Broadband Reports: Tor Network Bogged Down by P2P

[Dan Mahoney, System Admin]

On Tue, 18 Oct 2005, jed c wrote:

Well, tor allows you to block exit traffic.  Is there also a way to block 
*transit* traffic?

-Dan


> Guess I spoke to soon (without thinking).
>
> --- Ben Wilhelm <zorba at pavlovian.net> wrote:
>
>>
>> So, um, how exactly do you track how much bandwidth
>> each user is using
>> on a network whose sole goal is anonymization?
>
> I was thinking about something on the user side. I
> don't know how many users would edit the source code
> to get around something like this.
>
>>
>> And then let's associate that information with a
>> server that's supposed
>> to have an admin email contact available.
>
> I understand that tor is about privacy and anonimity.
>>
>> -Ben
>>
>> jed c wrote:
>>> The solution seems simple to me. Anyone using huge
>>> amounts of bandwidth should be required to run a
>> tor
>>> router.
>>>
>>>
>>>> Chris Palmer wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> ----- Forwarded message from John Gilmore
>>>
>>> <gnu at toad.com> -----
>>>
>>>>> From: John Gilmore <gnu at toad.com>
>>>>> Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 15:40:18 -0700
>>>>> Subject: [E-IP] Broadband Reports: Tor Network
>>>
>>> Bogged Down by P2P
>>>
>>>>> http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/68438
>>>>>
>>>>> Some time ago our security regulars broke down
>> the
>>>
>>> logistics behind
>>>
>>>>> Tor, an anonymity tool from the Electronic
>> Frontier
>>>
>>> Foundation. It was
>>>
>>>>> designed for whistle-blowers, political
>> dissidents,
>>>
>>> researchers, and
>>>
>>>>> others concerned about exchanging information
>>>
>>> without authoritarian
>>>
>>>>> backlash. Sadly network performance is being
>>>
>>> jeopardized by
>>>
>>>>> file-traders looking to evade the RIAA.
>>>>>
>>>>> File traders have been reconfiguring their Bit
>>>
>>> Torrent clients to take
>>>
>>>>> advantage of the network. Unfortunately the Tor
>>>
>>> network wasn't
>>>
>>>>> designed with high volume porn transfer in mind,
>> so
>>>
>>> the activity is
>>>
>>>>> slowing it down to a crawl. The likely result
>> will
>>>
>>> be the EFF running
>>>
>>>>> against the grain of their mandate, and
>> restricting
>>>
>>> network use.
>>>
>>>>> ...
>>>>>
>>>>> 	John
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ----- End forwarded message -----
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Bah, I see no problem with using it to evade the
>>>
>>> RIAA.  sure, it sucks
>>>
>>>> for us Tor people who use it for what is was
>>>
>>> intended for.  It just
>>>
>>>> means we need more nodes, and we need to grow more
>>>
>>> to support this
>>>
>>>> demand.  I'm all for giving the finger to "the
>> man."
>>>>
>>>> It's time for Tor to expand, not regulate.  And if
>>>
>>> expansions isn't
>>>
>>>> possible, just let it suck!  I can't imagine many
>>>
>>> fileshare people will
>>>
>>>> cleave unto dial-up speeds with their broadband...
>>
>>>
>>> Once they learn that
>>>
>>>> it sucks to use Tor, they'll stop.  We need
>>>
>>> knee-jerk decisions in this
>>>
>>>> project like we need knee-jerk political
>> actions...
>>>>
>>>> But, that's just my $0.02
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> __________________________________
>>> Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home
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>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005
> http://mail.yahoo.com
>

--

"It's like GTA, except you pay for it, and you're allowed to use the car."

-Josh, on Zipcar on-demand car-rental, 3/20/05

--------Dan Mahoney--------
Techie,  Sysadmin,  WebGeek
Gushi on efnet/undernet IRC
ICQ: 13735144   AIM: LarpGM
Site:  http://www.gushi.org
---------------------------