[tor-bugs] #8170 [Tor]: get independent from host clock time / insecure NTP

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#8170: get independent from host clock time / insecure NTP
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 Reporter:  proper       |          Owner:                    
     Type:  enhancement  |         Status:  new               
 Priority:  major        |      Milestone:  Tor: 0.2.5.x-final
Component:  Tor          |        Version:                    
 Keywords:  tor-client   |         Parent:  #3059             
   Points:               |   Actualpoints:                    
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Comment(by proper):

 How could this be solved? Some thoughts... (Also known as, "how Tor fixes
 the mess, if operating systems and NTP messed up".)

  * torclock is the hypothetical name of a time synchronization mechanism
 and package to be invented which fits in to the threat model of Tor.
  * Tor deb/rpm packages recommends [1] torclock.
  * torclock deb/rpm packages should conflict [2] NTP, rdate and other
 insecure similar packages.
  * torclock dep/rpm packages depend on Tor.
  * torclock uses #6894 to securely get the time.
  * Once torclock used #6894 to get the system time, it sets the system
 time.
   * I am quite sure, that this will require installation (root) on most
 systems, hence it will be difficult to use in the portable TBB package, so
 perhaps TBB has to use #6894 directly.
  * Tor waits until torclock has set the system time. (Unless told, not to
 care using torrc or control protocol.)

 Feedback?

 Better ideas?

 ,,
 Footnotes:
 [1] Recommends: This declares a strong, but not absolute, dependency. The
 Recommends field should list packages that would be found together with
 this one in all but unusual installations.
 [2] Conflicts: When one binary package declares a conflict with another
 using a Conflicts field, dpkg will refuse to allow them to be unpacked on
 the system at the same time.

-- 
Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/8170#comment:5>
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