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Re: [tor-relays] BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running Tor



Looks like the BBC have changed their rules. I am still running a relay, but can now access www.bbc.co.uk in a normal fashion.Â

Still blocked by national lottery, but I'm hopeful that they both use the same third party ip checker, and that the next lottery update will fix the issue.

On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 10:41 PM, <tor-relays-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
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Today's Topics:

 Â1. RELAY_EARLY tor network update status (CVE-2014-5117) (Nusenu)
 Â2. Re: BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running   relay
   (Ross Petrie)
 Â3. Re: BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running   relay
   (Chris Whittleston)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:ÂNusenu <BM-2D8wMEVgGVY76je1WXNPfo8SrpZt5yGHES@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To:Âtor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:Âmarkus@xxxxxxxxx, info@xxxxxx, torpids@xxxxxxxxx, nick@xxxxxxxxx
Date:ÂThu, 18 Sep 2014 21:00:41 +0000
Subject:Â[tor-relays] RELAY_EARLY tor network update status (CVE-2014-5117)
(if you are on the CC list of this email you are probably one of the tor
relay operators running one of the 10 fastest vulnerable [CVE-2014-5117]
relays on the tor network. Please upgrade your tor relay)

> The tor network is currently at 64% of the bandwidth being served by
> relays running a recommended version according to torstatus.blutmagie.de.
> I updated a previous metrics feature request so we might see nice
> graphs about patching progress in the future [2].

Since we are seeing active RELAY_EARLY attacks again (or new buggy tor
implemantations) I was wondering what the current update stats look like.

~85%* of the tor network's bandwidth is provided by patched relays.
(~66%Â Â0.2.4.23, ~11%Â 0.2.5.6-alpha, ~7% 0.2.5.7-rc)

*) according to data from torstatus.blutmagie.de


10 fastest relays still running a vulnerable version:

https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/EC98311F9EC02BEAA183651CE8402249CD036D0A
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/D1271A1E15C568DA709D3A1E68188EEAE8DDB834
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/12AD30E5D25AA67F519780E2111E611A455FDC89
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/1B9FACF25E17D26E307EA7CFA7D455B144B032E5
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/2F57987F3942BA0BBD706D623F1FF86A896842C2
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/379FB450010D17078B3766C2273303C358C3A442
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/935BABE2564F82016C19AEF63C0C40B5753BA3D2
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/B83DC1558F0D34353BB992EF93AFEAFDB226A73E
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/104A9453FD93BDBEAE9E2024898266AD2051A1BD
https://atlas.torproject.org/#details/C11650E31F83E149C855D574B3171CC9CF9BEE19




---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:ÂRoss Petrie <ross.petrie@xxxxxxxxx>
To:Âtor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:Â
Date:ÂThu, 18 Sep 2014 22:18:05 +0100
Subject:ÂRe: [tor-relays] BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running relay

Hi all,

I've just reported this same issue this week, no reply yet.

I can still watch catch up BBC TV through my sky box though.

On 18 Sep 2014 21:40, "Dan Hanley" <hanley.dan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have just received a slightly more positive reply:

"At present, our GeoIP data provider classes Tor nodes as proxies, regardless of whether or not they're an exit node. We understand that there is room for improvement in this model, since non-exit relays do not present traffic on behalf of other users. We have asked our provider to give us a way of differentiating Tor exit nodes from non-exit relays, to allow us to block exit nodes only."

So perhaps they will make a change... certainly reporting the issue seems to raise its importance :-)

atb

Dan

Â
Â
Â5. Re: BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running relay
   nodes (Chris Whittleston)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:ÂChris Whittleston <csw34@xxxxxxxxx>
To:Âtor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:Â
Date:ÂThu, 18 Sep 2014 01:40:31 +0100
Subject:ÂRe: [tor-relays] BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running relay nodes
Yeah ouch - maybe I just got someone a bit more helpful. I'm with Matt though, it seems like they still don't get the difference between using Tor as a client and running a relay, so this isn't the end of the road there. You are going to have to rely on them wanting to actually think about it though.

If all else fails, you could always try to simply report the issue again using the form I linked before, but this time just don't mention Tor at all and see if you get a different customer service person...


I suspect you'll end up having to explain that you're running a relay in the end anyway, but you never know.

Chris

On 17 September 2014 21:48, Matt Puckey <matt@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Stephen Mollett:
> [...]
> "Thank you for contacting the BBC iPlayer support team.
>
> "I understand youâre experiencing problems accessing BBC iPlayer as
> youâre told that you are outside of the UK.
>
> "Please note that if you run TOR, then Iâm afraid as per our development
> teamâs confirmation youâll not be able to access BBC iPlayer. If you
> continue to use TOR then your IP address may be blacklisted against UK
> only services across bbc.co.uk."
>
> I made a point of stating explicitly in my original case filing that I
> run a middle relay and that no traffic exits from my node to the BBC's
> website or to anywhere else, along with a link to my node's stats on
> blutmagie confirming the (non-)exit policy.
> [...]

Hi Stephen,

I'm not sure whether I'm surprised at the BBC or not!

It is a shame if they seem to be doing blanket blocking of Tor relay IP
addresses. I suppose this
(https://blog.torproject.org/blog/call-arms-helping-internet-services-accept-anonymous-users)
has /some/ relevance.

The problem is obviously convincing a organisation like the BBC to treat
individual IP addresses different from other Tor relay IP addresses (and
whether they should be doing that at all). Although it seems Chris
Whittleston obviously managed it! Maybe you simply got 'the wrong person
at the other end'. Personally, I would continue to pursue this with them!

--Matt



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tor-relays mailing list
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--
Dr Chris WhittlestonÂæä
Department of Chemistry
University of Cambridge
Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW
Email: csw34@xxxxxxxxx
Tel: +44 (0)1223 336423

_______________________________________________
tor-relays mailing list
tor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-relays



_______________________________________________
tor-relays mailing list
tor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-relays



---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:ÂChris Whittleston <csw34@xxxxxxxxx>
To:Âtor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:Â
Date:ÂThu, 18 Sep 2014 22:41:04 +0100
Subject:ÂRe: [tor-relays] BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running relay

That's great news Dan, keep us posted!

Chris

On 18 Sep 2014 21:40, "Dan Hanley" <hanley.dan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

I have just received a slightly more positive reply:

"At present, our GeoIP data provider classes Tor nodes as proxies, regardless of whether or not they're an exit node. We understand that there is room for improvement in this model, since non-exit relays do not present traffic on behalf of other users. We have asked our provider to give us a way of differentiating Tor exit nodes from non-exit relays, to allow us to block exit nodes only."

So perhaps they will make a change... certainly reporting the issue seems to raise its importance :-)

atb

Dan

Â
Â
Â5. Re: BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running relay
   nodes (Chris Whittleston)
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:ÂChris Whittleston <csw34@xxxxxxxxx>
To:Âtor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc:Â
Date:ÂThu, 18 Sep 2014 01:40:31 +0100
Subject:ÂRe: [tor-relays] BBC and UK Lottery blocking ip addresses running relay nodes
Yeah ouch - maybe I just got someone a bit more helpful. I'm with Matt though, it seems like they still don't get the difference between using Tor as a client and running a relay, so this isn't the end of the road there. You are going to have to rely on them wanting to actually think about it though.

If all else fails, you could always try to simply report the issue again using the form I linked before, but this time just don't mention Tor at all and see if you get a different customer service person...


I suspect you'll end up having to explain that you're running a relay in the end anyway, but you never know.

Chris

On 17 September 2014 21:48, Matt Puckey <matt@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Stephen Mollett:
> [...]
> "Thank you for contacting the BBC iPlayer support team.
>
> "I understand youâre experiencing problems accessing BBC iPlayer as
> youâre told that you are outside of the UK.
>
> "Please note that if you run TOR, then Iâm afraid as per our development
> teamâs confirmation youâll not be able to access BBC iPlayer. If you
> continue to use TOR then your IP address may be blacklisted against UK
> only services across bbc.co.uk."
>
> I made a point of stating explicitly in my original case filing that I
> run a middle relay and that no traffic exits from my node to the BBC's
> website or to anywhere else, along with a link to my node's stats on
> blutmagie confirming the (non-)exit policy.
> [...]

Hi Stephen,

I'm not sure whether I'm surprised at the BBC or not!

It is a shame if they seem to be doing blanket blocking of Tor relay IP
addresses. I suppose this
(https://blog.torproject.org/blog/call-arms-helping-internet-services-accept-anonymous-users)
has /some/ relevance.

The problem is obviously convincing a organisation like the BBC to treat
individual IP addresses different from other Tor relay IP addresses (and
whether they should be doing that at all). Although it seems Chris
Whittleston obviously managed it! Maybe you simply got 'the wrong person
at the other end'. Personally, I would continue to pursue this with them!

--Matt



_______________________________________________
tor-relays mailing list
tor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-relays



--
Dr Chris WhittlestonÂæä
Department of Chemistry
University of Cambridge
Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW
Email: csw34@xxxxxxxxx
Tel: +44 (0)1223 336423

_______________________________________________
tor-relays mailing list
tor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-relays



_______________________________________________
tor-relays mailing list
tor-relays@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-relays


_______________________________________________
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