Tor Browser Downloader (AnonDist) suggestion - Hard Reset / --reset

[anonhelp]

Hi. When I need to hard reset Tor Browser identity I always download a new instance of Tor Browser using Tor Browser Downloader (AnonDist) package. But the problem is that I need to download Tor Browser tarball every time I need to restart Tor Browser identity. Unfortunately, Tor Browser Downloader (AnonDist) doesn’t have an ability to cache downloaded Tor Browser tarball and keep it locally on Workstation machine. I need to download Tor Browser every time from Tor Project servers.

Can you add an ability to cache downloaded Tor Browser tarball?

[h3xagonal]

When I need to hard reset Tor Browser identity

Tor Browser is designed to be amnesiac and resistant to fingerprinting. Of course certain other properties (like swap on the host or non-Whonix guest) could violate the principle.

I also do not use the integrated bookmarks of Tor Browser over similar concerns

doesn’t have an ability to cache downloaded Tor Browser tarball and keep it locally on Workstation machine

Also think this is fine. As long as verification signatures are either retrieved or stored and verified against a pinned-key during installation to avoid tampering do not see any downsides other than the storage requirements for cached installation-files.

Thank you.

[anonhelp]

@h3xagonal

Tor Browser is designed to be amnesiac and resistant to fingerprinting

Well, then what’s the difference between pressing New Identity buttion on Tor Browser and completely reinstalling Tor Browser using Tor Browser Downloader (AnonDist) ? Any difference between these two actions?

@h3xagonal

Of course certain other properties (like swap on the host or non-Whonix guest) could violate the principle

Sometimes I need to change some about:config values for my personal reasons. If I just reset them to default values will this action return my fingerprint to default value or I need to completely reinstall Tor Browser every time I change about:config options?

[Patrick]

In theory should be possible to implement this. Such as feature was implemented in git after this suggestion has been made.

implement opt-in `TB_NO_CLEANUP=true`, which if set, skips deletion of downloaded Tor Browser tarballs

implement `--reset` to allow a hard reset of Tor Browser

It’s still untested.

Might be available later with updates and in the next stable point release for advanced users.

See Whonix Tor Browser advanced user documentation:
Tor Browser Hard Reset

[Patrick]

Tor Browser Integration

All of above is now available in all Whonix repositories.

[Patrick]

Does not work yet.

[anonhelp]

Any progress? tb-updater was released but hard reset still does not work.

[Patrick]

fix --reset

[Patrick]

With next update hopefully fixed for real. Tested this time.