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An anonymity network

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Wed, 2011-03-02 02:02

DataPacRat DataPacRat's picture

An anonymity network

I'm trying to build a few character concepts in EP to get a better feel for the system... and at present, I'm trying to pull together a few ideas into a single char: call him DPR, an immortalist hacktivist, who tries to keep at least one alpha fork active in any given location he's able to, and who acquires @-Rep by leveraging his forks' wide presence into an anonymizing network along the lines of present-day Tor or the old penet.fi. (And if his forkes' favoured sleeves happens to resemble http://landingzone.deviantart.com/art/Make-a-run-for-it-154834557 , so much the better. :) ) There are already various ways explicitly mentioned in EP to increase one's privacy - false Mesh IDs, disposable ectos, anonymity accounts, sending undetectable messages using qubits, and such - but one thing that isn't mentioned is a simple onion network (or, for anyone who's read chapter 63 of "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality", the Slytherin System). With muses to handle all the details, all that's really necessary to implement such a system is to decide how much latency you're willing to accept for a given interaction (ie, interplanetary messages can wait longer than live datastreams), and set up enough nodes constantly exchanging encrypted traffic that any particular item becomes lost in the carefully-designed shuffle. I'm thinking of DPR having a business as a combination network and courier service - constantly exchanging data between as many of his various forks in various locations as possible (in a virtual network traveling over both public and private network connections), and allowing various peoples' muses to piggyback their own messages on, both to increase @-Rep and as a form of advertising for the other half of his business: physical data couriering, schlepping around libraries, ectos, and whatever other forms of data-storage his clients want moved, with whatever level of precautions they're willing to pay for. If run as a set of NPCs, this offers a few potential hooks for PCs: if they themselves want to send anonymous messages, or getting hired to help protect a courier performing his appointed rounds, or, of course, getting hired to intercept a courier... Do you think that a particular fork of this group would be suitable as a PC? Or, perhaps, do you think that the entire idea is completely unworkable, perhaps due to some aspect of the EP setting I haven't fully assimilated yet?

—

Thank you for your time,

Wed, 2011-03-02 07:41

Arenamontanus Arenamontanus's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Sounds doable. I actually think this isn't the only network like this - which is of course good news, since it disappears into the crowd. The problem with maintaining a banyan lifestyle is of course that you need to egocast forks to merge with each of the alphas, so there is some @-rep cost for doing that all the time. And there is that pesky mental stability thing - but as my widely forked NPC Mr/Dr/Professor Terry Ramirez says, "I'm used to it by now!"

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Wed, 2011-03-02 07:52

DataPacRat DataPacRat's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Arenamontanus wrote:
Sounds doable. I actually think this isn't the only network like this - which is of course good news, since it disappears into the crowd.

Good to hear. :)

Quote:
The problem with maintaining a banyan lifestyle is of course that you need to egocast forks to merge with each of the alphas, so there is some @-rep cost for doing that all the time. And there is that pesky mental stability thing - but as my widely forked NPC Mr/Dr/Professor Terry Ramirez says, "I'm used to it by now!"

Actually, I've been thinking along somewhat different lines than a banyan; I'm entirely willing to build the DPRs as rarely, if ever, merging their more disparate forks (though each DPR may go about the usual up-to-4-hour fork-and-merge on their own), relying more on social than technological means to keep the collective selves to maintain their interest in helping themselves by helping each other. Naturally, this has its own forms of problems compared to banyans - but I think it could be at least as viable a lifestyle. (Right now, I'm trying to work out a few standard technological toys - eg, their standard morph, a standardized Von Neumann seed, a usual Muse/AI set, etc.)

—

Thank you for your time,

Wed, 2011-03-02 09:27

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

I'm no expert, but this doesn't sound like something that needs forks (or the character) at all. That's what computers are for.

Wed, 2011-03-02 09:46

DataPacRat DataPacRat's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Yerameyahu wrote:
I'm no expert, but this doesn't sound like something that needs forks (or the character) at all. That's what computers are for.

For simple anon networks, resembling today's onion network, no, there's no particular need to use DPR's network - there are likely several competitors. However, there is at least one use for couriers even with EP-level computers: the secure exchange of one-time pads, and/or qubits, between groups that don't necessarily completely trust each other. (I might also suggest you're looking at it from the wrong angle; it's not so much about whether forks are necessary for this business, but what business forks would be able to prosper in.)

—

Thank you for your time,

Wed, 2011-03-02 09:48

DataPacRat DataPacRat's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Double

—

Thank you for your time,

Wed, 2011-03-02 14:27

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

I see, you're suggesting a physical onion network of Johnny Mnemonics? That makes a better case for needing something more than normal computers.

Wed, 2011-03-02 21:59

DataPacRat DataPacRat's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Yerameyahu wrote:
I see, you're suggesting a physical onion network of Johnny Mnemonics? That makes a better case for needing something more than normal computers.

Using more varied methods of carrying the data than directly in their own cyberbrains, but yes, that's the general idea.

—

Thank you for your time,

Wed, 2011-03-02 22:06

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Certainly. Cool.

Thu, 2011-03-03 05:41

#10

Arenamontanus Arenamontanus's picture

Re: An anonymity network

One of the interesting things about low-level neural network simulations of minds (all information distributed across a network) as opposed to high level classical AI models (where there are datastructures containing knowledge, modified by various logical rules) is that it is very hard, probably even computationally infeasible, to extract knowledge from the ego without running it. This makes it a fairly secure form of storage. Not perfect: you can still grab the ego and try to force the information out of it, and it is not computationally hard in the same sense as encryption. But since minds are different from each other, there is no general method that works for brute forcing the information. The real limitation to Johnny Mnemoniac-style storage is that the amount of information you can hide by adding network connections to a brain is likely not too big - order of gigabytes, then it starts to be noticeable. Memorization of information on the other hand has huge capacity but is slow and requires special training (but has a great deal of rule of cool - "Sorry darling, I cannot go out today. I have to memorize a terabyte of random digits.") Just putting some files into the ego file (like I might put some files onto the chip of my cellphone or camera, hiding them among the photos) also works, but could be discovered easily. My guess is that the courier can do best is private transmission of encryption keys, guarantees of the provenance of carried information, and messages spread out across several messengers or media.

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Thu, 2011-03-03 09:31

#11

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

:) I wasn't suggesting actual brain storage in EP, cyber or otherwise. I'm sure there are lots of clever methods, nanowhatsits and things.

Thu, 2011-03-03 17:08

#12

Wyldknight Wyldknight's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Wouldn't eidetic memory (quality or implant) allow someone to do just that? Concentrate on whatever info needed to be transported and then simple copy it down when he reached the safe zone?

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C-rep +1

Thu, 2011-03-03 17:32

#13

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

What, encrypted so that even he couldn't understand it? Probably, but that certainly lacks style. :( Plus, it's dirt-cheap.

Thu, 2011-03-03 17:59

#14

Wyldknight Wyldknight's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Lacks style? I disagree as Art: Calligraphy makes even the most boring intelligence report fancy. The cheapness part depends though. The kind of person who does this would need to have eidetic memory in every body he sleeves into and that's not always an option. He may have to pay an extra chunk of cash to borrow a body with the implant at last minute or just buy the quality.

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C-rep +1

Thu, 2011-03-03 18:06

#15

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

That's my point: Eidetic Memory is dirt-cheap for morphs, and presumably 100% available (compared to other augmentations, certainly). That's assuming the ego quality isn't simply bought once and forked. It lacks style because it needn't be art, just a hex stream, or whatever. Everyone can do it, and it's boringly familiar. :) I'm not saying don't do it, or any of the innumerable other methods of transferring data. It's just boring.

Thu, 2011-03-03 18:15

#16

Wyldknight Wyldknight's picture

Re: An anonymity network

True, anyone could do it, but would they really want to? I mean getting into the field of data running could lead to a whole world of trouble for a person. Technically just about anyone could be a soldier, that doesn't mean they want to risk it.

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C-rep +1

Thu, 2011-03-03 18:34

#17

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

I wonder how fast a person could input and later output data anyway. Would the various +Mental Action mods help, or be needed? I guess time-compressed simulspaces once again render this question easy and boring. :( Obviously, the specific method of data-courier-ing doesn't matter for the original topic at all, but it's a fun diversion.

Thu, 2011-03-03 20:47

#18

Wyldknight Wyldknight's picture

Re: An anonymity network

I think the mental actions would help with the memorizing part but wouldn't mean much if the subject then had to write it down. That's a physical action after all. Ya but if security is what's important who would risk putting it in a simulspace? All it takes is one well placed bit of malware to get the information and piggy back on someones ecto or mesh inserts to get to the wider web. On the original topic, aren't there laws in place to prevent people from forking all over the place? Or are these beta forks?

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C-rep +1

Thu, 2011-03-03 21:42

#19

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Could be any kind of fork, really. As for the input/output, I wasn't thinking it'd be reading and writing. This is the future, we have VR and mental controls and everything. After all, the fact is that there's cleartext at both ends. It doesn't matter too much if it's physical or digital.

Fri, 2011-03-04 01:37

#20

Wyldknight Wyldknight's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Unless someone specifically hid something in physical format. It really depends on the situation of course (you were right the bulk would be done in digital format) but if someone was as paranoid as me lets say I wouldn't risk it. Cryptography is too easy to break in EP with quantum computers so anyone getting information around needs to get creative in its delivery. Nanobot infused ink which reacts to a specific kind of paper could be one way especially if the blueprints for said nanobot ink was destroyed right after it was made. Perhaps the target for a terrorist attack hidden in a picture. Looking at it all you see is a juvenile attempt at art but someone with the right cipher (look for this and this in the picture then combine with this) would see something completely over your head. Pure numbers doesn't seem the way to go in this world when it comes to keeping your info out of enemy hands. Creativity mixed with well placed misdirection however never goes out of style.

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C-rep +1

Fri, 2011-03-04 10:00

#21

Yerameyahu Yerameyahu's picture

Re: An anonymity network

That'll work for small amount of data, but I was just asking about theoretical throughput. For digital anything, I think the answer is 'unlimited', because of mental communication and simulspace. It might be interesting to speculate about the physical limits, but you're not really talking about Eidetic Memory couriering any more, are you? You're talking about simple Fedexing.

Fri, 2011-03-04 13:55

#22

Wyldknight Wyldknight's picture

Re: An anonymity network

An eidetic memory courier could do some of this but I'm talking about getting secret information around in general. Whats the point of classic by the numbers cryptography if the other guy can probably break it in a matter of hours-days. It seems that to get your info around securely in EP takes a lot more creativity then it does today.

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C-rep +1

Fri, 2011-03-04 14:41

#23

The Doctor The Doctor's picture

Re: An anonymity network

DataPacRat wrote:
There are already various ways explicitly mentioned in EP to increase one's privacy - false Mesh IDs, disposable ectos, anonymity accounts, sending undetectable messages using qubits, and such - but one thing that isn't mentioned is a simple onion network (or, for anyone who's read chapter 63 of "Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality", the Slytherin System). With muses to handle all the details, all that's really necessary to implement such a system is to decide how much latency you're willing to accept for a given interaction (ie, interplanetary messages can wait longer than live datastreams), and set up enough nodes constantly exchanging encrypted traffic that any particular item becomes lost in the carefully-designed shuffle.

Check out the Mars writeup in Sunward, Elysium, Neighborhoods, North. "...and it's rumored as well that a large portion of Conduit's bandwidth comes from a swarm of self-replicating antenna bots that were loosed on the rooftops of the neighborhood." That suggests that there is a possibility of implementing an onion or garlic routing anonymity system using self-replicating drone-ectos. That said, I think your character idea is awesome. Do it.

Quote:
I'm thinking of DPR having a business as a combination network and courier service - constantly exchanging data between as many of his various forks in various locations as possible (in a virtual network traveling over both public and private network connections), and allowing various peoples' muses to piggyback their own messages on, both to increase @-Rep and as a form of advertising for the other half of his business: physical data couriering, schlepping around libraries, ectos, and whatever other forms of data-storage his clients want moved, with whatever level of precautions they're willing to pay for.

I think that each fork should additionally carry around a number of ectos to increase the number of possible points of origin per node for mesh traffic. Possibly put points into the Infosec skill with a specialization in anonymizing technologies. If nothing else, it would be for style points but I think that would help cement the character's reputation on the @-list. That seems in line with the character's background.

Quote:
Do you think that a particular fork of this group would be suitable as a PC?

I think it is entirely workable (says the security and privacy geek).

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[img]http://drwho.virtadpt.net/graphics/info_userbar.jpg[/img] [img]http://drwho.virtadpt.net/graphics/argo_userbar.jpg[/img] [url=https://drwho.virtadpt.net/graphics/blankbadge.png][img]http://drwho.vir...

Fri, 2011-03-04 14:43

#24

The Doctor The Doctor's picture

Re: An anonymity network

DataPacRat wrote:
(Right now, I'm trying to work out a few standard technological toys - eg, their standard morph, a standardized Von Neumann seed, a usual Muse/AI set, etc.)

Consider custom malware which implements routing nodes for this character's network. Possibly put points into Software Engineering: Malware.

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Fri, 2011-03-04 14:48

#25

The Doctor The Doctor's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Arenamontanus wrote:
"Sorry darling, I cannot go out today. I have to memorize a terabyte of random digits.")

I may have to use that line some time. Might I steal it?

Quote:
Just putting some files into the ego file (like I might put some files onto the chip of my cellphone or camera, hiding them among the photos) also works, but could be discovered easily.

Perhaps not so easily. It might be possible to steganographically encode hidden file systems into existing multimedia files (which are designed to withstand a certain amount of pattern degredation) in Eclipse Phase. Code exists now to do this with .mp4 and .mov files concealing Truecrypt volumes (specifically, TC-hidden volumes in Truecrypt files). Perhaps such could be done in a cyberbrain, overlaying encrypted blobs onto the structures which encode less-accessed memories (resulting in possibly imperfect or even no recall; stress points are also a possible side effect). It would be a tricky psychosurgery task but if the money is right and the data is important enough, there would probably be couriers willing to take the risk.

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Fri, 2011-03-04 14:49

#26

The Doctor The Doctor's picture

Re: An anonymity network

Yerameyahu wrote:
What, encrypted so that even he couldn't understand it? Probably, but that certainly lacks style. :( Plus, it's dirt-cheap.

It might be good for a bit of @-rep or r-rep, though, as a party trick. "Hey, wanna bet a drink that I can't recite your public key in its entirity?"

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Fri, 2011-03-04 18:20

#27

DataPacRat DataPacRat's picture

Re: An anonymity network

The Doctor wrote:
Check out the Mars writeup in Sunward, Elysium, Neighborhoods, North. "...and it's rumored as well that a large portion of Conduit's bandwidth comes from a swarm of self-replicating antenna bots that were loosed on the rooftops of the neighborhood." That suggests that there is a possibility of implementing an onion or garlic routing anonymity system using self-replicating drone-ectos.

Quote:
I think that each fork should additionally carry around a number of ectos to increase the number of possible points of origin per node for mesh traffic. Possibly put points into the Infosec skill with a specialization in anonymizing technologies. If nothing else, it would be for style points but I think that would help cement the character's reputation on the @-list. That seems in line with the character's background.

The Doctor wrote:
Consider custom malware which implements routing nodes for this character's network. Possibly put points into Software Engineering: Malware.

I've just posted an addendum to my DPR post in the Homebrew area which basically steals all of the above ideas; I hope you like. :)

—

Thank you for your time,