[tor-talk] Additional hop before connecting to Tor

[dtm168 at openmailbox.org]

Hi,

You often read that the fact you are using Tor is being monitored by the 
various intelligence services.

I guess this works by recording which IP addresses connect to known 
entry relays and/or directory authorities.

Since you usually also connect to facebook or gmail your identity can be 
easily linked to Tor usage.
This is especially true if you have a static IP address.

Currently I use a virtual server in a foreign country which I pay with 
Bitcoin. I use an ssh tunnel which I use to make connections to Tor, 
i.e. intelligence service see the IP of my server which connects to 
known Tor IP addresses.

1. How likely is it that they look at connecting IP addresses to my 
server (and identify me)?  Probably very likely. Would it help to have 
an additional anon server as an additional hop to Tor?

2. Tor traffic has these characteristic traffic signatures (packet size, 
timings of packets when idle). Would these also "shine through" the ssh 
tunnel?

3. I guess making that server a private bridge will be worse than using 
ssh because of these typical Tor traffic patterns.

4. I am also afraid of running a Tor relay on my home internet 
connections because all members of my family who share that IP will be 
flagged as Tor users...

I am interested to hear your opinions.

Cheers,
dtm168