Re: [tor-relays] relay on a vps not exclusively used for tor?

[mick <mbm@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, 21 Aug 2016 20:06:31 +0200
jensm1 <jensm1@xxxxxxx> allegedly wrote:
> 
> I'm planning to get myself a small VPS for simple things like
> calendar-synching and backup of important data. Since these things are
> very light on resource-usage, I thought about putting a tor relay
> (non-exit) on the server, so it does something useful instead of
> idling most of the time.
> 
> Is this advisable, or are there reasons why I shouldn't put a relay
> on a server that is used simultaneously by other things?

I think the clue to the answer lies in your "backup of important data".

Personally I run my tor node on a VPS I can afford to lose. I do not,
and would not, use a server holding or hosting anything I care about
(email, XMPP, web service etc.) as a tor node.

Even if your relay is not an exit, there is always the possibility
that its use as a Tor node will offend someone who is in a position to
interfere with it. Consider the possibility that your ISP decides it
does want Tor traffic on its network. That ISP might take your relay
off line. If you use that server for anything else, you are borked.

There is also the very real possibility that any other services you run
on the Tor node actually weaken the security of that node. Every service
you run on a server increases the attack surface. If your Tor node
happens to be running an insecure (or badly configured, or both) FTP
server, for example, then it could be compromised and used by "bad
guys" (TM).

Best

Mick


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Mick Morgan 
gpg fingerprint: FC23 3338 F664 5E66 876B  72C0 0A1F E60B 5BAD D312
http://baldric.net

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