Pierluigi Paganini June 06, 2019

A new version of the popular Tor Browser was released by the Tor Project, it is Tor Browser 8.5.1 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

The Tor Project has released Tor Browser 8.5.1 for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android, the new version of the popular anonymizing browser.

This release includes a temporary fix for a known WebGL fingerprinting technique. Tor 8.5.1 can be downloaded for free from the Tor Browser download page and from the distribution directory.

The development team disabled WebGL readPixel() function that could be abused to fingerprint a Tor Browser user. 

“Tor Browser 8.5.1 is the first bugfix release in the 8.5 series and aims at mostly fixing regressions and providing small improvements related to our 8.5 release.” reads the announcement from the Tor Project. “Additionally, we disable the WebGL readPixel() fingerprinting vector, realizing, though, that we need a more holistic approach when trying to deal with the fingerprinting potential WebGL comes with.”

The developers defined this fix a temporary solution that needs a more holistic approach.

Bwloe the full changelog since Tor Browser 8.5:

• All platforms
  • Update Torbutton to 2.1.10
    • Bug 30565: Sync nocertdb with privatebrowsing.autostart at startup
    • Bug 30464: Add WebGL to safer descriptions
    • Translations update
  • Update NoScript to 10.6.2
    • Bug 29969: Remove workaround for Mozilla’s bug 1532530
  • Update HTTPS Everywhere to 2019.5.13
  • Bug 30541: Disable WebGL readPixel() for web content
• Windows + OS X + Linux
  • Bug 30560: Better match actual toolbar in onboarding toolbar graphic
  • Bug 30571: Correct more information URL for security settings
• Android
  • Bug 30635: Sync mobile default bridges list with desktop one
• Build System
  • All platforms
    • Bug 30480: Check that signed tag contains expected tag name

Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – Tor Browser 8.5.1, Tor Project)

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