarely use.
  
  Mac should have dd, ~~I'd assume lsblk as well~~ not lsblk though. There's fdisk though

162 comments