AnattackagainstTor Browserusers on Windows simple machine was discovered this Sunday , and there is speculation that the uncovered malwarewas used by a law enforcement agencyto crop the IP addresses of users of severalhidden serviceshosted by Freedom Hosting . The malware exploits aserious JavaScript certificate vulnerabilityaffecting Firefox and other ware that share the same computer code stand , including the Tor web browser .
If you are using software ground on Firefox major adaptation 21 or earlier , Thunderbird 17.06 or before , or SeaMonkey 2.18 or earlier , please refresh your software immediately . Tor internet browser Bundle user who have not updated to the most late version are also at endangerment , and so we ’ve provided a screenshot tutorial for how to update the Tor internet browser Bundle Below .
Tor and the Tor internet browser : Security and the Importance of Updating
Toris a knock-down namelessness tool that give up human right activist , dissidents and whistle blower to use WWW services anonymously to ward off torment , imprisonment or death . Tor also allows substance abuser to circumvent several forms of surveillance and censorship . The Tor web browser is a modified version of Firefox that ships with theTor web browser Bundleto provide substance abuser with an comfortable way to range with Tor without any shape required .
give the importance of Tor to users around the world , the security of both Tor and the Tor web browser are absolutely critical . This type of attack can not be narrowly focused on special Tor or Tor internet browser exploiter suspected of break the jurisprudence , and leaves vulnerable the multitude of other substance abuser worldwide who depend on these tools for anonymity . In this case , all users of old version of the Tor web browser Bundle are potentially vulnerable and the issue requires contiguous attention .
What Can exploiter Do ?
Tor does not allow for reflex security updates . Instead , the Tor internet browser currently need users to manually download and set up the update of the Tor internet browser Bundle . The Tor Project isworking on a fix for this , and this tone-beginning highlight the grandness of allowing drug user to automobile - update . For now , if you are using an out-of-date rendering of the Tor internet browser , you should upgrade your Tor internet browser Bundle software program straight off . Here are detailed instructions for Windows exploiter :
1 . Open your current Tor web browser , and decide what version of Firefox is run by clicking the “ TorBrowser ” button :
2 . tap “ Help ” - > “ About TorBrowser ” to determine your version . If it below 17.07 , then you are vulnerable :
3 . Click the TorButton image and go to “ Download Tor web browser Bundle Update ” :
4 . You should be taken to the Tor internet browser Bundle homepage , where you tick to download the executable file :
5 . Download this executable file . dawn through the word of advice about launch the viable filing cabinet :
6 . Once the file is downloaded , extract the software either to the same directory where Tor exists or a new directory for this version :
7 . Launch the “ Start Tor internet browser ” practicable from the same directory where you draw out the software and check the version to make indisputable that you ’re up to escort .
If you see Firefox version 17.0.7 , then you ’re up to escort .
This particular attack appear to affect only Windows user who have not updated to the most recent reading of the Tor internet browser Bundle . For this ( and a variety of other reasons that make it gainsay to expend Windows securely),Tor advisesthat “ tack off from Windows is in all probability a good security system move . ” If moving to a unlike platform is not pragmatic , it is especially important to keep up with computer software update . The advisory also commend that users concerned about their security consider disable JavaScript and deploy the Firefox add together - onRequest insurance policy , which allows you to control which origins are loaded from a given web site .
Reporudced under Creative Commons licensefrom Electronic Frontier Foundation . figure of speech viaShutterstock
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