[tor-bugs] #25979 [Core Tor/Stem]: Stem, Tor LTS, broken exit policies, and maybe microdescriptor issues too

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#25979: Stem, Tor LTS, broken exit policies, and maybe microdescriptor issues too
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 Reporter:  pastly         |          Owner:  atagar
     Type:  defect         |         Status:  new
 Priority:  Medium         |      Milestone:
Component:  Core Tor/Stem  |        Version:
 Severity:  Normal         |     Resolution:
 Keywords:                 |  Actual Points:
Parent ID:                 |         Points:
 Reviewer:                 |        Sponsor:
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Comment (by atagar):

 Hi pastly, sorry this is such a headache. As mentioned in my
 [https://gitweb.torproject.org/stem.git/commit/?id=136537c last attempt to
 fix this] the whole 'consensus flavors' thing is a confusing pita. :(

 Nyx uses the Controller methods to get descriptors and I think you're
 right that sbws should too but I'm spotting a separate issue here so gonna
 go on a bit of a tangent first...

 Aside from Nyx I always download descriptors through
 [https://stem.torproject.org/tutorials/mirror_mirror_on_the_wall.html
 #where-can-i-get-the-current-descriptors stem.descriptor.remote]. Simpler,
 guaranteed fresh descriptors, and no need for a local tor instance.

 In your case I suspect you **do** want descriptors from the control port
 because you're interested less in fresh descriptors than 'what are the
 relays I can tell my tor instance to establish connections through'.
 However, without additional torrc options your descriptors will get a bit
 stale...

 https://stem.torproject.org/tutorials/mirror_mirror_on_the_wall.html#can-i
 -get-descriptors-from-the-tor-process

 If I was in your shoes I'd configure tor to download server descriptors
 and use that instead. It's the authoritative exit policy (microdescriptors
 are just a summary). That said, it certainly sounds like there's a Stem
 and/or Tor issue here that should be fixed too...

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/ticket/25979#comment:1>
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