Heads up! If Tor VANISHES over the weekend, this is why
The Tor Project is warning that its network – used by netizens to mask their identities on the internet – may be knocked offline in the coming days.
In a Tor blog post, project leader Roger “arma” Dingledine said an unnamed group may seize Tor’s directory authority servers before the end of next week. These servers distribute the official lists of relays in the network, which are the systems that route users’ traffic around the world to obfuscate their internet connections’ public IP addresses.
Should those directory servers be disabled – such as by seizure the machines – then users would be unable to use Tor.
“The Tor Project has learned that there may be an attempt to incapacitate our network in the next few days through the seizure of specialized servers in the network called directory authorities. Directory authorities help Tor clients learn the list of relays that make up the Tor network,” Arma wrote on Friday.
“We are taking steps now to ensure the safety of our users, and our system is already built to be redundant so that users maintain anonymity even if the network is attacked. Tor remains safe to use.
“We hope that this attack doesn’t occur; Tor is used by many good people. If the network is affected, we will immediately inform users via this blog and our Twitter feed @TorProject, along with more information if we become aware of any related risks to Tor users.”
While the Tor Project has not said who could be behind the attack or what their motivation might be, some anonymous comments posted under the blog suggest a swoop could be related to the US government’s investigation into the Sony Pictures mega-hack.
Tor has gained notoriety for its association with underground drugs markets, such as Silk Road, and other souks of questionable legality. The network does, however, have plenty of legitimate and beneficial applications as well – for whistleblowers, journalists, political activists, anyone who cares about privacy, and so on, just as long as they realize Tor, by itself, isn’t magic OPSEC sauce.
Arma noted the role the Tor network plays in helping protect the privacy of users living under authoritarian regimes or operating in potentially sensitive matters.
“Tor is also used by banks, diplomatic officials, members of law enforcement, bloggers, and many others,” he wrote. “Attempts to disable the Tor network would interfere with all of these users, not just ones disliked by the attacker.” ®
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Article source: http://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2014/12/20/heads_up_if_tor_goes_down_over_the_weekend_this_is_why/