Re: [tor-talk] Tor check not working or recognize TBB?

["Tortilla" <tortilla@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You only replied to me, so I'm re-involving the list.

re: point (B) check.torproject.org doesn't look at your browser's
configuration settings - it can't inspect that kind of thing.  It's just
looking at the user agent string your browser sends *as a result of* how
that setting is set.  How it got that way is another question.


On Mon, July 2, 2018 11:13 pm, Joe wrote:
>
>>>> I just did check.torproject.org and as far as I can tell, the site is
>>>> working properly.
>>>> I'm using the same version as you are but Tor Browser for windows.
>>> I tried in Linux after an auto-update:
>>> 8.0a9 (based on Mozilla Firefox 60.1.0esr) (64-bit)
>>>
>>> I got the same warning on check.torproject.org that I'm not using Tor
>>> Browser.  I would guess it might be an altered signature (user agent or
>>> accept languages or other?)
>>>
>>>
>> Then there must be a specific setting(s) or pref or user agent or
>> something that check.torproject.org looks for, that isn't in my install.
>> *Does anyone know* exactly what check.torproject.org looks for to
>> determine if you're using TorBrowser?
>>
>> Knowing that would shorten the search for why it's failing (never
>> until 7.5.6 update).
>> Every different assigned circuit - exit relay, check.torproject
>> verifies I'm using Tor network, but it doesn't appear to "be Tor
>> Browser."  All of the same exit IPa's entered into
>> https://exonerator.torproject.org show I am using a Tor address, but
>> that site doesn't comment whether or not you're using TBB.
>>
>> In Help/About, it shows TorBrowser 7.5.6, (based on Mozilla Firefox
>> 52.9.0)  (64 bit).
>> But the general.useragent.override shows: "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT
>> 6.1; rv:52.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/52.8.1"
>> Does that match with everyone's useragent string for TBB 7.5.6?  I
>> didn't / don't touch that pref, but it shows "user set."  As I said, the
>> check site only started failing after last update.
>> I don't think I ever changed that in TBB, so there's no reason it should
>> show "user set." Seems like it should've changed to 52.9 after last
>> update, but maybe won't if it's marked as user set.
>>
>> However, the ua.override doesn't mention Tor Browser, so I don't know
>> why that would be used as a check.
>> Everywhere else inAbout:config  that mentions browser name  or version,
>> it shows TorBrowser and 7.5.6.
> APPARENT FIX: Resetting the general.useragent.override pref to default,
> which changed the value to: "Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; rv:52.0)
> Gecko/20100101 Firefox/52.0"
> seems to have fixed the false message on check.torproject.org: "However,
> it does not appear to be Tor Browser".  I'm fairly sure I never altered
> the useragent string, as that would *extinguish* me from the bulk of TBB
> users.
>
> There must be a better way than current to detect if the latest TBB is
> in use.  Now, it gives false positives, as several people testified
> under risk of perjury, they were using TBB but saw the mentioned false
> message.
>
> So what did we learn from this, boys and girls? (pick the best answer,
> even if it seems undefiably wrong):
> A) Since Tor is an acronym for The Onion Router, and most acronyms are
> capitalized, it really should be written "TOR Browser."
>
> B) check.torproject.org looks at the general.useragent.override pref
> value and likely compares it to another value, somewhere, to decide if
> you're using TBB - at all, not just if the latest version is being used.
>
> C)  D. Trump is consulting with E. Snowden, Lt. Gen P. Nakasone and Kim
> Jong-un to make TOR Browser the default browser in all public schools
> and libraries in the U.S. and respective countries. (unconfirmed:
> someone may or may not be a terrierist; we just don't know if they like
> medium sized dogs).
>


-- 
tor-talk mailing list - tor-talk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe or change other settings go to
https://lists.torproject.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tor-talk