According to Ark Technica ( http://arstechnica.com/security/2016/08/linux-bug-leaves-usa-today-other-top...) encrypted communications can only be blocked, meaning that exit servers could still be targeted.

However, the bug only has to affect 1 side in order to work. So even if every exit node patched it, Tor users (and the regular Internet) would still be vulnerable until the Web servers patch it as well. Either way, it'll be a while before everyone is patched.

On Aug 12, 2016 11:01 AM, "Zack Weinberg" zackw@cmu.edu wrote:

On Fri, Aug 12, 2016 at 11:27 AM, starlight.2016q3@binnacle.cx wrote:

RFC-5961 CVE-2016-5696 http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/08/10/linux_tor_users_

open_corrupted_communications/

FYI all

Tor's use of TLS _should_ mean that the worst an attacker can do here is denial-of-service. The Register article suggests that they might also be able to force the use of specific exit relays (by disrupting connections that don't go through those relays) but weaponizing that against specific users (rather than everyone trying to use an exit the attacker doesn't like) strikes me as nontrivial.

Also, if you read the paper, raising the global rate limit (as suggested by the reg. article) doesn't help; it only slows the attacker down a little.

Right now I think one should not panic and should wait for the kernel people to do a proper fix.

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