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I was surprised that Windows was the target OS -- I had figured that most Tor users were using Tails at this point. I'm sure that whoever targeted the user grou

I was surprised that Windows was the target OS -- I had figured that most Tor users were using Tails at this point. I'm sure that whoever targeted the user group they meant to capture, though, had a good idea of their general usage patterns. Wouldn't disabling JavaScript have also prevented this exploit? I don't know if FireFox still runs JavaScript through an interpreter if the user has disabled it; I'd assume not, but it wouldn't come as a shock to me if it did.

computer 13y ago
Disabling javascript would have prevented the exploit. The Tor browser bundle contains NoScript, but has it set to allow javascript by default. I think this is because it makes it more accessible to non-technical users. Before this issue they even advised _not_ to disable javascript, since that would make you stand out more amongst Tor users.
- mseidl 13y ago
  Noscript blocks by default in the browser bundle...
  - jlgaddis 13y ago
    Not in recent versions (the idea being that users w/ JavaScript disabled "stand out" more from typical users).
    - mseidl 13y ago
      My noscript is on by default on the linux version. I _never_ touched it.
      - jlgaddis 13y ago
        "Why is NoScript configured to allow JavaScript by default in the Tor Browser Bundle? Isn't that unsafe?" https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#TBBJavaScriptEnabled https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#TBBJavaScriptEna...
marcosdumay 13y ago
I was surprized that the NSA/FBI/whatever-3-other-letters had to use an exploit to gather that data from Windows users.
- qbrass 13y ago
  If they didn't need one, they know better than to admit it.
quantumpotato_ 13y ago
You might have high security. The average TOR user probably doesn't.
- computer 13y ago
  And that's why it's all the more important that Tor ships only very-secure-by-default software, including disabling javascript by default, even when that will confuse some new users. I believe this issue has caused the Tor people to realize this more than ever, and think/hope that some priorities and tools within the project will change as a result.
Torgo 13y ago
Consumers of child pornography are probably inclined to save the images. TAILS would be a lot more invconvenient since it doesn't save anything. With TBB you can save things you download to your desktop. Combine this with Windows being a dominant platform. I guess you could do this with TAILS and a usb stick though.

computer 13y ago

Disabling javascript would have prevented the exploit. The Tor browser bundle contains NoScript, but has it set to allow javascript by default. I think this is because it makes it more accessible to non-technical users. Before this issue they even advised _not_ to disable javascript, since that would make you stand out more amongst Tor users.

mseidl 13y ago
Noscript blocks by default in the browser bundle...
- jlgaddis 13y ago
  Not in recent versions (the idea being that users w/ JavaScript disabled "stand out" more from typical users).
  - mseidl 13y ago
    My noscript is on by default on the linux version. I _never_ touched it.
    - jlgaddis 13y ago
      "Why is NoScript configured to allow JavaScript by default in the Tor Browser Bundle? Isn't that unsafe?" https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#TBBJavaScriptEnabled https://www.torproject.org/docs/faq.html.en#TBBJavaScriptEna...

marcosdumay 13y ago

I was surprized that the NSA/FBI/whatever-3-other-letters had to use an exploit to gather that data from Windows users.

qbrass 13y ago
If they didn't need one, they know better than to admit it.

quantumpotato_ 13y ago

You might have high security. The average TOR user probably doesn't.

computer 13y ago
And that's why it's all the more important that Tor ships only very-secure-by-default software, including disabling javascript by default, even when that will confuse some new users. I believe this issue has caused the Tor people to realize this more than ever, and think/hope that some priorities and tools within the project will change as a result.

Torgo 13y ago

Consumers of child pornography are probably inclined to save the images. TAILS would be a lot more invconvenient since it doesn't save anything. With TBB you can save things you download to your desktop. Combine this with Windows being a dominant platform. I guess you could do this with TAILS and a usb stick though.