Re: more letters from the feds

[xiando <xiando@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> I think this is a valid point. I ran an exit-node for a short while at home
> without thinking too much about it. The huge amount of traffic I was
> attracting (even within minutes of booting up) made me shut it off for the
> sake of personal convenience, but I don't think I will ever go back -

Use bandwidth limiting?

BandwidthRate 45 KB
BandwidthBurst 95 KB

This is low, but that's all I can spare on my home ADSL, and at least it 
contributes something. Limit your home node and it don't attract more than 
you can spare. Also, you can lower it temporarily (the minimum is 20 KB) and 
just -HUP tor if you need to upload a big file somewhere or something like 
that.

> explaining to the authorities why child porn/terrorist manuals/online fraud
> appear to have originated from my home IP is not an edifying prospect, to
> say the least.

This is something you need to consider if you're going to run a exit node, you 
may have to face legal problems running a Tor exit server. If you are not 
willing to do it then don't. My view is that if it ever comes to that then 
I'll just face the legal problems, for in my view it won't be a matter of

me vs. the state

it'll be a matter of

freedom (of speech) vs the state

and if freedom vs the state has to be tried with my being involved then I'll 
do it.

> These days I generally run a middle-man node but even that has started to
> feel inappropriate for home use. I would be amazed if regular appearances
> on directory servers does not blink wildly on some form of institutional
> radar, low-hanging fruit and all that.

Middle-man don't exit any traffic. If someone puts you on a list simply for 
_relaying_ encrypted traffic from A to B then that's just insane, but if 
someone wants to do it, then go ahead. I really don't see how running a 
middle-man node could get you into any kind of trouble (but what do I know).

Has anyone ever got into trouble for running a middle-man node?

> * From a common-sense, peace-of-mind point of view, is running an exit-node
> strictly for co-located servers? Does anyone here run one at home? If so,
> have you had second thoughts?

I run exit nodes co-located and also on my home ADSL. I don't have any second 
thoughts, but as said, I am aware that I may get into legal trouble and I'm 
100% willing to face that if it comes to it - because, as said, I view that 
as something that would be Freedom vs Tyranny, allowing Tor-servers vs. 
forbidding them, not something that really has anything to do with me (apart 
from my name being on the legal action because I run a tor-server, but the 
case itself won't be me vs. the state, it'll be Tor vs. the state).

> * Are tor-at-home users who run middleman servers out of the goodness of
> their heart possibly exposing themselves to unwanted attention? Do we have
> any evidence of such attention, anecdotal or otherwise?

Very good question. You'll be on the list of tor-servers, but I see no 
other "attention" you could get.