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posted by cmn32480 on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:43AM   Printer-friendly
from the NSA-is-watching dept.

"Tor Browser 5.5.2 is now available from the Tor Browser Project page[1] and also from our distribution directory[2].

This release features important security updates[3] to Firefox.

Users on the security level "High" or "Medium-High" were not affected by the bugs in the Graphite font rendering library."

[1] https://www.torproject.org/download/download-easy.html
[2] https://www.torproject.org/dist/torbrowser/5.5.2/
[3] https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox-esr/#firefoxesr38.6.1

###

The full changelog since 5.5.1 is:

Tor Browser 5.5.2 -- February 12 2016

        All Platforms
                Update Firefox to 38.6.1esr
                Update NoScript to 2.9.0.3

###

What is Tor Browser?

"The Tor software protects you by bouncing your communications around a distributed network of relays run by volunteers all around the world: it prevents somebody watching your Internet connection from learning what sites you visit, it prevents the sites you visit from learning your physical location, and it lets you access sites which are blocked.

The Tor Browser lets you use Tor on Windows, Mac OS X, or Linux without needing to install any software. It can run off a USB flash drive, comes with a pre-configured web browser to protect your anonymity, and is self-contained (portable)."

- https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en


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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:49AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:49AM (#304077)

    Have they fixed that "feature" where every page you go to triggers a popup warning, saying the site wants to detect your fonts or something? Very annoying. Global disable options perhaps?

  • (Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:56AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:56AM (#304082)

    It brings a tear to the eye.

    No. Wait. The stench of onions is making my eyes water.

    Tor is stupid shit, dude. You think a whole bunch of fucking proxes will protect you? Excuse me while I laugh out loud.

    Mod me! So flamebait! Yeaahahahahahhaahaaaaaaaa. All the cool kids just love Tor!!! HAhahahahahahahahAHAHAHA.

  • (Score: 0, Troll) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Sunday February 14 2016, @10:58AM

    by Rosco P. Coltrane (4757) on Sunday February 14 2016, @10:58AM (#304098)

    It's a neutered Firefox. For users who don't know (or don't want to know) anything about safety, it's great. But if you want a flexible browser and you don't mind spending an hour setting it up, you're much, MUCH better off with a regular version of Firefox (or better, Palemoon) and the usual add-ons: a proxy switcher, adblock, Ghostery, CsFire, RefererControl, Cookie Monster... That way, if you want strict safety, you can have it. But if you don't - anf there are many valid reasons why you don't, from time to time - then you can disable things selectively. The TOR browser won't let you do it, or will make it extremely annoying to do it.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @11:11AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @11:11AM (#304102)

      Tor Browser is NOT crap.

      The Tor software opens a local port for any local application to connect to. The Tor Browser connects through that port.

      You can go to Tools/Options/Advanced tab/Network child-tab/"Configure how Tor Browser connects to the internet" Settings. Use these settings with any other browser (like PaleMoon) if you want.

      But I prefer Tor Browser itself.

      • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @11:23AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @11:23AM (#304108)

        Holy fucking hell, Batman!! You mean Tor Browser is an HTTP Proxy client!!! Just like Firefox!!! And every other Web Browser!!!!!!!

        Sooooooo fucking Special!!!!!!!!!! Because it's the Tor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Kushan on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:10PM

      by Kushan (5709) on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:10PM (#304135)

      if you want a flexible browser and you don't mind spending an hour setting it up

      Yes, because everyone knows how to take a vanilla Firefox installation and set it up to be secure against government level snooping.

      You have no understanding of what the Tor Browser is for. Not everyone is a security expert, not everyone is even familiar with how the intricacies of the internet works but they still have a right to privacy, sometimes even a need for privacy. Yes, you can do all of this yourself if you want, but that's not the point.

    • (Score: 2) by mcgrew on Sunday February 14 2016, @06:50PM

      by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Sunday February 14 2016, @06:50PM (#304257) Homepage Journal

      You know, Hillary, you can run more than one browser at a time. On sites the Tor browser won't work well with, simply open a different browser.

      --
      Our nation is in deep shit, but it's illegal to say that on TV.
    • (Score: 3, Insightful) by darkfeline on Monday February 15 2016, @01:08AM

      by darkfeline (1030) on Monday February 15 2016, @01:08AM (#304401) Homepage

      What TOR does is disconnect your IP and your browsing, which no addon is able to do. Neither your precious addons nor TOR alone give you anonymity.

      --
      Join the SDF Public Access UNIX System today!
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @07:28AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 16 2016, @07:28AM (#305086)

      Are you aware of Panopticlick [eff.org]? People using Tor Browser can blend in with each other. Someone using Tor with another browser, custom-configured in the way you describe, is likely to stand out from the crowd. In other words, a bespoke configuration, even though hardened, may be more identifiable.

  • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @12:21PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @12:21PM (#304125)

    How is this relevant to anyone who isn't a terrorist, paedophile or a junkie?

    • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @12:40PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @12:40PM (#304129)

      People have been imprisoned and murdered for speaking their beliefs.

      I will give an example:

      You simply cannot write anything against the Jewish problem these days without losing something. They have spy software and hardware and agents everywhere, listening in to who questions them.

      If they had nothing to fear from the truth (if they were telling the truth themselves), they would discuss their history and their control over the world openly and let everyone speak and answer questions. But that was not meant to be. Instead they find out who questioned them and they send assassins over.

      So it is very important to hide your location and identity when speaking the truth. The bad guys are in control and they are not your friends. If you're not one of them or in their close circle of friends, you are their enemy. You need protection. Tor provides some protection.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:50PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:50PM (#304149)

        we love you too!! 3xoxo3

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @03:29PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @03:29PM (#304187)

        In the post: claims but zero proof.

        • (Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @04:46PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @04:46PM (#304209)

          That was a good example where Tor becomes necessary. We're not at the point where one can get away with questioning Jewish authority. So to stay alive and fight and wake the public up from their sleep, it is very important to take steps that provide at least some protection from these criminals.

          In other words: It was a use-case scenario.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @07:43PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @07:43PM (#304273)

          Well, of course. They suppress all the proof. What more evidence could you need?!

      • (Score: 0, Offtopic) by BigotDetectorGoesBing! on Sunday February 14 2016, @04:59PM

        by BigotDetectorGoesBing! (5877) on Sunday February 14 2016, @04:59PM (#304210)

        Bing!

      • (Score: 2) by fnj on Sunday February 14 2016, @07:33PM

        by fnj (1654) on Sunday February 14 2016, @07:33PM (#304267)

        Terrorists - does not scapegoat by racial identification.
        Pedophiles - does not scapegoat by racial identification.
        Junkies - does not scapegoat by racial identification.
        Jews - the word you added - scapegoats by racial identification.

        This is the very definition of racism.

        To be a (true) terrorist you have to take evil action.
        To be a (true) pedophile you have to take evil action.
        To be a junkie you normally have to do it to yourself by taking stupid action.
        To be a Jew, all you have to be is born to a class of parents who were in turn born to that class of parents, and so on.

        You are a disgusting and revolting human being. Also a mind-blowingly stupid human being.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:20PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:20PM (#304316)

          Try this yourself to get closer to the truth:

          Question the Jews' motives. Question their religious laws and teachings about gentiles. Be critical of any openly known jew. Support Palestine and question the legitimacy of Jews driving Palestinians off their land. Connect your comments to your pseudo-name. After that, your pseudo-name will be attacked and character-assassinated systematically. You will be named as "so and so username"-like idiots inhabit this place; with people like him around this place smells. Or something like that. They will label you an insane person (among other things).

          You need to be at the receiving end of their wrath once to start waking up and seeing your true enemy in the eye. Once your eyes are opened, you will try to help others to spot jews. As the old saying goes (sad as it is): "There is no such thing as a good jew"

          By the way, Jew is a race. I am not sure what you mean by class.

          • (Score: 2) by fnj on Sunday February 14 2016, @11:13PM

            by fnj (1654) on Sunday February 14 2016, @11:13PM (#304368)

            Do us all a favor and kill yourself. Say howdy when you see Hitler. He's in the place you're headed to.

            • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 15 2016, @01:20AM

              by Anonymous Coward on Monday February 15 2016, @01:20AM (#304404)

              What an insightful comment you made! Instead of listening if there is something of value being said, you ask people to jump off the roof. What a nice person you are. I'm sure people really like being your friend. One day you will ask each one of them to jump off the roof when there is an argument. That is the kind of person you are. Vile, full of hate.

              What do you mean by "us all"? Who else are you speaking for?

              Or maybe you are a Jew. If yes, then please tell why Jews were expelled from cities and entire countries 109 times or so in the last few hundred years?

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:40PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:40PM (#304144)

      Mods, ever heard of polemic? Was it polemically said? I want to know what you meant. Oh Mr Crowley..

      • (Score: 3, Insightful) by maxwell demon on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:46PM

        by maxwell demon (1608) on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:46PM (#304147) Journal

        So you are basically complaining that you got a Troll moderation instead of a Flamebait moderation?

        --
        The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:48PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:48PM (#304148)

          Correct.

        • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:57PM

          by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @01:57PM (#304153)

          Everyone is being monitored by the authorities. Anyone who touches TOR, by their logic, must have something very bad to hide. Get yourself higher up their priority list and you can be sure they'll look much harder for even relatively minor evidence of potential thought crime with which to accuse you. They'll look harder at everything. Anything to get you for something in the name of safety. Better not make any minor mistakes on your tax return, for example. What a terrible work we have created for ourselves.

    • (Score: 2) by mcgrew on Sunday February 14 2016, @06:52PM

      by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Sunday February 14 2016, @06:52PM (#304258) Homepage Journal

      How is this relevant to anyone who isn't a terrorist, paedophile or a junkie?

      The same reason I refuse to save money with loyalty cards--some of us think corporate and government stalking is just creepy.

      --
      Our nation is in deep shit, but it's illegal to say that on TV.
  • (Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @02:59PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @02:59PM (#304175)

    uhm .. errr ... can we get the tor-browser .. uhm ..errr... without the tor part pls?
    i need a replacement for vanilla firefox ... it's too much work to make it non-snoopy *sigh*
    thanks for update tho ... sigh

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:46PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:46PM (#304323)

      Give Palemoon a try. Avoid Chrome and its clones.

  • (Score: 2) by _NSAKEY on Sunday February 14 2016, @10:14PM

    by _NSAKEY (16) on Sunday February 14 2016, @10:14PM (#304331)

    There's so much stupid in this discussion that it just gave me a headache. Most of you who replied need to take off the tinfoil hats, because tinfoil actually concentrates the microwaves, and most of the AC replies exhibit behavior consistent with having their brains zapped for a little too long.

    To stay somewhat on topic: The Tor Browser is a fork of Firefox ESR, yes, but they do a bunch of hardening-related patching. Even if you're smart enough to set up a computer to transparently route all of its traffic over Tor, you should use the Tor Browser anyway. It will take a little bit of extra configuration so that you don't have a tor-over-tor situation, but it really is the best tool for the job. Maybe that's why we have so many ACs parroting law enforcement talking points...