Re: [tor-talk] torsocks, usewithtor, torify questions - end the confusion!

[adrelanos <adrelanos@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hansen Jay:
>> Torify and tsocks are outdated. Don't bother with it.
> 
> OK, but why does Tor deliver torify if that's the case?

It's only kept for compatibility reasons.

>>>  However, the manpage for usewithtor says "usewithtor  runs  torsocks(1)  with  the  default  configuration  file, located at /usr/local/etc/torsocks.conf.  Running torsocks(1) directly means that no configuration  file  will  be  used..." If you read the torsocks manpage, it says "If  TORSOCKS_CONF_FILE is not set, torsocks will attempt to read the configuration file at /usr/local/etc/torsocks.conf"
>>>
>>>  So which manpage is correct? If the torsocks manpage is correct, then usewithtor serves no purpose because it indicates its only purpose is to run torsocks with that config file, right? So why not make sure torsocks works like its manpage says it does and REMOVE usewithtor? End the confusion please!
>>>
>> Just use usewithtor.
>> And to find out where torsocks.conf is, use whereis torsocks.conf
> 
> But what's the use of usewithtor if the torsocks manpage is correct? (see my question above) (my torsocks.conf is exactly where those manpages say it is)

usewithtor is a script/wrapper and easier to use.

torsocks is the actual binary and has different features (see man torsocks).

torsocks is dead, needs a new maintainer and need to be imported to
torproject.org.
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/6155

There are critical issues:
https://code.google.com/p/torsocks/issues/list

IPv6 traffic leak:
https://code.google.com/p/torsocks/issues/detail?id=37

And there is an annoying bug with a patch available which does due to
inactivity not get merged:
https://code.google.com/p/torsocks/issues/detail?id=3

I mailed Robert Hogan perhaps a month ago or so. He told me he wants to
keep up with the bugs but after that no more replies.

There are some patches I'd like myself to get merged:
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/doc/torsocks

Don't expect much progress. Looks like tpo moves away from torsocks /
general torification, focuses on censorship circumvention and being an
application project with Tor Browser Bundle, Tor IM Bundle, TorBirdy
etc. Which might not be the worst decision due to protocol leaks and
usability.
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