(41) comments
/ February 16, 2016

We realize that those of you on old operating systems like Windows XP SP1 and older are left without much choice beyond using our Presto-based browser. With security standards on the web changing so much we didn’t want to leave you completely alone (even though we are not updating this product any longer) – we’ve just released an update for Opera 12, the last, stable Presto version.

In order to make your browser, and its mail client, function well on the present-day web, we’ve made a few changes, with a focus on the security aspect. The most important change is the support for ECC cipher suites used in secure connections. Another addition is GCM. Opera 12 now supports the same set of ciphers as other modern browsers. We have seen that many domains are relying on ECC certificates, thus making Opera 12 unable to connect. Similarly most clients using TLS have deprecated RC4 from the list of secure ciphers. We have done the same in this update. There is a setting to turn it back on, in case you need it. Since more servers are supporting TLS 1.2, we have enabled that by default.

Along with the Opera 12 update, we have also decided to update Opera Mail. Recently we were notified of a security issue in the standalone mail client by a security researcher, Zhen Hui Lee from Future Team. This vulnerability may allow code execution on the user’s machine using a carefully crafted message and some specific user interaction. As a company, we are committed to the security of our products, so we took necessary steps to fix this issue.

Those of you who use Opera 12 and Opera Mail should be auto-updated to the latest version soon. Those who prefer offline updates can download the releases of Opera 12 and Opera Mail. You should know that the above-mentioned security issue affects only the Windows version of Opera Mail. Further, as we don’t see a significant number of users of Opera 12 and Opera Mail on non-Windows platforms, we won’t be updating for those.

Finally, even with this security update being issued, we would urge those of you still using Windows XP SP1 and older to upgrade to a newer/supported OS and then to the latest Opera 35. This is essential, since the web is a constantly changing platform and a product not being given any measure of development time cannot stay secure and functional. Today’s websites are also relying on modern technologies and features, which need up-to-date versions of browsers that support them.

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  • Aoyagi

    While I’m grateful for any updates of O12, you might realize that not only “us on old operating systems like Windows XP SP1 and older” prefer O12 over your current product. In fact, the first sentence is quite insulting to all parties involved.

    O12 is still better than any modern browser from many aspects and I’m quite happy using it as my primary browser in Windows 7.

    Edit: Although judging by the advertisement that jumped me after the update (“Download a newer version of Opera for even simpler and faster browsing.”), the company philosophy has changed from “Let’s pack all these useful features into one complex, but efficient single package” to “Let’s not scare Joe Doe with higher features”. Oh well.

    That’s why you won’t see me using Chromium Opera unless I absolutely have to, and even that is probably going to end in the near future due to competition.

  • Emanuele

    Finally, even with this security update being issued, we would urge those of you still using Windows XP SP1 and older to upgrade to a newer/supported OS and then to the latest Opera 35

    OK, so all you’ve to do is stop that abort of Opera 15+ and keep updating the Opera Presto

  • theomni

    I’m curious, is there data showing Opera 12 users being on Windows XP SP1 and older OS? I use Opera 12 on Windows 7 because of the features. Opera 12 has features that Opera Chromium does not have and appears to have no plans to introduce. Useful features seem to be no longer part of the Opera design philosophy, and that is the issue that is limiting my browser choices, not my OS.

  • http://wiidatabase.de/ iCON

    Still the best browser ever made.

  • https://vivaldi.net/unity/profile/chas4/6-blog Chas4

    Any update for Opera Mail on OS X? I do use it for RSS feeds and email

    Also for some years now been trying to get Opera Mail to rebuild the database (last time was an update to Opera 10.50 (when mail was part of Opera)

  • Rick

    The cipher problems began in the fall of *2014*, Opera, but thanks for thinking of us in the winter of 2016, at least.
    https://forums.opera.com/discussion/1850720/opera-12-17-no-longer-works-with-https-for-me

    And I agree with Aoyagi: The reason many of us are still using Opera 12 is not because we’re sill using XP (I’m not, and I doubt many are). You know the reasons we’re using it. You know.

    • Mithaldu

      > You know the reasons we’re using it. You know.

      Yeah, as happy as i am about this update. I really wonder if there are Opera employees who have even the slightest bit of confusion why lots of people even on Windows 7, 8 and 10 stick with Opera 12.18.

      • DrJon

        Maybe the ones who weren’t confused are Vivaldi employees now? (I have no idea how good their browser is though, or what Opera features it has.)

    • Virbius_OP

      Sorry to be picky, but we haven’t, yet, reached the “winter of 2016”. We are in the winter of 2015, or maybe just the start of spring of 2016.

      As to a new release of Opera v12.x, I’m really glad of this.

      • Rick

        Point taken. I should have said “18 months.”

  • Cqoicebordel

    Only for Windows ?
    Because those issues (TLS, cypher…) are present in other platforms too…

    • Cqoicebordel

      There isn’t even an Opera Mail for Linux !

    • Frenzie

      If you change “windows” to “linux” or “mac” in the query string (that thing Opera/Blink hides) you’ll see it’s available for those platforms as well.

      • Cqoicebordel

        No it’s not. It’s just the download page that appear, but no download.

        • Frenzie

          You’re completely right; I actually thought I noticed that before I submitted that comment!

  • DrJon

    I’m on Windows 7 (x64) and won’t upgrade beyond Opera 12 unless the more recent versions get the features I need. That would specifically include Sessions, Bookmarklets (including checkboxes for Javascript and Java/Plugins), Bookmarks sorted the way I want them (including folders), Password Manager and a couple of other things. I also use Chrome a fair bit as it works better for some web sites, but my Bookmarks live in Opera, as do my Sessions. It’s a pity 12 wasn’t as solid as the earlier versions, it all seems to have gone gradually downhill since about 9. Does anyone know if 12.18 will sneakily downgrade me to one of the 3x versions without asking (12.17 is okay, you just dismiss the dialog offering the downgrade)?

  • Zin

    “We realize that those of you on old operating systems like Windows XP SP1 and older are left without much choice beyond using our Presto-based browser”

    Your statement couldnt be far from what the reality is man….. I’m on win7 x64 and i’ll use Opera 12 over the new one that you stripped of features that everyone liked any day.

    Edit – LISTEN to the requests of the ppl and release the source code of Opera 12 on GitHub if you dont care anymore about it. Someone will keep the legacy alive.

  • Dave-H

    Thank you very much indeed for thinking of us die-hard Opera 12 users, whatever our reasons for still using it, and still being concerned about keeping us as safe as possible with what is now sadly obsolete technology, much appreciated! :-)
    And yes, it is still the best browser ever made! 😀

  • jack dundee

    this is indeed a refresh for my eyes

    but for the sakes of argument, why oooh why did you guys abandon Presto…
    company only excuse was that Presto became more integrated than it should
    and yet webkit is not ?

    all you had to do is adopt w3c’s rules and tweak plugin container
    … man Presto based Opera was best of the best since version 6

    sorry to say but you all bent over to worse solution

  • Ian

    Opera 12.x is still the best browser ever made, while Opera 15+ is only a Chrome clone.

    Still using Opera 12 on Win10 x64, so thank you so much for this update!

  • netwolf

    Thank you very much! Using it on Win7x64, of course the XP assumption was a joke, right?

  • wyghthy

    我去，这代表Opera死亡前的最后一次更新了吗……如果是真的，那Opera还是比较良心吧，临死前不忘我们这些真·藕粉。

    • Zhang Jason

      卖给数字公司以后估计Presto引擎还会继续更新，但愿不愿意用就是另一回事了。

    • Bachi

      Ma sve smo te razumeli…

  • FataL

    Woot! Finally! Thanks! :)

  • Stanzilla

    What is the future of Opera Mail? Deprecated or will there be a new version, maybe based on Blink, in the future?

  • Vladislav Shumkin

    https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html is reporting that TLS 1.2 isn’t supported by 12.18

    • Spencer

      Running 12.18 and it says I do have support for TLS 1.2.

  • Spencer

    Thanks for the update. Still holding out for a 64 bit version of the new Opera on Windows.

  • roman61rus

    Thanks for update. I’m using win xp sp3 (old laptop) and just added custom user-agent from opera 36 to opera 12.18
    Still a problem i cant open https thepiratebay error

  • Quinca71

    I am using Opera Mail in Windows 10!!! I must be the unique all around the world. I ask you to retake the development of this email client, the best ever made.

  • Bachi

    Will Opera Mail standalone product be also updated?

    • Dave-H

      It has been, but only for Windows.
      A link to the new version is in the text at the top of this blog.

      • Bachi

        Ok, it’s different build number. Thanks.

  • PhilK

    One of the various nice things about Opera 12 / “Classic” is you don’t need an application update to disable insecure SSL ciphers, you can do it right in the GUI. (I did that years ago for RC4)

    Adding the other capabilities is cool, Opera 12 became problematic for me around a couple years ago when it started to freeze or deadlock a lot on various websites. Not sure that’s a missing SSL cipher issue as much as something going on with HTTP streaming or SPDY or asynch requests, or something like that.

    I’d eagerly install 12.18 if I was confident it didn’t have some undocumented sneaky change embedded in it besides the SSL ciphers. I’m very wary of this since I once attempted to install the “new” Opera on an Android device alongside the existing Opera “Classic” installation, which proceeded to DESTROY my Opera “Classic” settings/bookmarks/customizations and history data and make them irretrievable.

    I’m sure Opera’s new Chinese owners will fix all of that. /sarcasm 😐

  • http://www.last.fm/user/JTLDN jsnldn

    For goodness sake go back to developing 12.18. New Opera SUCKS. I’m using 12.18 on 8.1 and will use it when I go to 10.

  • http://abcya4.com abcya

    Thank you very much indeed for thinking of us die-hard Opera 12 users, whatever our reasons for still using it…

  • msg7086

    Using Opera 12 on the Windows 10. Maybe I should upgrade my Windows 10 to XP or higher version? /sarcasm/ AFAIK the Blink Opera was never as good as half of the original version. Will wait 5 more years before I’d drop Opera 12 and move on to Gxxgle Chrxme.

  • vlivyur

    Waiting for linux version.

  • http://gamezertruth.blogspot.com/ Gamezertruth

    we had many issue with your website and forum ! so when I try to created an a new account then i got en error with link https://auth.opera.com/account/login?service=forums&return_url=http://forums.opera.com/ and downloading link of opera doesn’t work ! and your forum is loaded very slowly !

  • Cqoicebordel

    Indeed. But I’m glad he joined Vivaldi, at least they’ll care about Linux there.

    I’m just pissed that they would leave a non secure browser on the wild, only because it’s on Linux…