Running a project Tor router. - totally anonymous network access!

[benburch]

Hey, folks!

Several people have suggested that I replace the anonymous proxy I used to run with a Project Tor router, and I have done so. What a neat idea this is! If you have a DSL line and can spare at least 20 kilobytes (160 kilobits) of bandwidth both in and outbound, and want to strike a blow for privacy, I strongly urge you to check out this software;

http://tor.eff.org

If you don't have that much bandwidth, or don't want to share it with others, tor installs by default as a client only system and give you totally anonymous access to the internet.

It works by transmitting your data not to its final destination, but to a randomly chosen participating Tor router, such as the one I now run. That router either hands it off to yet another router, or sends it on its way to its destination. Each and every time you start an application to surf or run irc or whatnot, you will appear to be from a different part of the planet.

This is of great use for Whistleblowers, as you can do things like send a hotmail message without your IP address ever appearing in the header of the email, and there is no means whatsoever of tracing you back to the source. The tor system keeps no logs of any traffic!

This is also useful if you want to mole onto RW boards without them knowing who you are!

If you try it, let me know your experiences with it. I just finished installing it here, and so far it works great.

[benburch]

1. Did I go over everybody's heads?

I have that habit. Sorry!

[jim3775]

3. Not mine

I like this idea, I'm gonna install it and check it out. I remember when the cDc premiered peekabooty at like defcon 2000, it didn't really go anywhere but I suppose this is the evolution of it.

[benburch]

8. Hmmm...

I was unfamiliar with that concept, I'll look it up.

[benburch]

27. kick! nt

Kick For Open Software!

[Boredtodeath]

2. Hey, Ben. Question for you?

If I suspect my email is being intercepted does this help? Email client = Mozilla email.

[benburch]

6. Possibly...

If the interception is of the man-in-the-middle sort, between you and the mail server, this will likely buffalo him. If the interception is coming on the mail server you use, or somewhere in the mail transport chain, it will not help.

[lumberjack_jeff]

4. Great tip! Thanks! n/t

[Darth Lib]

5. MIght have a problem signing on to your Bank, or

credit card companies.

I know that mine flag my account, or deny access if it is being acessed from overseas.

[benburch]

7. Just so.

You have to tell your browser to use a proxy to use this service. You simply tell your browser NOT to use a proxy to use the other sorts of service of which you speak. A little bit of extra hassle for something you only do a couple times a month. At least, I only do that a couple times a month.

[newyawker99]

23. Hi Darth Lib!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[lildreamer316]

9. Ok I think I understand and THANK YOU.

I get the basic gist of it even thought I am blonde; and am gonna suggest it to SO as soon as he gets home (he's the comp wiz). Really appreaciate this tip.

[benburch]

10. I'm a blonde too...

And 78% slut according to the test I just took! :evilgrin:

[lildreamer316]

11. 75% here!

Who woulda guessed ??:crazy:

[benburch]

14. Where did you say you lived again?

:evilgrin:

[lildreamer316]

16. ROTFLMAO

In NC........O8)

[benburch]

24. Darn!

Far too far from Illinois! ;)

[tkmorris]

12. Might want to dupe this over in Computer Group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=242

[benburch]

13. Done! nt

[LifeDuringWartime]

15. quote from the site

Tor is an important piece of building more safety, privacy, and anonymity online, but it is not a complete solution. And remember that this is development code—it's not a good idea to rely on the current Tor network if you really need strong anonymity.

[benburch]

17. Well, I am not suggesting that you transfer atom bomb plans with it!

But for things like ratting your boss to the IRS and trolling RW sites, this is quite anonymous enough! I think it is actually untraceable. But it is developing code, and any developing cryptographic system might have bugs you or the designers do not know about.

[ConsAreLiars]

18. Just installed it - Much easier than it looks at first glance.

The instructions are very clear and there is a Firefox extension that lets you toggle TOR on and off. I assume there must be some time involved in the extra steps (15 hops from here to there instead of 12), but I don't sense any slow down at all.

Thanks for the tip. I'll try the server set up later.

I think this is going to be as necessary as Anti-virus and spyware stuff and firewalls before to long, if not already.

[spindoctor]

19. Interesting

The effectiveness depends heavily on the size of the network, but other than that this is a great initiative to reclaim the internet.

Very clever.

[ConsAreLiars]

20. not only the size, but the diversity of the servers

in terms of location, as I understand it. Full monitoring would need to be focused at at each link in TOR, and if multiple "authorities" needed to cooperate then geographic dispersal is also a factor.

Just thinking a little bit about the kinds of databases that can be built using "traffic monitoring" in a corporatist or other authoritarian state is enough reason to use this "before" it is obviously needed. That spooky (pun intended) Total Information Awareness operation is alive and active.

[spindoctor]

21. Well....

Theoretically, you can have a limited number of sniffers in strategic locations within the grid and do some kind of package comparison or pattern recognition to determine the general source. You can then start deducing paths and eventually track the initiating client.

I imagine that it is relatively simple to compile a list of available proxies that serves as a basis for your grid map.

Diversity in location isn't really relevant since you can "borrow" other servers in the network to sniff for you.

Effectively you end up having to log half of the internet traffic. That's a pretty big effort, but not impossible. It wouldn't surprise me if the NSA already does it today.

[ToolTex]

25. Interesting that this was funded partially by the Navy.

Isn't Poindexter, (Iran Contra, TIA, etc), a Navy Admiral? Are we sure there is no backdoor. Seems strange using the Navy's tool to hide from a Navy Admiral. But then again...

[benburch]

26. The source code is there...

Were there a back door, you could find it for yourself!

[hunter]

22. Interesting.

:evilgrin: