Dom0 timezone leak - Whonix 17, Qubes R4.2

Qubes-Whonix
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On QubesOS, VMs read the dom0 timezone at boot (the mechanism is through qubes-early-vm-config.service → /usr/lib/qubes/init/qubes-early-vm-config.sh → qubesdb-read /qubes-timezone).

As per System Timezone, Whonix tries to prevent timezone leaks, by overwriting changes made by the above and setting it to UTC.

However, the dom0 timezone remains available using the command qubesdb-read /qubes-timezone. The command doesn’t require elevated privileges.

This can be mitigated by issuing qubesdb-rm /qubes-timezone, which deletes the entry from qubesdb. As of Qubes R4.3, there is also qvm-features – manage domain’s features — Qubes Admin client v4.3.28-0-g8ebd096 documentation which might avoid the problem.

I only have access to Whonix 17 and R4.2. I just wanted to make the community aware of this issue.

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so the /qubes-timezone flag is showing my real timezone… do I need to actually add the services named anon-timezone in the qube’s settings? shouldnt it be by default???

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Undocumented.

Fixing this by default for all users with no user action requires is scheduled [1] in the near/mid future. There is no ETA (estimated time of arrival).

I would say yes, among with other qubesdb-read related information disclosure settings. [2]

Not my design. This is a Qubes decision. And it seems final. So there’s nothing else the Whonix project can do about this except workarounds (above ticket and [2]).

[1] ToDo for Developers

[2] Systemcheck with custom hostname? - #5 by Patrick - Qubes - Kicksecure Forums

qubesdb-read /qubes-base-template

Also see:

qubesdb-multiread /
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