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