[tor-bugs] #6894 [Tor Client]: answer network time requests

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#6894: answer network time requests
-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
 Reporter:  proper       |          Owner:                    
     Type:  enhancement  |         Status:  new               
 Priority:  major        |      Milestone:  Tor: 0.2.4.x-final
Component:  Tor Client   |        Version:                    
 Keywords:               |         Parent:  #3059             
   Points:               |   Actualpoints:                    
-------------------------+--------------------------------------------------
 It would be useful if the Tor client could be used to ask the Tor network
 for the current time.

 To demonstrate, here is an example:
 {{{
 tor time --direct <router name>

 tor time --direct <router ip port>

 tor time --direct <bridge ip port>

 tor time --direct <authority (mirror)>

 tor time --torified <router name>

 tor time --torified <route ip port>

 tor time --torified <bridge ip port>

 tor time --torified <authority (mirror)>
 }}}

 Example answer:
 {{{
 Wed Sep 19 02:02:22 UTC 2012
 }}}

 The Tor control protocol could be used to provide this feature.

 ,, --direct = A direct encrypted/authenticated connection from the Tor
 client to a relay, bridge or authority. [[BR]]
 --torified = A regular encrypted/authenticated three hop circuit using the
 normal routing algorithm to connect to exit nodes.

 Also something like an "clock source=atomic" flag for the relays would be
 useful. The "clock source" flag would let a relay advertise "we are using
 an atomic clock as time source".

 Having this feature would allow writing a secure distributed trust time
 synchronization client, which works through NAT, over Tor and which is
 independent from SSL certificate authorities.

 ,, sources:
 * [http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=%23687166 NTP will
 probable never provide authentication for the masses.]
 * [https://tails.boum.org/todo/authenticate_time_servers/ authenticate
 time servers]
 * [https://tails.boum.org/contribute/design/Time_syncing/ Time syncing]

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/6894>
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