Re: The Remailer Crisis
For example, the Linux mavens could tell us if Linux-based remailer boxes could be hung on dedicated connections to The Little Garden network, as a specific example. A "black box remailer" such as several folks have suggested (Chaum (in 1981), me, Eric Hughes, others) might be buildable for under a grand. We could ask here for contributions, and might even raise this amount of money. Then each of us who contributed could have "accounts," maybe several of them. Imagine 100 or more "remailers" all on this one machine--I'm deliberately ignoring the security issue for now. Little Garden has stated categorically that they will not tell users what they can or can't do with their machines (though I can think of some cases where they might have to, as with spamming, etc.). Anyway, you can see where I'm headed.
The "Linux mavens" followed by the "black box" stuff sparked an idea... First, before delving into dreamland: I'm sure Linux could be hung off just about any store-and-forward (a la UUCP) or TCP/IP-based network there is with a minimum of trouble. Linux junkies are familiar with the concept of "distributions". For the uninitiated, Linux itself is just a kernel; Linus Torvalds doesn't hold anyone's hand when it comes to actually turning that kernel into a working system. As a result, people have done this job themselves: they build their own working systems painstakingly from scratch and then archive it off to disk or CD-ROM, which they sell or give away. Most of the time, when you get Linux, you're actually getting one of these "distributions" of Linux, complete with all the frills that don't come with the kernel (like the shell, basic utils, and so on). Now how 'bout this: Consider a new distribution of Linux, the "Cypherpunk" distribution (if ya don't like the name, make up yer own!). This would be a bare minimum of a distribution, with nothing fancy: bash, misc. utils like ls, etc. This can fit (tightly) in 20 MB. The supplied kernel would have every networking option under the sun turned on, but would be otherwise bare of frills as well. Now let's add minimal network utils (telnet and telnetd for connecting and sendmail for obvious reasons), perl, PGP, and a remailer package. To make it as easy as possible, I'd use the UMSDOS filesystem, so that Linux could be installed on a DOS machine without any reformatting, repartitioning, or similar headaches. We could make this available via FTP or press some CD-ROMs if we were ambitious. Better yet, the cool Linux thing to do now is to install via NFS; this makes installing Linux as easy as sticking in a boot disk and pointing the install program at the NFS server (well, not quite, but pretty close). After adding in the cute little install program (like the Slackware distribution already has) and some boot options, you'd have an "instant remailer" software package, able to transform any 386SX/4MB RAM DOS machine or better into a Linux-based remailer site, complete with aliases, logging policies, etc. already configured for you. I bet even Tim May could install this if it were done right. :-) So, am I dreaming, or does this sound viable to y'all?
Jeff's response is exactly what I was hoping for! The "Cypherpunks distribution" version of Linux would be a great way to spread cheap remailer technology on cheap Linux boxes. Hell, I might even augment my Macs with one of these things! Jeff Licquia wrote:
The "Linux mavens" followed by the "black box" stuff sparked an idea...
First, before delving into dreamland: I'm sure Linux could be hung off just about any store-and-forward (a la UUCP) or TCP/IP-based network there is with a minimum of trouble.
This is what I'd expect....I just don't know the details.
Now how 'bout this: Consider a new distribution of Linux, the "Cypherpunk" distribution (if ya don't like the name, make up yer own!). This would be a bare minimum of a distribution, with nothing fancy: bash, misc. utils like ls, etc. This can fit (tightly) in 20 MB. The supplied kernel would have every networking option under the sun turned on, but would be otherwise bare of frills as well. Now let's add minimal network utils (telnet and telnetd for connecting and sendmail for obvious reasons), perl, PGP, and a remailer package. To make it as easy as possible, I'd use the UMSDOS filesystem, so that Linux could be installed on a DOS machine without any reformatting, repartitioning, or similar headaches.
A great idea. This could be the "remailer in a box" we've been talking about for a long time. Could also include a package of security and crypto utilities, etc. Sort of what the "Gnu" folks might do if they were involved in crypto. (By "involved in crypto" I mean of course Cypherpunks sorts of concerns, which Stallman seems to have not much interest in, at least publically.)
We could make this available via FTP or press some CD-ROMs if we were ambitious. Better yet, the cool Linux thing to do now is to install via NFS; this makes installing Linux as easy as sticking in a boot disk and pointing the install program at the NFS server (well, not quite, but pretty close). After adding in the cute little install program (like the Slackware distribution already has) and some boot options, you'd have an "instant remailer" software package, able to transform any 386SX/4MB RAM DOS machine or better into a Linux-based remailer site, complete with aliases, logging policies, etc. already configured for you. I bet even Tim May could install this if it were done right. :-)
Well, if I take the other side of the bet, that I *can't*, is that kosher?
So, am I dreaming, or does this sound viable to y'all?
Sounds very good to me. --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. Cypherpunks list: majordomo@toad.com with body message of only: subscribe cypherpunks. FAQ available at ftp.netcom.com in pub/tc/tcmay
<html><head> <h1>Volunteering</h1> </head> <body><pre><p> As the Tired, Poor, Project gets it's next machines ready for their next recipients, I will be able to finally upgrade to a 386, and pass this 8088, to the next recipient down the line. (yeah!) <blink>I would volunteer to be your pre-alpha tester</blink>. I know that if I could run it anybody could be taught to run it. For I would always be grateful in learning how it was done in the first place, and will always help those farther down the line than me. </pre><ul><p> <li><a href="http="www.c2.org/~carolann/coffee.html">The coffee page has some nice Cypherpunk links and Lance Cottrell's Homepage link in it</a>. <p><h3>I would be curious to know how many of you read your mail, and news with a browser, <a href="mailto:carolann@c2.org>Just click here, so I can get an idea</a>. <blink>Thanks ever so much!</blink><p> <h2><blink>Love Always,</blink><p> Carol Anne</h2> Registered<BETSI>BEllcore Trusted Software Integrity system programmer *********************************************************************** Carol Anne Braddock "Give me your Tired, your Poor, your old PC's..." The TS NET REVOKED PGP KEY NO.0C91594D carolb@spring.com carolann@mm.com ************************************************************************ COMING SOON TO AN INTERNET NEWSGROUP NEAR YOU...............CENSORED.COM
Jeff's response is exactly what I was hoping for! The "Cypherpunks distribution" version of Linux would be a great way to spread cheap remailer technology on cheap Linux boxes. Hell, I might even augment my Macs with one of these things!
One thing I should've noted is that a Linux-based cheap remailer is mostly useless without a "live connection" to the Net. That's why I mentioned hanging these directly off The Little Garden's net (i.e., putting the box in the same building as the physical net, to avoid expensive connections). What are the cheapest "live connections" (24-hour a day connections) available? Where I am, about $100 a month, plus whatever the local phone company charges for a dedicated line. ISDN is an option, but it looks to cost $400-800 to get started, plus a monthly charge (which I don't recall, except that I "gulped" when I heard it). So, even an el cheapo 486-based Linux box, for perhaps $800 or so, would need to solve the problem of a cheap, continuous connection to the Net. (My supposition is that one approach is to share these connections, hence my notion of hanging machines on other people's nets.) At $100-200 per month for connect charges, I don't expect a "cheap Linux distribution" will cause many people to set up remailers. What have I overlooked? Are there options for several machines to share a connection? (I'm sure there are....). Someone who already has a connection may be willing to host additional machines, which could share some of the charges. --Tim May -- .......................................................................... Timothy C. May | Crypto Anarchy: encryption, digital money, tcmay@netcom.com | anonymous networks, digital pseudonyms, zero | knowledge, reputations, information markets, W.A.S.T.E.: Aptos, CA | black markets, collapse of governments. Higher Power: 2^859433 | Public Key: PGP and MailSafe available. Cypherpunks list: majordomo@toad.com with body message of only: subscribe cypherpunks. FAQ available at ftp.netcom.com in pub/tc/tcmay
Timothy C. May says:
What are the cheapest "live connections" (24-hour a day connections) available? Where I am, about $100 a month, plus whatever the local phone company charges for a dedicated line.
In NYC, you can get a permanent dial up slip account for $75 per month -- no dedicated line charges because there is no dedicated line per se. Phone charges will add an additional $12 per month. Perry
participants (4)
-
Censored Girls Anonymous -
jalicqui@prairienet.org -
Perry E. Metzger -
tcmay@netcom.com