[tor-bugs] #25064 [Applications/Tor Browser]: Don't record update history on the Tor Browser

[Tor Bug Tracker & Wiki]

#25064: Don't record update history on the Tor Browser
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 Reporter:  cypherpunks               |          Owner:  tbb-team
     Type:  defect                    |         Status:  new
 Priority:  Medium                    |      Milestone:
Component:  Applications/Tor Browser  |        Version:
 Severity:  Normal                    |     Resolution:
 Keywords:  tbb-disk-leak             |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:                            |         Points:
 Reviewer:                            |        Sponsor:
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Changes (by mcs):

 * cc: brade, mcs (added)


Comment:

 To remove the existing information, find the updates.xml file within your
 Tor Browser profile and delete it.

 Currently, there is no preference (visible or hidden) that we can use to
 disable writing of the update history. Having the information available
 can be useful, but I can also understand why, at least for some people, it
 may give away too much information. For example, the timestamps associated
 with the list of updates could be used to determine that Tor Browser was
 likely in use on certain days and at certain times.

 Georg, do you think that recording this info violates the disk avoidance
 aspect of the Tor Browser design?

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/25064#comment:2>
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