Re: ISP TOS restrictions on servers

[Roger Dingledine <arma@xxxxxxx>]

On Mon, May 28, 2007 at 03:58:19PM -0700, Rouslan Nabioullin wrote:
> I have Verizon DSL 3Mbps/768Kbps that I want to run a Tor middle-node
>server on. However Verizon's TOS prohibit any kind of servers. Do ISPs
>really care about whether people run servers on residential accounts

It depends a lot on the ISP. In many cases they add this clause to their
terms of service so people can't complain if their IP address starts
changing nightly or the ISP starts filtering certain incoming ports, etc
-- that is, so customer service has something to point to when they say
"no, we won't help you with that".

>and do they scan ports? If so, how often?

I haven't heard of any major US cable/DSL providers scanning for
services. The other main reason for adding that clause to their terms of
service is because they want justification (again, "something to point
to") for shutting you down if you're costing them too much money. So
the less they notice you the better off you are.

I would say that you should be fine running a non-exit node on Verizon.
A few dozen other people do already.

> Will they be able to decrypt the data from a middle node?

No, they won't. But they may still be able to learn that you're running a
Tor server. We don't exactly keep this information secret -- e.g. there
are public lists of Tor servers. But they may need to have heard of Tor
before it occurs to them to check.

> Is it worth also running a public web\ftp
>server (on a different port than 80\21)?

What, as a distraction? No, the less they notice you the better off
you are.

> If they find out, will it be
>a warning letter or termination?

Most ISPs know where their money comes from, and kicking off their users
without warning isn't a good way to stay in business -- especially in
our modern era of compromised Windows computers, open wireless, etc.

Hope that helps,
--Roger