Arti 1.7.0 Released: Limited Onion Service Discovery, Experimental HTTP Proxy, Relay Improvements
Major Arti Update: Version 1.7.0 Introduces Key Features for Tor Users
A significant new version of Arti, the Rust-powered implementation of the Tor protocol, has been released, bringing powerful new features that enhance usability and strengthen the network. Arti 1.7.0 introduces a limited form of onion service discovery, an experimental native HTTP proxy, and numerous improvements for relay operators, marking a major step forward for the project.
This update focuses on making the Tor network more accessible and reliable for both users and developers, reinforcing Arti’s role as a modern, secure alternative for interacting with Tor.
A Smarter Way to Find Onion Services
One of the headline features in this release is the introduction of limited onion service discovery. It’s important to understand what this means: this is not a search engine for finding new onion services. Instead, it’s a mechanism to help clients find the latest, most up-to-date descriptor for an onion service they already know about.
Previously, if an onion service operator made certain changes, clients might struggle to connect until they manually found the new information. This new discovery feature automates that process, making connections to onion services more resilient and reliable. This significantly improves the user experience by reducing connection failures and ensuring more consistent access to known services.
Seamless Browsing with an Experimental HTTP Proxy
For many users, connecting applications to the Tor network through Arti has required using its SOCKS proxy, which often needs external tools like socat to work with standard web applications.
Arti 1.7.0 addresses this head-on with a new, built-in experimental HTTP proxy. While still in an early phase, this feature is a game-changer for usability. By enabling it in your configuration, you can directly point applications to Arti’s HTTP port, streamlining the process of routing your traffic through the Tor network.
This eliminates the need for extra software and complex configurations, making Arti a more user-friendly, all-in-one solution for privacy-conscious browsing and application development.
Strengthening the Network: Key Relay Improvements
Beyond user-facing features, this release delivers crucial enhancements for those who support the Tor network by running relays. Arti 1.7.0 includes several important updates that lead to more reliable and efficient relay operation.
Key improvements include:
- Smarter Descriptor Management: Relays now do a better job of managing and uploading their descriptors, ensuring they remain visible and accessible to the network.
- Enhanced Circuit Handling: The logic for managing client circuits has been refined, leading to more stable performance.
- Increased Robustness: Relays are now more resilient in edge cases, such as when they are temporarily not listed in the main network consensus.
These technical upgrades are vital for the overall health and stability of the Tor network, ensuring it remains a fast and dependable resource for users worldwide.
Actionable Security and Configuration Tips
To take advantage of these new features and security enhancements, follow these steps:
- Update Immediately: The most important step is to update your Arti installation to version 1.7.0. This ensures you benefit from the latest bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements.
- Enable the HTTP Proxy: If you want to try the new experimental proxy, you’ll need to enable it in your
arti.tomlconfiguration file. Simply add a line specifying the port for the HTTP proxy:
[proxy]
http_port = 9150
Remember, this feature is experimental and should be used with that in mind. - Understand Onion Service Discovery: As a user, the new discovery feature works automatically in the background to provide more reliable connections. No configuration is needed, but it’s valuable to understand that it helps maintain access to services you already use, rather than finding new ones.
This release represents a significant milestone for the Arti project, delivering tangible benefits for everyday users, developers, and network operators. By focusing on both usability and core infrastructure, Arti continues to mature into a leading platform for secure and private internet access.
Source: https://blog.torproject.org/arti_1_7_0_released/
