[the_duke]

To me, this feels a lot like what transpired with https://lavabit.com/. Of course, that was a service operated by a company, not a open source software and a distributed network, but there might be paralells.

If you haven't read about it, read the post mortem on the Lavabit page.

To me, it's very likely that the government demanded backdoors in TOR code itself, or backdoor access to critical TOR infrastructure (bridge nodes, directory authority, large exit nodes, ...), all under gag orders that forbid any mention of this to the public.

Probably in the interest of 'national security'.

Can't be sure, of course, but I would not feel comfortable with using TOR for anything sensitive anymore.

[fweespeech]

Tbh, it sounds likely given he runs a number of exit nodes + a hard coded, trusted authority.

So yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if a bunch of suits leaned on him to "cooperate".

That said, iirc, as long as you own your entry node and its a public node...Tor remains secure since the only successful attacks have all required someone to be in control of the entry node you use to connect to the Tor network (at least, the attacks intended to expose end users).

[dineshp2]

> Can't be sure, of course, but I would not feel comfortable with using TOR for anything sensitive anymore.

Out of curiosity, what alternative(s) would you use?

[captainmuon]

Not the parent poster and no expert, but I'd probably buy a cheap random notebook from the store with cash and use it in free WiFis. Make sure to spoof your MAC address.

I mainly used Tor if I was on a dubious WiFi and was afraid someone was snooping on me - note that due to insecure exit notes you have the same problem there, too - or when something was blocked. But at least your employer doesn't see you use Facebook ;-)

Nowadays I use a server I rented in a different country as a SOCKS proxy which works well.

If you want to be anonymous towards the sure your accessing, I don't know of a good alternative. But many sites block Tor anyway now because people use it for spam or harassment.

Just a crazy idea, but if my safety needs were really high, I'd try to 1) buy botnet nodes and use them as a proxy or 2) build a ultra-low-energy Wi-Fi capable system (saw something commercial on HN the other day, forgot the name), set it up as a proxy, and throw it with a battery near a free Wi-Fi (coffee shop etc.).

[the_duke]

Here is what the REALLY paranoid can do:

-) Rent a small virtual server overseas, payable by bitcoin

-) Make sure to only pay with bitcoins acquired anonymously (buy directly with cash, there are machines in bigger cities too. then run them through a bitcoin laundry to make sure)

-) Route all your traffic through the virtual server (over a VPN).

-) Keep using tor, but only proxied through the VPN

-) Only access your server from public wifi hot spots, with a laptop acquired with cash, and running TAILS or a similar privacy focused Linux distribution without persistance.

-) Keep all your confidential data on an encrypted usb stick that can be easily disposed.

Voi la. Easy, right? :D

[qwertyuiop924]

I2P? Freenet?

[xyience]

Maybe some fingers of the government are demanding a backdoor, but other fingers of the government want tor to be as secure as possible. Tor is useful for the operations of national intelligence agents, too, and can only maintain that use when they know it doesn't have a backdoor which say the Chinese could then discover and exploit.

[chocolatebunny]

puts on tinfoil hat

Is it possible that maybe the US military have gone on to alternative methods of hiding their identity. If the NSA can mandate backdoor access to every data centre in the country then couldn't they work with the military to use those backdoors to hide their own identities. To an observer it looks like someone is accessing Google but in actuality it's a CIA field agent sending top secret information to the Pentagon using a backdoor in a Google data centre.

[throwaway7767]

If that were the case, why give a months notice? If the person felt the security of his relays were compromised, I would expect them to take them down immediately and give notice afterwards.

[the_duke]

Well, an agency might have just demanded the backdoor, threatening legal action, but not actually bringing any. So rather than cave or fight a legal battle, he decided to shut it down in an orderly fashion, yet uncompromised.

Of course it's also possible that it's all due to some infighting within the project or other issues we don't know about.

But the only reason for me for being so vague, in a critical project like this, is the potential of vulnerability.

He must have known that not mentioning any details would raise concerns like mine.