Add dynamic cert noise calibration for FakeTLS handshake

The hardcoded noise range (2500-4700 bytes) in the FakeTLS ServerHello
does not match the real certificate chain sizes of many popular fronting
domains (e.g., dl.google.com ≈ 6480 bytes, microsoft.com ≈ 13004 bytes).
This makes the proxy detectable by DPI systems that compare the
ApplicationData size with the real cert chain size for the SNI domain.

On startup, probe the fronting domain's actual TLS handshake size and
use the measured value ± jitter instead of the static range. Falls back
to the legacy 2500-4700 range if the probe fails.

Also adds optional caching of probe results between restarts
(noise-cache-path, noise-cache-ttl) and a configurable probe count
(noise-probe-count) under [defense.doppelganger].

Closes #408

internal/cli/run_proxy.go

@@ -267,6 +267,10 @@ func runProxy(conf *config.Config, version string) error { //nolint: funlen
 		DoppelGangerPerRaid: conf.Defense.Doppelganger.Repeats.Get(mtglib.DoppelGangerPerRaid),
 		DoppelGangerEach:    conf.Defense.Doppelganger.UpdateEach.Get(mtglib.DoppelGangerEach),
 		DoppelGangerDRS:     conf.Defense.Doppelganger.DRS.Get(false),
+
+		NoiseProbeCount: conf.Defense.Doppelganger.NoiseProbeCount.Get(0),
+		NoiseCacheTTL:   conf.Defense.Doppelganger.NoiseCacheTTL.Get(0),
+		NoiseCachePath:  conf.Defense.Doppelganger.NoiseCachePath,
 	}
 
 	proxy, err := mtglib.NewProxy(opts)

internal/config/config.go

@@ -50,10 +50,13 @@ type Config struct {
 		Blocklist    ListConfig `json:"blocklist"`
 		Allowlist    ListConfig `json:"allowlist"`
 		Doppelganger struct {
-			URLs       []TypeHttpsURL  `json:"urls"`
-			Repeats    TypeConcurrency `json:"repeats_per_raid"`
-			UpdateEach TypeDuration    `json:"raid_each"`
-			DRS        TypeBool        `json:"drs"`
+			URLs            []TypeHttpsURL  `json:"urls"`
+			Repeats         TypeConcurrency `json:"repeats_per_raid"`
+			UpdateEach      TypeDuration    `json:"raid_each"`
+			DRS             TypeBool        `json:"drs"`
+			NoiseProbeCount TypeConcurrency `json:"noise_probe_count"`
+			NoiseCacheTTL   TypeDuration    `json:"noise_cache_ttl"`
+			NoiseCachePath  string          `json:"noise_cache_path"`
 		} `json:"doppelganger"`
 	} `json:"defense"`
 	Network struct {

internal/config/parse.go

@@ -45,10 +45,13 @@ type tomlConfig struct {
 			UpdateEach          string   `toml:"update-each" json:"updateEach,omitempty"`
 		} `toml:"allowlist" json:"allowlist,omitempty"`
 		Doppelganger struct {
-			URLs       []string `toml:"urls" json:"urls,omitempty"`
-			Repeats    uint     `toml:"repeats-per-raid" json:"repeats_per_raid,omitempty"`
-			UpdateEach string   `toml:"raid-each" json:"raid_each,omitempty"`
-			DRS        bool     `toml:"drs" json:"drs,omitempty"`
+			URLs            []string `toml:"urls" json:"urls,omitempty"`
+			Repeats         uint     `toml:"repeats-per-raid" json:"repeats_per_raid,omitempty"`
+			UpdateEach      string   `toml:"raid-each" json:"raid_each,omitempty"`
+			DRS             bool     `toml:"drs" json:"drs,omitempty"`
+			NoiseProbeCount uint     `toml:"noise-probe-count" json:"noise_probe_count,omitempty"`
+			NoiseCacheTTL   string   `toml:"noise-cache-ttl" json:"noise_cache_ttl,omitempty"`
+			NoiseCachePath  string   `toml:"noise-cache-path" json:"noise_cache_path,omitempty"`
 		} `toml:"doppelganger" json:"doppelganger,omitempty"`
 	} `toml:"defense" json:"defense,omitempty"`
 	Network struct {

mtglib/internal/tls/fake/cert_probe.go

@@ -0,0 +1,261 @@
+package fake
+
+import (
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	probeDialTimeout      = 10 * time.Second
+	probeHandshakeTimeout = 10 * time.Second
+	defaultProbeCount     = 15
+	defaultCacheTTL       = 24 * time.Hour
+
+	tlsTypeChangeCipherSpec = 0x14
+	tlsTypeApplicationData  = 0x17
+)
+
+// CertProbeResult holds the measured encrypted handshake size.
+type CertProbeResult struct {
+	Mean   int `json:"mean"`
+	Jitter int `json:"jitter"`
+}
+
+// CertProbeCache is the on-disk format for cached probe results.
+type CertProbeCache struct {
+	Hostname string    `json:"hostname"`
+	Port     int       `json:"port"`
+	Mean     int       `json:"mean"`
+	Jitter   int       `json:"jitter"`
+	ProbedAt time.Time `json:"probed_at"`
+}
+
+// LoadCachedProbe reads a cached probe result from path. Returns the result
+// and true if the cache exists, matches hostname:port, and is younger than ttl.
+// Otherwise returns zero value and false.
+func LoadCachedProbe(path, hostname string, port int, ttl time.Duration) (CertProbeResult, bool) {
+	if ttl <= 0 {
+		ttl = defaultCacheTTL
+	}
+
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		return CertProbeResult{}, false
+	}
+
+	var cache CertProbeCache
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &cache); err != nil {
+		return CertProbeResult{}, false
+	}
+
+	if cache.Hostname != hostname || cache.Port != port {
+		return CertProbeResult{}, false
+	}
+
+	if time.Since(cache.ProbedAt) > ttl {
+		return CertProbeResult{}, false
+	}
+
+	if cache.Mean <= 0 {
+		return CertProbeResult{}, false
+	}
+
+	return CertProbeResult{Mean: cache.Mean, Jitter: cache.Jitter}, true
+}
+
+// SaveCachedProbe writes a probe result to path as JSON.
+func SaveCachedProbe(path, hostname string, port int, result CertProbeResult) error {
+	cache := CertProbeCache{
+		Hostname: hostname,
+		Port:     port,
+		Mean:     result.Mean,
+		Jitter:   result.Jitter,
+		ProbedAt: time.Now(),
+	}
+
+	data, err := json.MarshalIndent(cache, "", "  ")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return os.WriteFile(path, data, 0o644) //nolint: gosec
+}
+
+// ProbeCertSize connects to hostname:port via TLS multiple times and measures
+// the total ApplicationData payload bytes sent by the server during the
+// handshake (between ChangeCipherSpec and the first application-level data).
+// This corresponds to EncryptedExtensions + Certificate + CertificateVerify +
+// Finished in TLS 1.3, which is what the FakeTLS noise must mimic.
+func ProbeCertSize(hostname string, port int, count int) (CertProbeResult, error) {
+	if count <= 0 {
+		count = defaultProbeCount
+	}
+
+	addr := net.JoinHostPort(hostname, fmt.Sprintf("%d", port))
+	sizes := make([]int, 0, count)
+
+	for i := 0; i < count; i++ {
+		size, err := probeSingle(addr, hostname)
+		if err != nil {
+			if len(sizes) > 0 {
+				break // use what we have
+			}
+
+			return CertProbeResult{}, fmt.Errorf("probe %d failed: %w", i, err)
+		}
+
+		sizes = append(sizes, size)
+	}
+
+	if len(sizes) == 0 {
+		return CertProbeResult{}, fmt.Errorf("no successful probes")
+	}
+
+	// Calculate mean and jitter (max deviation from mean).
+	sum := 0
+	for _, s := range sizes {
+		sum += s
+	}
+
+	mean := sum / len(sizes)
+
+	maxDev := 0
+	for _, s := range sizes {
+		d := s - mean
+		if d < 0 {
+			d = -d
+		}
+
+		if d > maxDev {
+			maxDev = d
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Ensure minimum jitter of 100 bytes for variability.
+	if maxDev < 100 {
+		maxDev = 100
+	}
+
+	return CertProbeResult{Mean: mean, Jitter: maxDev}, nil
+}
+
+// probeSingle does one TLS handshake and measures ApplicationData bytes
+// received during the handshake.
+func probeSingle(addr, hostname string) (int, error) {
+	rawConn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", addr, probeDialTimeout)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	defer rawConn.Close() //nolint: errcheck
+
+	capture := &recordCapture{conn: rawConn}
+
+	tlsConn := tls.Client(capture, &tls.Config{
+		ServerName: hostname,
+		MinVersion: tls.VersionTLS12,
+	})
+	tlsConn.SetDeadline(time.Now().Add(probeHandshakeTimeout)) //nolint: errcheck
+
+	if err := tlsConn.Handshake(); err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+
+	tlsConn.Close() //nolint: errcheck
+
+	return capture.appDataBytes, nil
+}
+
+// recordCapture wraps a net.Conn and parses the raw TLS record stream to
+// measure ApplicationData payload sizes sent by the server during handshake.
+// It tracks record boundaries by maintaining a state machine over Read calls.
+type recordCapture struct {
+	conn         net.Conn
+	mu           sync.Mutex
+	appDataBytes int
+	seenCCS      bool
+	done         bool
+
+	// Record boundary tracking for the read side.
+	readRemaining int // bytes left in current record payload
+	readHeaderBuf [5]byte
+	readHeaderPos int
+}
+
+func (rc *recordCapture) Read(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	n, err := rc.conn.Read(p)
+	if n > 0 && !rc.done {
+		rc.mu.Lock()
+		rc.parseReadBytes(p[:n])
+		rc.mu.Unlock()
+	}
+
+	return n, err
+}
+
+func (rc *recordCapture) parseReadBytes(data []byte) {
+	for len(data) > 0 {
+		if rc.readRemaining > 0 {
+			// Consuming payload of current record.
+			consume := rc.readRemaining
+			if consume > len(data) {
+				consume = len(data)
+			}
+
+			rc.readRemaining -= consume
+			data = data[consume:]
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Accumulate header bytes (5 bytes per record).
+		need := 5 - rc.readHeaderPos
+		if need > len(data) {
+			need = len(data)
+		}
+
+		copy(rc.readHeaderBuf[rc.readHeaderPos:], data[:need])
+		rc.readHeaderPos += need
+		data = data[need:]
+
+		if rc.readHeaderPos < 5 {
+			return // incomplete header
+		}
+
+		// Full header available.
+		recordType := rc.readHeaderBuf[0]
+		payloadLen := int(binary.BigEndian.Uint16(rc.readHeaderBuf[3:5]))
+		rc.readHeaderPos = 0
+		rc.readRemaining = payloadLen
+
+		if recordType == tlsTypeChangeCipherSpec {
+			rc.seenCCS = true
+		} else if recordType == tlsTypeApplicationData && rc.seenCCS {
+			rc.appDataBytes += payloadLen
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (rc *recordCapture) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	// After client writes post-CCS data, server handshake records are done.
+	if rc.seenCCS && rc.appDataBytes > 0 {
+		rc.done = true
+	}
+
+	return rc.conn.Write(p)
+}
+
+func (rc *recordCapture) Close() error                       { return rc.conn.Close() }
+func (rc *recordCapture) LocalAddr() net.Addr                { return rc.conn.LocalAddr() }
+func (rc *recordCapture) RemoteAddr() net.Addr               { return rc.conn.RemoteAddr() }
+func (rc *recordCapture) SetDeadline(t time.Time) error      { return rc.conn.SetDeadline(t) }
+func (rc *recordCapture) SetReadDeadline(t time.Time) error  { return rc.conn.SetReadDeadline(t) }
+func (rc *recordCapture) SetWriteDeadline(t time.Time) error { return rc.conn.SetWriteDeadline(t) }
+
+// Ensure recordCapture implements net.Conn.
+var _ net.Conn = (*recordCapture)(nil)

mtglib/internal/tls/fake/server_side.go

@@ -9,11 +9,18 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	rnd "math/rand/v2"
 
-	"github.com/9seconds/mtg/v2/mtglib/internal/doppel"
 	"github.com/9seconds/mtg/v2/mtglib/internal/tls"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/curve25519"
 )
 
+// NoiseParams controls the size of the fake ApplicationData record
+// in ServerHello. If Mean is 0, the legacy random range (2500-4700)
+// is used.
+type NoiseParams struct {
+	Mean   int
+	Jitter int
+}
+
 const (
 	TypeHandshakeServer = 0x02
 	ChangeCipherValue   = 0x01
@@ -33,13 +40,13 @@ var serverHelloSuffix = []byte{
 	0x00, 0x20, // 32 bytes of key
 }
 
-func SendServerHello(w io.Writer, secret []byte, clientHello *ClientHello) error {
+func SendServerHello(w io.Writer, secret []byte, clientHello *ClientHello, noise NoiseParams) error {
 	buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
 	buf.Grow(tls.MaxRecordSize)
 
 	generateServerHello(buf, clientHello)
 	generateChangeCipherValue(buf)
-	generateNoise(buf)
+	generateNoise(buf, noise)
 
 	packet := buf.Bytes()
 	digest := hmac.New(sha256.New, secret)
@@ -125,19 +132,31 @@ func generateChangeCipherValue(buf *bytes.Buffer) {
 	buf.WriteByte(ChangeCipherValue)
 }
 
-func generateNoise(buf *bytes.Buffer) {
-	data := make(
-		[]byte,
-		int64(
-			doppel.TLSRecordSizeStart+rnd.IntN(
-				doppel.TLSRecordSizeAccel-doppel.TLSRecordSizeStart,
-			),
-		),
-	)
-
-	if _, err := rand.Read(data[:]); err != nil {
+// generateNoise writes a single ApplicationData record mimicking the combined
+// size of a real TLS 1.3 encrypted server handshake (EncryptedExtensions +
+// Certificate chain + CertificateVerify + Finished).
+//
+// NOTE: Must be exactly ONE ApplicationData record — the Telegram client reads
+// ServerHello + CCS + 1 ApplicationData and computes HMAC over all three.
+// Multiple records would cause HMAC mismatch and connection failure.
+func generateNoise(buf *bytes.Buffer, noise NoiseParams) {
+	var size int
+
+	if noise.Mean > 0 && noise.Jitter > 0 {
+		// Calibrated: use measured cert chain size ± jitter.
+		size = noise.Mean - noise.Jitter + rnd.IntN(2*noise.Jitter)
+		if size < 1000 {
+			size = 1000
+		}
+	} else {
+		// Legacy fallback: random in 2500-4700 range.
+		size = 2500 + rnd.IntN(2200)
+	}
+
+	data := make([]byte, size)
+	if _, err := rand.Read(data); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
 
-	tls.WriteRecord(buf, data[:]) //nolint: errcheck
+	tls.WriteRecord(buf, data) //nolint: errcheck
 }

mtglib/internal/tls/fake/server_side_test.go

@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/9seconds/mtg/v2/mtglib"
-	"github.com/9seconds/mtg/v2/mtglib/internal/doppel"
 	"github.com/9seconds/mtg/v2/mtglib/internal/tls"
 	"github.com/9seconds/mtg/v2/mtglib/internal/tls/fake"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/suite"
@@ -39,7 +38,7 @@ func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) SetupTest() {
 }
 
 func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestRecordStructure() {
-	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello)
+	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello, fake.NoiseParams{})
 	suite.NoError(err)
 
 	var rec bytes.Buffer
@@ -59,13 +58,13 @@ func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestRecordStructure() {
 	recordType, length, err := tls.ReadRecord(suite.buf, &rec)
 	suite.NoError(err)
 	suite.Equal(byte(tls.TypeApplicationData), recordType)
-	suite.Greater(length, int64(doppel.TLSRecordSizeStart))
+	suite.Greater(length, int64(2500))
 
 	suite.Empty(suite.buf.Bytes())
 }
 
 func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestHMAC() {
-	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello)
+	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello, fake.NoiseParams{})
 	suite.NoError(err)
 
 	packet := make([]byte, suite.buf.Len())
@@ -83,7 +82,7 @@ func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestHMAC() {
 }
 
 func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestHandshakePayload() {
-	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello)
+	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello, fake.NoiseParams{})
 	suite.NoError(err)
 
 	packet := suite.buf.Bytes()
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestHandshakePayload() {
 }
 
 func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestChangeCipherSpec() {
-	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello)
+	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello, fake.NoiseParams{})
 	suite.NoError(err)
 
 	// Skip first record
@@ -124,6 +123,33 @@ func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestChangeCipherSpec() {
 	suite.Equal([]byte{fake.ChangeCipherValue}, rec.Bytes())
 }
 
+func (suite *SendServerHelloTestSuite) TestCalibratedNoiseSize() {
+	noise := fake.NoiseParams{Mean: 6480, Jitter: 100}
+	err := fake.SendServerHello(suite.buf, suite.secret.Key[:], suite.hello, noise)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	var rec bytes.Buffer
+
+	// Skip ServerHello
+	_, _, err = tls.ReadRecord(suite.buf, &rec)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// Skip ChangeCipherSpec
+	rec.Reset()
+	_, _, err = tls.ReadRecord(suite.buf, &rec)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+
+	// Read noise ApplicationData
+	rec.Reset()
+	recordType, length, err := tls.ReadRecord(suite.buf, &rec)
+	suite.NoError(err)
+	suite.Equal(byte(tls.TypeApplicationData), recordType)
+
+	// Should be within mean ± jitter range.
+	suite.GreaterOrEqual(length, int64(noise.Mean-noise.Jitter))
+	suite.LessOrEqual(length, int64(noise.Mean+noise.Jitter))
+}
+
 func TestSendServerHello(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	suite.Run(t, &SendServerHelloTestSuite{})

mtglib/proxy.go

@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ type Proxy struct {
 	doppelGanger                *doppel.Ganger
 	clientObfuscatror           obfuscation.Obfuscator
 
+	noiseParams     fake.NoiseParams
 	secret          Secret
 	network         Network
 	antiReplayCache AntiReplayCache
@@ -192,7 +193,7 @@ func (p *Proxy) doFakeTLSHandshake(ctx *streamContext) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if err := fake.SendServerHello(ctx.clientConn, p.secret.Key[:], clientHello); err != nil {
+	if err := fake.SendServerHello(ctx.clientConn, p.secret.Key[:], clientHello, p.noiseParams); err != nil {
 		p.logger.InfoError("cannot send welcome packet", err)
 		return false
 	}
@@ -323,9 +324,49 @@ func NewProxy(opts ProxyOpts) (*Proxy, error) {
 	logger := opts.getLogger("proxy")
 	updatersLogger := logger.Named("telegram-updaters")
 
+	// Probe the fronting domain's cert chain size for noise calibration.
+	probeHost := opts.Secret.Host
+	probePort := opts.getDomainFrontingPort()
+	noiseParams := fake.NoiseParams{}
+
+	probeCount := int(opts.NoiseProbeCount)
+	if probeCount <= 0 {
+		probeCount = 15
+	}
+
+	cacheTTL := opts.NoiseCacheTTL
+
+	// Try loading from cache first.
+	if opts.NoiseCachePath != "" {
+		if cached, ok := fake.LoadCachedProbe(opts.NoiseCachePath, probeHost, probePort, cacheTTL); ok {
+			noiseParams = fake.NoiseParams(cached)
+			logger.Info(fmt.Sprintf("cert probe: loaded from cache, host=%s mean=%d jitter=%d",
+				probeHost, cached.Mean, cached.Jitter))
+		}
+	}
+
+	// If no cached result, probe live.
+	if noiseParams.Mean == 0 {
+		probeResult, probeErr := fake.ProbeCertSize(probeHost, probePort, probeCount)
+		if probeErr != nil {
+			logger.WarningError("cert probe failed, using default noise size", probeErr)
+		} else {
+			noiseParams = fake.NoiseParams(probeResult)
+			logger.Info(fmt.Sprintf("cert probe: host=%s mean=%d jitter=%d",
+				probeHost, probeResult.Mean, probeResult.Jitter))
+
+			if opts.NoiseCachePath != "" {
+				if saveErr := fake.SaveCachedProbe(opts.NoiseCachePath, probeHost, probePort, probeResult); saveErr != nil {
+					logger.WarningError("failed to save cert probe cache", saveErr)
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	proxy := &Proxy{
 		ctx:                      ctx,
 		ctxCancel:                cancel,
+		noiseParams:              noiseParams,
 		secret:                   opts.Secret,
 		network:                  opts.Network,
 		antiReplayCache:          opts.AntiReplayCache,

mtglib/proxy_opts.go

@@ -160,6 +160,25 @@ type ProxyOpts struct {
 
 	// DoppelGangerDRS defines if TLS Dynamic Record Sizing is active.
 	DoppelGangerDRS bool
+
+	// NoiseProbeCount is the number of TLS connections to make when probing
+	// the fronting domain's cert chain size for noise calibration.
+	// Default is 15.
+	//
+	// This is an optional setting.
+	NoiseProbeCount uint
+
+	// NoiseCacheTTL is how long a cached cert probe result is considered
+	// valid. Default is 24 hours.
+	//
+	// This is an optional setting.
+	NoiseCacheTTL time.Duration
+
+	// NoiseCachePath is the file path for caching cert probe results
+	// between restarts. If empty, no caching is performed.
+	//
+	// This is an optional setting.
+	NoiseCachePath string
 }
 
 func (p ProxyOpts) valid() error {