The Tor Project has explained its recent decision to remove multiple network relays that represented a threat to the safety and security of all Tor network users.
  • Free Palestine 🇵🇸English
    54•6 months ago

    Great reminder for people to run a node at home. I run 2 nodes at my house along with dozens of relays (including exit nodes) on different VPS providers. It’s not that complicated, you basically just need a spare computer that can run 24/7 and an internet connection. It greatly helps the Tor network and the people in countries like Russia, China, Iran, etc. who rely on Tor in order to bypass censorship and safely browse the open internet. You can watch this video on the topic of running Tor relays at home: https://youtu.be/npg3cBJusnA

      • subignition
        31•6 months ago

        According to your link, hosting an exit node was not a crime by itself, this person pretty much encouraged the illegal activity

        The Austrian Court found that this activity may lead to criminal liability for aiding and abetting of a crime of distribution of child pornography when coupled with other circumstances. Of course, mere provision of Tor Nodes would not be enough to establish at least indirect intent (bedingte Vorsatz), which such aiding and abetting under criminal laws usually requires (§ 5 StGB).
        In order to find such circumstances, according to PCWorld, the court cited transcripts of chat sessions uncovered during the investigation in which the Weber told an unidentified correspondent “You can host 20TB child porn with us on some encrypted hdds”, “You can host child porn on our servers” and “If you want to host child porn … I would use Tor.” Weber defended himself against this on his blog saying: “Yes, this logs existed – Yes, i recommended Tor to host anything anonymously, including child pornography – Yes, this is of course taken out of context.”

        • kpw
          8•6 months ago

          True, I did not read the article carefully. I now read the linked German article. There seems to be some uncertainty in the legal opinion of the lawyers cited there regarding the legality of Tor exit nodes in Austria.

        • sadreality
          1•6 months ago

          Wtf is going with this child porn thing… As if there is a global network of pedos all working on OT and the state ain’t doing shit about it.

          I guess Catholic church is indicative of how governments view it…

          Surprised population is so willing to accept it as status quo.

      • DomiEnglish
        5•6 months ago

        You can also run a obfs4 bridge, it’s an unlisted relay that only serves as entry node. If greatly helps out users in censored countries.

      • Free Palestine 🇵🇸English
        3•6 months ago

        I was talking about middle/guard relays. The guide also refers to middle/guard nodes. I wouldn’t run an exit on my home internet connection either. I use VPS providers for exit nodes.

  • XanthraxEnglish
    33•6 months ago

    It was crypto scam wasn’t it?

    Edit: it was crypto scam…

    That fucking sucks. Tor and crypto go hand in, in hand, for reasons.

    The only thing I ever bought we’re psychedelics, but it’s pretty easy/ safe to do that over the regular web without crypto/ Tor these days. Spore traders are waaaaaaay more reliable.

  • kpw
    5•6 months ago

    I don’t get how they intended to make money by running a relay? What was the business plan here?

    • @[email protected]English
      4•6 months ago

      It’s crypto, you can’t understand it unless you already believe in it.

      From the outside, blockchain looks like a spread sheet that’s so difficult to edit, you have to turn it into a slot-machine to incentivize people to try. But I don’t understand blockchain.

      • kpw
        8•6 months ago

        What data? Tor is designed in a way you don’t have any useable data if you don’t control a significant portion of the network. And even if they could control it, how much is that data worth anyways? ISPs don’t get rich selling traffic data afaik. Blackmail maybe?

    • @[email protected]English
      2•6 months ago

      Right, Tor project cannot shut down a relay, but can make most of the network not use it.