Feature #5774

Robust time syncing

Added by Tails 2013-07-18 07:46:05 . Updated 2018-10-11 09:36:31 .

Status:
In Progress
Priority:
Elevated
Assignee:
Category:
Time synchronization
Target version:
Start date:
2015-05-17
Due date:
% Done:

100%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Code
Blueprint:

https://tails.boum.org/blueprint/robust_time_syncing/

Starter:
0
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

See the blueprint.

Subtasks

Feature #9420: Wait for feedback from -ux@ regarding the proposed time sync'ing user story Resolved

100

Related issues

Related to Tails - Feature #6112: Safer tordate parameters Confirmed
Related to Tails - Feature #5773: Revisit network fingerprinting design wrt. NTP Confirmed
Related to Tails - Feature #5424: Think about tordate htpdate changes Rejected
Related to Tails - Bug #9256: Don't restart Tor after setting the right clock Confirmed 2015-04-17
Related to Tails - Feature #10819: Allow changing timezone in session Duplicate 2015-12-31
Related to Tails - Bug #11285: Check if we need to disable UseDefaultFallbackDirs in Tor 0.2.8+ Resolved 2016-03-26
Related to Tails - Bug #11589: Time syncing over bridge is fragile Confirmed 2016-07-22
Related to Tails - Feature #12094: Persistence preset: localized timezone for displayed time Confirmed 2016-12-28
Related to Tails - Feature #5366: When htp fails the user should be prompted Rejected
Has duplicate Tails - Feature #8977: Get rid of tordate Duplicate 2015-02-27
Blocks Tails - Feature #5462: Persistence preset: Tor state Confirmed 2016-08-26
Blocked by Tails - Feature #6284: Display time in local timezone Confirmed 2015-10-27
Blocks Tails - Bug #15548: Tails can't establish a connection with obfs4 bridges and a hardware clock too far away from UTC Confirmed 2018-05-09

History

#1 Updated by intrigeri 2013-10-04 06:35:40

  • Starter set to No

#2 Updated by BitingBird 2014-06-09 11:05:50

  • Subject changed from robust time syncing to Robust time syncing

#3 Updated by BitingBird 2015-01-02 19:51:45

#4 Updated by BitingBird 2015-01-04 02:59:03

  • related to Feature #5773: Revisit network fingerprinting design wrt. NTP added

#5 Updated by BitingBird 2015-01-04 03:13:25

  • related to Feature #5424: Think about tordate htpdate changes added

#6 Updated by intrigeri 2015-01-08 09:56:13

  • Category set to Time synchronization

#7 Updated by intrigeri 2015-02-27 18:38:40

#8 Updated by Dr_Whax 2015-03-04 10:18:50

After discussing this with various knowledgeable Tor folks, the consensus seem to be that we just have to ask the user to set the time so we can bootstrap the Tor process.

#9 Updated by intrigeri 2015-03-04 11:04:50

> After discussing this with various knowledgeable Tor folks, the consensus seem to be that we just have to ask the user to set the time so we can bootstrap the Tor process.

May we please have the reasoning behind this conclusion?

#10 Updated by intrigeri 2015-03-04 11:05:08

  • Assignee set to Dr_Whax
  • QA Check set to Info Needed

#11 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-02 05:11:27

intrigeri wrote:
> > After discussing this with various knowledgeable Tor folks, the consensus seem to be that we just have to ask the user to set the time so we can bootstrap the Tor process.
>
> May we please have the reasoning behind this conclusion?

I would still love to hear more about this => ping?

In the meantime, I did some research on my side, and it seems that ChromeOS does something very similar to DrWhax’ proposal:

Sadly, most of their design docs, UI mockups etc. are apparently not accessible to non-Google employees or something, so it’s not easy to understand why they did what. Still, the resulting code is there: https://src.chromium.org/viewvc/chrome?revision=266431&view=revision

#12 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 13:29:27

  • Blueprint set to https://tails.boum.org/blueprint/robust_time_syncing/

#13 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 13:30:04

#14 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 13:30:16

#15 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 13:41:26

  • Description updated

Moved all the relevant info from this ticket to the blueprint.

#16 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 14:27:28

  • Status changed from Confirmed to In Progress
  • Assignee deleted (Dr_Whax)
  • QA Check deleted (Info Needed)

#17 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 14:30:08

  • Target version set to Hardening_M1

Importing target version that anonym had set on Feature #8977, and with which I fully agree.

#18 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 14:33:55

#19 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 14:34:11

#20 Updated by intrigeri 2015-05-17 14:34:19

#21 Updated by intrigeri 2015-06-10 17:11:37

  • Type of work changed from Research to Code

The user story and tentative roadmap have been ACK’d on -ux@ => next step is to actually implement this.

#22 Updated by intrigeri 2015-06-10 17:13:02

#23 Updated by sajolida 2015-09-07 10:41:53

  • related to Bug #9256: Don't restart Tor after setting the right clock added

#24 Updated by sajolida 2015-09-22 07:55:48

  • Target version changed from Hardening_M1 to 2017

#25 Updated by intrigeri 2015-09-22 10:54:50

  • Target version changed from 2017 to 2018

#26 Updated by sajolida 2016-01-18 15:11:38

#27 Updated by intrigeri 2016-03-26 10:33:17

  • related to Bug #11285: Check if we need to disable UseDefaultFallbackDirs in Tor 0.2.8+ added

#28 Updated by bertagaz 2016-07-22 02:53:06

  • related to Bug #11589: Time syncing over bridge is fragile added

#29 Updated by Dr_Whax 2016-08-20 12:27:11

  • Description updated
  • Assignee set to bertagaz
  • Target version deleted (2018)

#30 Updated by intrigeri 2016-08-23 00:32:44

I’m a bit lost: did we keep this on our roadmap in the end? bertagaz, did you volunteer? If yes, please set the correct target version. Thanks!

#31 Updated by Dr_Whax 2016-08-23 00:37:26

intrigeri wrote:
> I’m a bit lost: did we keep this on our roadmap in the end? bertagaz, did you volunteer? If yes, please set the correct target version. Thanks!

It was on the roadmap but without a deadline.

#32 Updated by intrigeri 2016-12-29 08:29:16

  • related to Feature #12094: Persistence preset: localized timezone for displayed time added

#33 Updated by BitingBird 2017-08-28 20:36:32

  • Description updated
  • Target version set to 2019

#34 Updated by BitingBird 2017-08-28 20:36:50

  • Description updated

#35 Updated by intrigeri 2017-12-06 11:28:55

The thread that starts at https://mailman.boum.org/pipermail/tails-dev/2017-December/011945.html shows that this is more urgent than we thought. Is it an option to swap this with something else that was on your (plural) roadmap for 2018?

#36 Updated by Anonymous 2018-01-19 16:29:33

  • related to Feature #5366: When htp fails the user should be prompted added

#37 Updated by intrigeri 2018-10-11 09:36:31

  • Description updated
  • Assignee deleted (bertagaz)
  • Target version deleted (2019)

As per roadmap updating process. Of course, feel free to re-add it once there’s a team :)

#38 Updated by intrigeri 2019-08-11 15:52:06

  • blocks Bug #15168: Improve UX when hardware clock is set to localtime in a timezone too far from UTC added

#39 Updated by intrigeri 2019-08-11 15:59:12

  • blocks Bug #15548: Tails can't establish a connection with obfs4 bridges and a hardware clock too far away from UTC added

#40 Updated by intrigeri 2019-08-11 15:59:28

  • blocked by deleted (Bug #15168: Improve UX when hardware clock is set to localtime in a timezone too far from UTC)