Re: UTC & increased anonymity for client/node & user

[Anothony Georgeo <anogeorgeo@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Peter,

--- Peter Palfrader <peter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> On Thu, 23 Feb 2006, Anothony Georgeo wrote:
> 
> > Can Tor function properly as a client and/or node
> > if I
> > set my system's time to UTC?
> 
> Sure.  As long as the time is correct tor doesn't
> care which TZ it's
> running in.
> 
> -- 
>  PGP signed and encrypted  |  .''`.  ** Debian
> GNU/Linux **
>     messages preferred.    | : :' :      The 
> universal


What do you think about adding an automatic "convert
system time to UTC" feature into Tor?  

For expample Tor could read the local system time,
convert it to UTC and then Tor can use the UTC version
for it's time related functions.  This seems like it
may reduce the strength of partition attacks via. TZ.

I am not sure if this would be too CPU intensive but
it wouldn't seem so.

Do you have a suggestion for a free open-source prog.
which can update/convert the local system time to UTC?
(I run Windows XPHome SP2)

I was thinking of using the UTC updater/converter from
NIST "Internet Time Service"(
http://tf.nist.gov/service/its.htm ).  The NIST
website offers a program which updates/converts the
system clock with UTC.

I was going to route the UTC updater/converter over
Tor via. FreeCap; I also use TorDNS so leaks are no
problem.

NIST uses the US Naval Observatory Master Clock at (
http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/cgi-bin/anim ).  

I'm not sure about the anonymity and security concerns
when using the US Navay's clock.  Is it risky (in
terms of anonymity) to use the Navay's clock?  I
assume as long as the UTC prog. is routed through Tor
and DNS is fixed there is minimal risk.

Cheers   


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