Anonymity (Tor and Signal)
why do VPNs still monitor your traffic?
most vpn providers are subject to local laws; they will provide your traffic info to authorities with a warrant
what does signal protocol enable?
Enables CIA, secrecy, repudiation, and asynchronous operations
Encryption and VPNs
Encryption of traffic in VPNs is common but not a requirement
exit node vulnerability
Final node always decrypts info before delivering to recipient
Anonymity opponent arguments
Monitoring protects the nation. Lawful citizens have no cause to be worried
traffic analysis
Monitoring the onion overlay network, leverage traffic and timing patterns. Data itself is secure but source and destination IDs are not
Anonymity proponent arguments
My affairs are no one's business, not even the govt.
is total anonymity possible?
No, total anonymity is impossible in modern computing systems; even with cutting edge encryption, you're vulnerable at ends poins
Signal
RedPhone and TextSecure projects merged in 2014, FOSS; provides end to end (E2E) encryption: text messaging (TextSecure) and Voice calling (RedPhone)
operation onymous
Speculated to be DDoS + Sybil
what do VPNs work best for providing?
Stability to wireless connections, functionality and licensure of VPN provider
signal protocol vulnerabulites
Theoretical: Compromising one end in E2E encryption; Practical: MAC bypass due to Android / iOS bugs, DoS, Third party code injection (XSS)
is VPNs reliable for anonymity?
VPNS are not reliable for anonymity? using VPN will safeguard from ISP's traffic monitoring but the VPN is still monitroing your traffic
VPNs
Virtual Private Networks: : a method employing encryption to provide secure access to a remote computer over the internet; creates a tunnel within a network
how are devices treated as in VPNs?
devices connected to a VPN are treated as if on the VPN's network
what does TOR make it hard to perform?
network surveillance and traffic analysis
total anonymity
no use if IDs(usernames etc.)
Tunneling and VPN
one can tunnel as many times as they want but your tunnel limit depends on your ISP's bandwidth
Pros of Anonymity
privacy and tends to enhance freedom in the form of free speech
Reasonable anonymity
privacy focuses services: email, browsing, vpns, messaging, OS
The good part of TOR
protects human rights in tyrannical regimes: whistleblowers, activism, internet browsing freedom
The ugly part of TOR
provides a platform for inhuman activities: child pornography, human trafficking, extremism/terrorism
The bad part of TOR
provides a platform to market illegal operations: drugs, black hat hackers, fraud, counterfiet, guns, etc
what does TOR provide?
provides anonymous communication over the internet; uses a routing protocol known as onion routing
TOR
the onion router: anonymity project; free and open source
anonymity
the state of being unknown i.e. unidentified
Onion routing vulnerabilities
traffic analysis, exit node vulnerability, operation onymous
Cons of Anonymity
undermines authority, tends to promote activities considered illegal
Signal Protocol
uses double ratchet algorithm for initial key sharing
