[tor-relays] [Looking for feedback] An easier way to declare families

[Scott Bennett]

Nick Mathewson <nickm at torproject.org> wrote:

> On Sat, Nov 6, 2021 at 10:36 AM Nick Mathewson <nickm at torproject.org> wrote:
>
> > Hello, relay operators!
> >
> > I'm hoping to get some feedback from relay operators, particularly
> > those who use the MyFamily option, about the best way to deploy
> > proposal 321.  You can read the proposal at:
> >
> >
> > https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/core/torspec/-/blob/master/proposals/321-happy-families.md
> >
> > The main idea of this proposal is to provide an easier way for
> > relays to declare that they are in the same family.  With proposal
> > 321, each relay in the same family uses a cryptographic certificate
> > to prove that it is in the same family as the others.
> >
>
> One small clarification, since I know not everybody will read the proposal:
> this proposal is not only for making families easier to declare: it will
> also make them far more efficient to implement by saving significant
> amounts of bandwidth for client directory downloads.  So even if everybody
> thinks that the current MyFamily configuration mechanism is perfectly easy
> and hassle-free (ha), we'd still probably want to implement something like
> this in order to make the network more efficient.

     Because the obvious incentive for cheaters is in the direction of trying
to get clients' route selectors to choose routes through more than a single
relay operated by a given cheater, rather than the other way around, this
looks to me like a "solution" in search of a problem unless I am missing
some special scenario.  Can someone enlighten me as to why this mechanism
would be needed?  I.e., when and why would a cheater want his relay(s) to be
included in *any* families at all?


                                  Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG
**********************************************************************
* Internet:   bennett at sdf.org   *xor*   bennett at freeshell.org  *
*--------------------------------------------------------------------*
* "A well regulated and disciplined militia, is at all times a good  *
* objection to the introduction of that bane of all free governments *
* -- a standing army."                                               *
*    -- Gov. John Hancock, New York Journal, 28 January 1790         *
**********************************************************************