Isn't that the exact threat model that the CERT researchers followed? The Tor Project found only 115 relays (6.4%) in the network that was emitting the signal.

Isn't that the exact threat model that the CERT researchers followed? The Tor Project found only 115 relays (6.4%) in the network that was emitting the signal. That's not the aforementioned Globally Passive Adversary. So by their own measurement the Tor project failed. That said, they took steps to mitigate the exact vulnerability these researchers exploited.