Release Prep - Alpha.md

Explanation of variables

• $(BUILD_SERVER) : the server the main builder is using to build a tor-browser release
• $(STAGING_SERVER) : the server the signer is using to to run the signing process
• $(ESR_VERSION) : the Mozilla defined ESR version, used in various places for building tor-browser tags, labels, etc
  • example : 91.6.0
• $(RR_VERSION) : the Mozilla defined Rapid-Release version; Tor Browser for Android is based off of the $(ESR_VERSION), but Mozilla's Firefox for Android is based off of the $(RR_VERSION) so we need to keep track of security vulnerabilities to backport from the monthly Rapid-Release train and our frozen ESR train.
  • example: 103
• $(ESR_TAG) : the Mozilla defined hg (Mercurial) tag associated with $(ESR_VERSION)
  • exmaple : FIREFOX_91_7_0esr_BUILD2
• $(ESR_TAG_PREV) : the Mozilla defined hg (Mercurial) tag associated with the previous ESR version when rebasing (ie, the ESR version we are rebasing from)
• $(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR) : the Tor Browser major version
  • example : 11
• $(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR) : the Tor Browser minor version
  • example : either 0 or 5; Alpha's is always (Stable + 5) % 10
• $(BUILD_N) : a project's build revision within a its branch; this is separate from the $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) value; many of the Firefox-related projects have a $(BUILD_N) suffix and may differ between projects even when they contribute to the same build.
  • example : build1
• $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) : the tor-browser build revision for a given Tor Browser release; used in tagging git commits
  • example : build2
  • NOTE : A project's $(BUILD_N) and $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) may be the same, but it is possible for them to diverge. For example :
    • if we have multiple Tor Browser releases on a given ESR branch the two will become out of sync as the $(BUILD_N) value will increase, while the $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) value may stay at build1 (but the $(TOR_BROWSER_VERSION) will increase)
    • if we have build failures unrelated to tor-browser, the $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N) value will increase while the $(BUILD_N) will stay the same.
• $(TOR_BROWSER_VERSION) : the published Tor Browser version
  • example : 11.5a6, 11.0.7
• $(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH) : the full name of tor-browser branch
  • typically of the form: tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR-BROWSER_MINOR)-1
• $(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH_PREV) : the full name of the previous tor-browser branch (when rebasing)

Desktop

torbutton : https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/torbutton.git

• Update translations :
  • ./import-translations.sh
    • NOTE : if there are no new strings imported then we are done here
  • Commit with message Translation updates
    • NOTE : only add files which are already being tracked
  • (Optional) Backport to maintenance branch if present and necessary
• fixup! tor-browser's Bug 10760 : Integrate TorButton to TorBrowser core issue to point to updated torbutton commit

Android

tba-translation : https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/translation.git

• Fetch latest and identify new HEAD of fenix-torbrowserstringsxml branch
  • origin/fenix-torbrowserstringsxml : <INSERT COMMIT HASH HERE>

tor-android-service (Optional): https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-android-service.git

• Fetch latest and identify new HEAD of main branch
  • origin/main : <INSERT COMMIT HASH HERE>

Security Vulnerabilities Backport : https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/security/advisories/

• Go through any Security Vulnerabilities fixed in Firefox $(RR_VERSION) (or similar) and create list of CVEs which affect Android that need to be a backported
  • Potentially Affected Components:
    • firefox
    • application-services
    • android-components
    • fenix
• Create issue for each backport in tor-browser and merge requests for cherry-pick'd fixes in each affected component
• Link each created backport issue to this release prep issue

application-services : TODO: we need to setup a gitlab copy of this repo that we can apply security backports to

• (Optional) Backport any Android-specific security fixes from Firefox rapid-release
• Sign/Tag commit:
  • Tag : application-services-$(ESR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(BUILD_N)
  • Message: Tagging $(BUILD_N) for $(ESR_VERSION)-based (alpha|stable)
• Push tag to origin

android-components : https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/android-components.git

• (Optional) Backport any Android-specific security fixes from Firefox rapid-release
• Sign/Tag commit:
  • Tag : android-components-$(ESR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(BUILD_N)
  • Message: Tagging $(BUILD_N) for $(ESR_VERSION)-based (alpha|stable)
• Push tag to origin

fenix : https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/fenix.git

• (Optional) Backport any Android-specific security fixes from Firefox rapid-release
• Sign/Tag commit:
  • Tag : tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(BUILD_N)
  • Message: Tagging $(BUILD_N) for $(ESR_VERSION)-based (alpha|stable)
• Push tag to origin

Shared

tor-browser: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser.git

• (Optional) Backport any Android-specific security fixes from Firefox rapid-release
• (Optional) Rebase to $(ESR_VERSION)
  • Find the Firefox hg tag here : https://hg.mozilla.org/releases/mozilla-esr102/tags
    • $(ESR_TAG) : <INSERT_TAG_HERE>
  • Identify the hg patch associated with above hg tag, and find the equivalent gecko-dev git commit (search by commit message)
    • gecko-dev commit : <INSERT_COMMIT_HASH_HERE>
  • Create new tor-browser branch with the discovered gecko-dev commit as HEAD named tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR-BROWSER_MINOR)-1
    • Sign/Tag commit :
      • Tag : $(ESR_TAG)
      • Message : Hg tag $(ESR_TAG)
  • Push new branch and tag to origin
  • Rebase tor-browser patches
  • Compare patch-sets (ensure nothing weird happened during rebase):
    • rangediff: git range-diff $(ESR_TAG_PREV)..$(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH_PREV) $(ESR_TAG)..$(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH)
    • diff of diffs:
      • Do the diff between current_patchset.diff and rebased_patchset.diff with your preferred $(DIFF_TOOL) and look at differences on lines that starts with + or -
      • git diff $(ESR_TAG_PREV)..$(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH_PREV) > current_patchset.diff
      • git diff $(ESR_TAG)..$(TOR_BROWSER_BRANCH) > rebased_patchset.diff
      • $(DIFF_TOOL) current_patchset.dif rebased_patchset.deff
  • Open MR for the rebase
• Sign/Tag base-browser commit:
  • NOTE : Currently we are using the Bug 27511: Add new identity button to toolbar commit as the dividing line between base-browser and tor-browser
  • NOTE : If we need to prepare a release without a rebase that includes a patch that needs to be in the base-browser section (such as a Mozilla chemspill release) we will create an entirely new branch with a -2 suffix
  • Tag : base-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-build1
  • Message: Tagging build1 for $(ESR_VERSION)esr-based (alpha|stable)
• Sign/Tag tor-browser commit :
  • Tag : tor-browser-$(ESR_VERSION)esr-$(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-1-$(FIREFOX_BUILD_N)
  • Message : Tagging $(FIREFOX_BUILD_N) for $(ESR_VERSION)esr-based (alpha|stable)
• Push tag to origin
• Update Gitlab Default Branch to new Alpha branch: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser/-/settings/repository

Build/Signing/Publishing

tor-browser-build: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/applications/tor-browser-build.git

Tor Browser Alpha (and Nightly) are on the main branch, while Stable lives in the various $(TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR).$(TOR_BROWSER_MINOR)-maint (and possibly more specific) branches

• Update rbm.conf
  • var/torbrowser_version : update to next version
  • var/torbrowser_build : update to $(TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N)
  • (Desktop Only) var/torbrowser_incremental_from : update to previous Desktop version
    • IMPORTANT: Really actually make sure this is the previous Desktop version or else the make incrementals-* step will fail
• Update projects/firefox/config
  • git_hash : update the $(BUILD_N) section to match tor-browser tag
  • (Optional) var/firefox_platform_version : update to latest $(ESR_VERSION) if rebased
• Update projects/geckoview/config
  • git_hash : update the $(BUILD_N) section to match tor-browser tag
  • (Optional) var/geckoview_version : update to latest $(ESR_VERSION) if rebased
• Update projects/translation-base-browser/config
  • git_hash : update with HEAD commit of project's base-browser branch
• Update projects/tba-translations/config:
  • git_hash : update with HEAD commit of project's fenix-torbrowserstringsxml branch
• Update projects/tor-android-service/config
  • git_hash : update with HEAD commit of project's main branch
• Update projects/application-services/config: NOTE we don't have any of our own patches for this project
  • git_hash : update to appropriate git commit associated with $(ESR_VERSION)
• Update projects/android-components/config:
  • git_hash : update the $(BUILD_N) section to match alpha android-components tag
• Update projects/fenix/config
  • git_hash : update the $(BUILD_N) section to match fenix tag
  • (Optional) var/fenix_version : update to latest $(ESR_VERSION) if rebased
• Update allowed_addons.json by running (from tor-browser-build root):
  • ./tools/fetch_allowed_addons.py > projects/browser/allowed_addons.json
• Check for NoScript updates here : https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript
  • (Optional) If new version available, update noscript section of input_files in projects/browser/config
    • URL
    • sha256sum
• Check for OpenSSL updates here : https://github.com/openssl/openssl/tags
  • (Optional) If new 1.X.Y series tag available, update projects/openssl/config
    • version : update to next 1.X.Y release tag
    • input_files/sha256sum : update to sha256 sum of source tarball
• Check for tor updates here : https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/core/tor/-/tags ; Tor Browser Alpha uses -alpha tagged tor, while stable uses the stable series
  • (Optional) Update projects/tor/config
    • version : update to next release tag
• Check for go updates here : https://golang.org/dl
  • NOTE : Tor Browser Alpha uses the latest Stable go version, while Tor Browser Stable uses the latest of the previous Stable major series version
  • (Optional) Update projects/go/config
    • version : update go version
    • input_files/sha256sum for go : update sha256sum of archive (sha256 sums are displayed on the go download page)
• (Optional) Update the manual
  • Go to https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/web/manual/-/jobs/
  • Open the latest build stage
  • Download the artifacts (they come in a .zip file).
  • Rename it to manual_$PIPELINEID.zip
  • Upload it to people.tpo
  • Update projects/manual/config
    • Change the version to $PIPELINEID
    • Update the hash in the input_files section
    • Update the URL if you have uploaded to a different people.tpo home
• Update ChangeLog.txt
  • Ensure ChangeLog.txt is sync'd between alpha and stable branches
• Open MR with above changes
• Begin build on $(BUILD_SERVER) (and fix any issues which come up)
• Sign/Tag commit : make signtag-(alpha|release)
• Push tag to origin

notify stakeholders

• Email tor-qa mailing list: tor-qa@lists.torproject.org
  • Provide links to unsigned builds on $(BUILD_SERVER)
  • Call out any new functionality which needs testing
  • Link to any known issues
• Email Tails dev mailing list: tails-dev@boum.org
  • Provide links to unsigned builds on $(BUILD_SERVER)

blog: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/web/blog.git

• Duplicate previous Stable or Alpha release blog post as appropriate to new directory under content/blog/new-release-tor-browser-$(TOR_BROWSER_VERSION) and update with info on release :
  • Update Tor Browser version numbers
  • Note any ESR rebase
  • Note any Rapid Release rebase
  • Link to any Firefox security updates
  • Note any updates to :
    • tor
    • OpenSSL
    • go
    • NoScript
  • Convert ChangeLog.txt to markdown format used here by : tor-browser-build/tools/changelog-format-blog-post
• Push to origin as new branch, open 'Draft :' MR
• Remove Draft: from MR once signed-packages are uploaded
• Merge
• Publish after CI passes

website: https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/web/tpo.git

• databags/versions.ini : Update the downloads versions
  • torbrowser-stable/version : sort of a catch-all for latest stable version
  • torbrowser-stable/win32 : tor version in the expert bundle
  • torbrowser-*-stable/version : platform-specific stable versions
  • torbrowser-*-alpha/version : platform-specific alpha versions
  • tor-stable,tor-alpha : set by tor devs, do not touch
• Push to origin as new branch, open 'Draft :' MR
• Remove Draft: from MR once signed-packages are uploaded
• Merge
• Publish after CI passes

signing + publishing

• Ensure builders have matching builds
• On $(STAGING_SERVER), ensure updated:
  • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config
    • NSS_DB_DIR : location of the nssdb7 directory
  • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.hosts
    • ssh_host_builder : ssh hostname of machine with unsigned builds
      • NOTE : tor-browser-build is expected to be in the $HOME directory)
    • ssh_host_linux_signer : ssh hostname of linux signing machine
    • ssh_host_macos_signer : ssh hostname of macOS signing machine
  • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.macos-notarization
    • macos_notarization_user : the email login for a tor notariser Apple Developer account
  • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.tbb-version
    • tbb_version : tor browser version string, same as var/torbrowser_version in rbm.conf (examples: 11.5a12, 11.0.13)
    • tbb_version_build : the tor-browser-build build number (if var/torbrowser_build in rbm.conf is buildN then this value is N)
    • tbb_version_type : either alpha for alpha releases or release for stable releases
• On $(STAGING_SERVER) in a separate screen session, run the macOS proxy script:
  • cd tor-browser-build/tools/signing/
  • ./macos-signer-proxy
• On $(STAGING_SERVER) in a separate screen session, ensure tor daemon is running with SOCKS5 proxy on the default port 9050
• apk signing : TODO
• run do-all-signing script:
  • cd tor-browser-build/tools/signing/
  • ./do-all-signing.sh
• NOTE: at this point the signed binaries should have been copied to staticiforme
• Update staticiforme.torproject.org:
  • From screen session on staticiforme.torproject.org:
  • Remove old release data from following places:
    • NOTE : Skip this step if the current release is Android or Desktop only
    • /srv/cdn-master.torproject.org/htdocs/aus1/torbrowser
    • /srv/dist-master.torproject.org/htdocs/torbrowser
  • Static update components : static-update-component cdn.torproject.org && static-update-component dist.torproject.org
  • Enable update responses :
    • alpha: ./deploy_update_responses-alpha.sh
    • release: ./deploy_update_responses-release.sh
• Publish APKs to Google Play:
  • Log into https://play.google.com/apps/publish
  • Select Tor Browser (Alpha) app
  • Navigate to Release > Production and click Create new release button
  • Upload the *.multi.apk APKs
  • If necessary, update the 'Release Name' (should be automatically populated)
  • Update Release Notes
    • Next to 'Release notes', click Copy from a previous release
    • Edit blog post url to point to most recent blog post
  • Save, review, and configure rollout percentage
    • 25% rollout when publishing a scheduled update
    • 100% rollout when publishing a security-driven release
  • Update rollout percentage to 100% after confirmed no major issues

tor-announce mailing list

• Send an email to tor-announce@lists.torproject.org, using the same content as the blog post and subject "Tor Browser $version is released".

/label ~"Release Prep"