[tor-bugs] #2988 [Tor Relay]: information disclosure: operating system and platform

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#2988: information disclosure: operating system and platform
-----------------------+----------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  tagnaq     |          Owner:     
     Type:  defect     |         Status:  new
 Priority:  normal     |      Milestone:     
Component:  Tor Relay  |        Version:     
 Keywords:             |         Parent:     
   Points:             |   Actualpoints:     
-----------------------+----------------------------------------------------

Comment(by rransom):

 Replying to [comment:4 tagnaq]:
 > I do not ignore the fact that this is useful information, but my opinion
 is that a relay operator should be free to decide whether he wants to
 disclose this information or not.
 >
 > I think also if there will be something like 'PublishOsVersion' option,
 most relays will continue to publish this information.

 They are free to make that decision.  They have the source code for Tor,
 they are free to modify their copy of Tor to either not report its version
 and/or platform or report a false version and/or platform, and they are
 free to run their modified copy of Tor as a relay on the public Tor
 network.

 But if many relays do not report their version and platform, and a
 significant number of them later become incompatible with the rest of the
 Tor network, we will have to drop ''all'' relays that do not provide that
 information from the consensus.  That could be bad.

 I'm leaving this ticket open for now, because ioerror has also suggested
 this option, but I think it's a bad idea.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/2988#comment:5>
Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki <https://trac.torproject.org/>
The Tor Project: anonymity online