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Show HN: AnonTorrent

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Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#21

Post by runn1ng »

moontear wrote: post #19

Whilst I like the service to the wanna-be-hidden uploader I think this puts you into too much risk yourself. Imagine someone creates a torrent containing child pornography (of course taking the most extreme example) and uploads it to your server - YOU will be responsible for being the initial seeder of this torrent. I don't believe the laws in the Czech Republic will care that you tell them "oh, but it ain't my data…

Not sure about the laws.

I will surely provide the source code after a while so anyone can do an anomymous seedbox like this. otoh, it's not that easy to set up... you have to get the torrent service (I am using transmission-remote) and the tor hidden service running

I think the risk is comparable with running Tor relay.

Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#22

Post by mike-cardwell »

runn1ng wrote: post #15
derrida wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok. So the "hidden service" is not intended to be anonymous then? Just as a check to ensure that the user knows they are on Tor? Because, in order to be the first seed, you will generally leak your IP. If not, what steps have you taken to make sure the first seeder (the host of this service) are anonymous?

My service is not seeding it anonymously at all. The only "anonymizing" part is that I stop the seeding after it got 20 seeders (based on what trackers tell me) and delete the file from my disk. On the other hand, the upload is on hidden service so I can't even possibly know the credentials of the uploader.

What is the point in using a Tor hidden service then? If the point is to give anonymity only to the originator of the file, then they can already do that by connecting to your service using Tor, but not via a hidden service... By using a hidden service you're just doubling the number of Tor nodes that have to transfer the file initially from 3 to 6... The point of a hidden service is to provide anonymity for both parties.

Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#23

Post by runn1ng »

mike-cardwell wrote: post #22
runn1ng wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My service is not seeding it anonymously at all. The only "anonymizing" part is that I stop the seeding after it got 20 seeders (based on what trackers tell me) and delete the file from my disk. On the other hand, the upload is on hidden service so I can't even possibly know the credentials of the uploader.

What is the point in using a Tor hidden service then? If the point is to give anonymity only to the originator of the file, then they can already do that by connecting to your service using Tor, but not via a hidden service... By using a hidden service you're just doubling the number of Tor nodes that have to transfer the file initially from 3 to 6... The point of a hidden service is to provide anonymity for both par…

You are right. The only difference is that I am "forcing" people to use Tor to get there, you can't get there without tor

Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#24

Post by mike-cardwell »

runn1ng wrote: post #23
mike-cardwell wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is the point in using a Tor hidden service then? If the point is to give anonymity only to the originator of the file, then they can already do that by connecting to your service using Tor, but not via a hidden service... By using a hidden service you're just doubling the number of Tor nodes that have to transfer the file initially from 3 to 6... The point of a hidden service is to provide anonymity for both par…

You are right. The only difference is that I am "forcing" people to use Tor to get there, you can't get there without tor

If that's your goal, you could simply block access to your service from hosts other than Tor Exit Nodes. You could do this by combining:

https://www.torproject.org/projects/tordnsel.html

With the mod_access_dnsbl module for Apache.

Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#25

Post by mike-cardwell »

sp332 wrote: post #12
derrida wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ok. So the "hidden service" is not intended to be anonymous then? Just as a check to ensure that the user knows they are on Tor? Because, in order to be the first seed, you will generally leak your IP. If not, what steps have you taken to make sure the first seeder (the host of this service) are anonymous?

You send your file over Tor. That way no one (not even him) knows who you are. Then he seeds your file for you. You remain anonymous.

Yes, but that's how Tor would work even if he wasn't using hidden services. The point of a hidden service is to give anonymity to the server as well as the client. But in this case, his server isn't getting anonymity because it is simple to locate.

Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#27

Post by makomk »

mike-cardwell wrote: post #25
sp332 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You send your file over Tor. That way no one (not even him) knows who you are. Then he seeds your file for you. You remain anonymous.

Yes, but that's how Tor would work even if he wasn't using hidden services. The point of a hidden service is to give anonymity to the server as well as the client. But in this case, his server isn't getting anonymity because it is simple to locate.

It also protects against man-in-the-middle attacks by exit nodes, though I'm not sure how important that is in this case.

Re: Show HN: AnonTorrent

#30

Post by thesteamboat »

glomph wrote: post #26

At 50Mb files, what the hell is the point? Just find an unsecured wifi connection and use a file locker site.

You appear to have missed the words "alpha" and "proof of concept". Further, this is explicitly mentioned as an alternative to file lockers, on the grounds that they can delete the file in the future.

Whether or not this is a good/productive/useful idea remains to be seen, but you haven't really raised a substantial rejection.

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