Part 3/8:
As concerns about Balena Etcher's privacy implications grew, the Tails project, which focuses on privacy and anonymity, initiated an investigation. Initially launched in January 2019, Tails recommended Etcher alongside its installation instructions for Windows users. However, as early as 2024, they noticed troubling changes in the application’s data-sharing practices. Specifically, Etcher began sharing file names and USB stick model information with external parties.