Re: [Tails-dev] Tor Browser Mystery

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Author: Cody Brownstein
Date:  
To: The Tails public development discussion list
CC: lvfk19
Subject: Re: [Tails-dev] Tor Browser Mystery
Hi,

lvfk19 via Tails-dev:
> I’ve noticed a problem that started right when your Tor Connection utility came out (~ 4.20), and I hope you can ease my fears about it.
>
> Because I use a cellular hotspot for internet access, I need to be careful about their monthly data limt. To that end, I have a habit of using your System Monitor/Resources/Network History to monitor my “sent” and “received” data. As you may know, the data sent when browsing is normally just a small fraction of data received, maybe 10%.
>
> MYSTERY: Ever since you launched the Tor Connection utility, every page I visit with Tor Browser adds that data count to both the “received” AND “sent” totals… as if a copy of all I view is being sent to a third party. For example, if I visit Amazon.com and browse 46.3 Mb worth of pages, then exactly 46.3 Mb of data is ALSO added to the outgoing data total. Why?? I am very concerned as to why my incoming data would need to be mirrored ANYWHERE, and am hoping you can tell me why I should not be worried about it. I’ve been using Tails for years and Tor Browser has never acted this way before, and fyi the Unsafe Browser is not affected by this, only Tor. As a work-around, I’ve been using Tails 4.19 to avoid the apparent “mirroring”.


Most likely you are experiencing this bug:

https://gitlab.tails.boum.org/tails/tails/-/issues/18490

See also:

https://gitlab.tails.boum.org/tails/tails/-/issues/18488

--
cbrownstein