[tbb-dev] So, about the Linux sandbox in the long term?

Hans-Christoph Steiner hans at guardianproject.info
Wed Jun 7 12:21:01 UTC 2017



Georg Koppen:
> Yawning Angel:
>> On Tue, 30 May 2017 20:22:09 +0200
>> Hans-Christoph Steiner <hans at guardianproject.info> wrote:
>> [snip]
>>> Android is a very different OS than all the desktops.  GNU/Linux, OSX
>>> and Windows are much more similar to each other than to Android.
>>> Android is also the most popular computing platform in the world, so
>>> its worth investing it.  More users and more page views than Windows.
>>>
>>> Given the desire for stronger sandboxing, it could make sense to keep
>>> tor in something like Orbot, which is installed separately.  That
>>> means its isolated from the browser part with all the Android
>>> tricks.  Things like CopperheadOS make that sandboxing even stronger.
>>>
>>> As for Android apps updating their own code, it is possible, and it is
>>> occasionally done.  It is considered a bad practice, and Google has
>>> been gradually locking that down over time.  Android already provides
>>> a solid install procedure, at best, I think it would be a waste of
>>> time to build a custom in-app updater to replace that.  For example,
>>> that will break nice security properties like the code being
>>> installed read-only even to the app itself.
>>
>> The general gist I'm getting from this is:
>>
>>   Continue to treat Android like the red headed stepchild that it is,
>>   because a tor-launcher deprecation/rewrite doesn't affect the one
>>   platform that doesn't really even use tor-launcher in the first
>>   place.
> 
> FWIW the upcoming DRL work is supposed to change that: we promise to
> give Android users with Tor Browser for Mobile the same safe experience
> as we have on Desktop, including Tor Launcher.
> 
> That said: let's have some discussion about how we can move forward work
> in this area during the Tor Browser meeting on Monday next week. Isabela
> will be there and help to keep the momentum going and the future work
> organized.
> 
> Georg

I'm happy to join in this meeting, if you think I can be useful.  Just
let me know how.

.hc

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