Re: Time Warner bad / VPS recommendations

[Scott Bennett <bennett@xxxxxxxxxx>]

     On Wed, 4 Feb 2009 22:40:11 +0100 Mitar <mmitar@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>On Wed, Feb 4, 2009 at 9:40 PM, Matthew McCabe <mateo07@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> Wow, that is a very cool idea.  This could even be turned into a non-profit
>> organization...  We could take donations to support running Tor exit nodes
>> which, in turn, supports everyone's ability to use the Internet without fear
>> of censorship, harassment, and authoritarian (or up-and-coming
>> authoritarian) governments.
>
>But of course it would be easier to throw a big blow to the network if
>they succeed in killing those nodes (and that would be easier as they
>would be operated by one entity).

     You raise important questions:  how many tor relays currently listed
in the directory are running on hardware owned by the same entity?  And
how many of those are on hardware physically located at the same site?
Is it possible to get a three-hop circuit using relays that are ostensibly
being operated by different individuals, but which are all running on the
same physical machine because the operators all subscribe to the same
company's hosting service?
     It would be good to know whether such potentially serious vulnerability
to having entire circuits easily observable by a single attacker actually
exists already.  For example, how many hosting companies are operated by
the NoSuchAgency or its foreign counterparts?
>
> [remainder deleted  --SB]


                                  Scott Bennett, Comm. ASMELG, CFIAG
**********************************************************************
* Internet:       bennett at cs.niu.edu                              *
*--------------------------------------------------------------------*
* "A well regulated and disciplined militia, is at all times a good  *
* objection to the introduction of that bane of all free governments *
* -- a standing army."                                               *
*    -- Gov. John Hancock, New York Journal, 28 January 1790         *
**********************************************************************