Skip to content

Prepare Tor Browser Stable 14.0.1

Release Prep Tor Browser Stable

  • NOTE It is assumed the tor-browser release rebase and security backport tasks have been completed
  • NOTE This can/is often done in conjunction with the equivalent Mullvad Browser release prep issue
Explanation of variables
  • ${BUILD_SERVER}: the server the main builder is using to build a browser release
  • ${BUILDER}: whomever is building the release on the ${BUILD_SERVER}
    • example: pierov
  • ${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 browser tags, labels, etc
    • example: 91.6.0
  • ${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
  • ${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION}: the Tor Browser version in the format
    • example: 12.5a3, 12.0.3
  • ${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
    • ⚠️ WARNING: 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
  • ${TBB_BUILD_TAG}: the tor-browser-build build tag used to build a given Tor Browser version
    • example: tbb-12.5a7-build1
  • ${RELEASE_DATE}: the intended release date of this browser release; for ESR schedule-driven releases, this should match the upstream Firefox release date
    • example: 2024-10-29
Build Configuration

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

  • Tag tor-browser in tor-browser.git
    • example: tor-browser-128.4.0esr-14.0-1-build1

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

Tor Browser Stable is on the maint-${TOR_BROWSER_MAJOR}.${TOR_BROWSER_MINOR} branch

  • Changelog bookkeeping:
  • Create a release preparation branch from the current maint-XX.Y branch
  • Run release preparation script:
    • NOTE: You can omit the --tor-browser argument if this is for a joint Tor and Mullvad Browser release
    • ⚠️ WARNING: You may need to manually update the firefox/config and geckoview/config files' browser_build field if tor-browser.git has not yet been tagged (e.g. if security backports have not yet been merged and tagged)
    ./tools/relprep.py --tor-browser --date ${RELEASE_DATE} ${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION}
  • Review build configuration changes:
    • rbm.conf
      • var/torbrowser_version: updated to next browser version
      • var/torbrowser_build: updated to ${TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N}
      • var/browser_release_date: updated to build date. For the build to be reproducible, the date should be in the past when building.
        • ⚠️ WARNING: If we have updated var/torbrowser_build without updating the firefox or geckoview tags, then we can leave this unchanged to avoid forcing a firefox re-build (e.g. when bumping var/torbrwoser_build to build2, build3, etc due to non-firefox related build issues)
      • (Desktop Only) var/torbrowser_incremental_from: updated to previous Desktop version
        • NOTE: We try to build incrementals for the previous 3 desktop versions
        • ⚠️ WARNING: Really actually make sure this is the previous Desktop version or else the make torbrowser-incrementals-* step will fail
    • projects/firefox/config
      • browser_build: updated to match tor-browser tag
      • (Optional) var/firefox_platform_version: updated to latest ${ESR_VERSION} if rebased
    • projects/geckoview/config
      • browser_build: updated to match tor-browser tag
      • (Optional) var/firefox_platform_version: updated to latest ${ESR_VERSION} if rebased
    • (Optional) projects/translation/config:
      • steps/base-browser/git_hash: updated with HEAD commit of project's base-browser branch
      • steps/tor-browser/git_hash: updated with HEAD commit of project's tor-browser branch
      • steps/fenix/git_hash: updated with HEAD commit of project's fenix-torbrowserstringsxml branch
    • (Optional) projects/browser/config:
    • (Optional) projects/openssl/config: https://www.openssl.org/source/
      • NOTE: Only if new LTS version (3.0.X currrently) available
      • version: updated to next LTS version
      • input_files/sha256sum: updated to sha256 sum of source tarball
    • (Optional) projects/zlib/config: https://github.com/madler/zlib/releases
      • NOTE: Only if new tag available
      • version: updated to next release tag
    • (Optional) projects/zstd/config: https://github.com/facebook/zstd/releases
      • NOTE: Only if new tag available; Android-only for now
      • version: updated to next release tag
      • git_hash: updated to the commit corresponding to the tag (we don't check signatures for Zstandard)
    • (Optional) projects/tor/config https://gitlab.torproject.org/tpo/core/tor/-/tags
      • version: updated to latest non -alpha tag or release tag if newer (ping dgoulet or ahf if unsure)
    • (Optional) projects/go/config https://go.dev/dl
      • NOTE: In general, Tor Browser Alpha uses the latest Stable major series Go version, but there are sometimes exceptions. Check with the anti-censorship team before doing a major version update in case there is incompatibilities.
      • version: updated go version
      • input_files/sha256sum for go: update sha256sum of archive (sha256 sums are displayed on the go download page)
    • (Optional) projects/manual/config
    • ChangeLog-TBB.txt: ensure correctness
      • Browser name correct
      • Release date correct
      • No Android updates on a desktop-only release and vice-versa
      • All issues added under correct platform
      • ESR updates correct
      • Component updates correct
  • Open MR with above changes, using the template for release preparations
    • NOTE: target the maint-14.0 branch
  • Merge
  • Sign+Tag
    • NOTE this must be done by one of:
      • boklm
      • dan
      • ma1
      • morgan
      • pierov
    • Run: 
      make torbrowser-signtag-release
    • Push tag to upstream
  • Build the tag:
    • Run: 
      make torbrowser-release && make torbrowser-incrementals-release
      • Tor Project build machine
      • Local developer machine
    • Submit build request to Mullvad infrastructure:
      • NOTE this requires a devmole authentication token
      • NOTE this also requires you be connected to a Swedish Mulvad VPN exit
      • Run: 
        make torbrowser-kick-devmole-build
Website

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

  • databags/versions.ini: Update the downloads versions
    • torbrowser-stable/version: catch-all for latest stable version
    • torbrowser-alpha/version: catch-all for latest alpha version
    • torbrowser-legacy/version: catch-all for latest ESR-115 version
    • torbrowser-*-stable/version: platform-specific stable versions
    • torbrowser-*-alpha/version: platform-specific alpha versions
    • torbrowser-*-legacy/version: platform-specific legacy versions
  • Push to origin as new branch and create MR
  • Review
  • Merge
    • ⚠️ WARNING: Do not deploy yet!

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

  • Run tools/signing/create-blog-post which should create the new blog post from a template (edit set-config.blog to set you local blog directory)
    • Note any ESR update
    • Thank any users which have contributed patches
    • (Optional) Draft any additional sections for new features which need testing, known issues, etc
  • Push to origin as new branch and open MR
  • Review
  • Merge
    • ⚠️ WARNING: Do not deploy yet!
Signing

release signing

  • Assign this issue to the signer, one of:
    • boklm
    • ma1
    • morgan
    • pierov
  • Ensure all builders have matching builds
  • Verify the associated legacy maint-13.5 release has been signed and deployed
    • ⚠️ WARNING: Do not continue if the legacy channel has not been fully signed and published yet; it is needed for update-response generation!
    • NOTE Stable releases without a corresponding legacy release may ignore this
  • On ${STAGING_SERVER}, ensure updated:
    • NOTE Having a local git branch with maint-14.0 as the upstream branch with these values saved means you only need to periodically git pull --rebase and update the set-config.tbb-version file
    • tor-browser-build is on the right commit: git tag -v tbb-${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION}-${TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N} && git checkout tbb-${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION}-${TOR_BROWSER_BUILD_N}
    • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.hosts
      • ssh_host_builder: ssh hostname of machine with unsigned builds
      • ssh_host_linux_signer: ssh hostname of linux signing machine
      • builder_tor_browser_build_dir: path on ssh_host_builder to root of builder's tor-browser-build clone containing unsigned builds
    • tor-browser-build/tools/signing/set-config.rcodesign-appstoreconnect
      • appstoreconnect_api_key_path: path to json file containing appstoreconnect api key infos
    • set-config.update-responses
      • update_responses_repository_dir: directory where you cloned git@gitlab.torproject.org:tpo/applications/tor-browser-update-responses.git
    • 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, ensure tor daemon is running with SOCKS5 proxy on the default port 9050
  • On ${STAGING_SERVER} in a separate screen session, run do-all-signing script:
    • Run: 
      cd tor-browser-build/tools/signing/ && ./do-all-signing.torbrowser
    • NOTE: on successful execution, the signed binaries and mars should have been copied to staticiforme and update responses pushed
Signature verification
Check whether the .exe files got properly signed and timestamped 
# Point OSSLSIGNCODE to your osslsigncode binary
pushd tor-browser-build/${channel}/signed/$TORBROWSER_VERSION
OSSLSIGNCODE=/path/to/osslsigncode
../../../tools/authenticode_check.sh
popd
Check whether the MAR files got properly signed 
# Point NSSDB to your nssdb containing the mar signing certificate
# Point SIGNMAR to your signmar binary
# Point LD_LIBRARY_PATH to your mar-tools directory
pushd tor-browser-build/${channel}/signed/$TORBROWSER_VERSION
NSSDB=/path/to/nssdb
SIGNMAR=/path/to/mar-tools/signmar
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/path/to/mar-tools/
../../../tools/marsigning_check.sh
popd
Publishing

website

  • On staticiforme.torproject.org, static update components:
    • Run: 
      static-update-component cdn.torproject.org && static-update-component dist.torproject.org
  • Deploy tor-website MR
  • Deploy tor-blog MR
  • On staticiforme.torproject.org, enable update responses:
    • Run: 
      sudo -u tb-release ./deploy_update_responses-release.sh
  • On staticiforme.torproject.org, remove old release:
    • NOTE: Skip this step if we need to hold on to older versions for some reason (for example, this is an Andoid or Desktop-only release, or if we need to hold back installers in favor of build-to-build updates if there are signing issues, etc)
    • /srv/cdn-master.torproject.org/htdocs/aus1/torbrowser
    • /srv/dist-master.torproject.org/htdocs/torbrowser
    • Run: 
      static-update-component cdn.torproject.org && static-update-component dist.torproject.org

Google Play: https://play.google.com/apps/publish

  • Publish APKs to Google Play:
    • Select Tor Browser app
    • Navigate to Release > Production and click Create new release button:
      • Upload the tor-browser-android-*.apk APKs
      • Update Release Name to Tor Browser version number
      • 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
Communications

tor-announce mailing list

  • Email tor-announce mailing list
    • Recipients 
      tor-announce@lists.torproject.org
    • Subject 
      New Release: Tor Browser ${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION} (Android, Windows, macOS, Linux)
    • Body 
      Hi everyone,

Tor Browser ${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION} has now been published for all platforms. For details please see our blog post:
- ${BLOG_POST_URL}

Changelog:
# paste changelog as quote here

packagers

  • Email packagers:
    • Recipients 
      tails-dev@boum.org nathan@guardianproject.info freebsd@sysctl.cz caspar@schutijser.com mail@asciiwolf.com meskio@torproject.org
    • Subject 
      New Release: Tor Browser ${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION} (Android, Windows, macOS, Linux)
    • Body 
      Hi everyone,

Tor Browser ${TOR_BROWSER_VERSION} has now been published for all platforms. For details please see our blog post:
- ${BLOG_POST_URL}

Changelog:
# paste changelog as quote here
    • Note any changes which may affect packaging/downstream integration
Edited by morgan
To upload designs, you'll need to enable LFS and have an admin enable hashed storage. More information