Tor (network)
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| - | A '''darknet''' (or '''dark net''') is any [[overlay network]] that can be accessed only with specific software, configurations, or authorization, often using non-standard [[communications protocol]]s and [[Port (computer networking)|ports]]. Two typical darknet types are [[friend-to-friend]] and [[internet privacy|privacy]] networks such as [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]]. | + | '''Tor''' is [[free software]] for enabling [[Internet anonymity|anonymous communication]]. The name is derived from an acronym for the original software project name "The Onion Router". |
| + | ==See also== | ||
| - | The reciprocal term for an encrypted darknet is [[clearnet (networking)|clearnet]] or [[surface web]] when referring to search engine indexable content. | + | * [[.onion]] |
| - | + | * [[Anonymous P2P]] | |
| - | == Terminology == | + | * [[Anonymous web browsing]] |
| - | As of 2015, "The Darknet" is often used [[Skunked term|interchangeably]] with the [[dark web]] due to the quantity of [[Tor (anonymity network)#Hidden services|hidden services]] on [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]]'s darknet. The term is often inaccurately used interchangeably with the [[Deep Web (search)|deep web]] due to Tor's history as a platform that could not be search-indexed. Mixing uses of both these terms has been described as inaccurate, with some commentators recommending the terms be used in distinct fashions. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==Origins== | + | |
| - | "Darknet" was coined in the 1970s to designate networks that were isolated from [[ARPANET]] (which evolved into the [[Internet]]), for security purposes. Darknet addresses could receive data from ARPANET but did not appear in the network lists and would not answer [[Ping (networking utility)|ping]]s or other inquiries. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | The term gained public acceptance following publication of "The Darknet and the Future of [[Digital distribution|Content Distribution]]", a 2002 paper by [[Peter Biddle]], [[Paul England (researcher)|Paul England]], [[Marcus Peinado]], and [[Bryan Willman]], four employees of [[Microsoft]] who argued that the presence of the darknet was the primary hindrance to the development of workable [[digital rights management]] (DRM) technologies and made [[copyright infringement]] inevitable. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | === Sub-cultures === | + | |
| - | Journalist [[J. D. Lasica]], in his 2005 book ''Darknet: Hollywood's War Against the Digital Generation'', described the darknet's reach encompassing file sharing networks. Consequently, in 2014, journalist [[Jamie Bartlett (journalist)|Jamie Bartlett]] in his book ''The Dark Net'' used it to describe a range of underground and emergent [[subculture]]s, including [[camgirl]]s, [[Crypto-anarchism|cryptoanarchists]], [[Darknet market|darknet drug markets]], [[Self-harm|Self Harm]] communities, [[social media]] racists, and [[Transhumanism|transhumanists]]. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | == Uses == | + | |
| - | Darknets in general may be used for various reasons, such as: | + | |
| - | * [[Computer crime]] (hacking, file corruption etc.) | + | |
| - | * Protecting [[dissident]]s from political reprisal | + | |
| - | * [[File sharing]] ([[warez]], personal files, pornography, confidential files, illegal or counterfeit software etc.) | + | |
| - | * To better protect the [[Internet privacy|privacy]] rights of citizens from targeted and [[mass surveillance]] | + | |
| - | * Sale of restricted goods on [[darknet markets]] | + | |
| - | * [[Whistleblower|Whistleblowing]] and [[news leak]]s | + | |
| - | * Purchase or sale of illicit or illegal goods or services | + | |
| - | * [[Internet censorship circumvention|Circumvent]] [[Internet censorship|network censorship]] and [[content-control software|content-filtering systems]], or to bypass restrictive [[firewall (computing)|firewall]]-policies. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==Software== | + | |
| - | All darknets require specific software installed or network configurations made to access them, such as [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]], which can be accessed via a customised browser from [[Vidalia (software)|Vidalia]] (aka the Tor browser bundle), or alternatively via a [[proxy server]] configured to perform the same function. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===Active=== | + | |
| - | [[File:Geographies of Tor.png|thumb|A [[cartogram]] illustrating Tor usage]] | + | |
| - | * [[Decentralized network 42]] (not for anonymity but research purposes) | + | |
| - | * [[Freenet]] is a popular darknet ([[friend-to-friend]]) by default; since version 0.7 it can run as a "[[Anonymous P2P#Opennet and darknet network types|opennet]]" (peer nodes are discovered automatically). | + | |
| - | * [[GNUnet]] can be utilised as a darknet if the "[[Friend-to-friend|F2F]] [[network topology|(network) topology]]" option is enabled. | + | |
| - | * [[OneSwarm]] can be run as a darknet for [[friend-to-friend]] file-sharing. | + | |
| - | * [[RetroShare]] can be run as a darknet ([[friend-to-friend]]) by default to perform anonymous file transfers if [[Distributed hash table|DHT]] and Discovery features are disabled. | + | |
| - | * [[Riffle (anonymity network)|Riffle]] is a client-server darknet system that simultaneously provides secure anonymity (as long as at least one server remains uncompromised), efficient computation, and minimal bandwidth burden. | + | |
| - | * [[Syndie]] is [[software]] used to publish [[Distributed computing|distributed]] forums over the anonymous networks of I2P, Tor and Freenet. | + | |
| - | * [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]] (The onion router) is an [[Internet anonymity|anonymity]] network that also features a darknet - its "[[Tor (anonymity network)#Hidden services|hidden services]]". It is the <!--best known/-->most popular instance of a darknet. | + | |
| - | * [[Tribler]] can be run as a darknet for file-sharing.<!--more details needed--> | + | |
| - | * [[Zeronet]] is [[open source software]] aimed to build an [[internet]]-like [[computer network]] of [[peer-to-peer]] users of [[Tor (anonymity network)|Tor]]. | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===No longer supported=== | + | |
| - | * [[RShare]] (discontinued) | + | |
| - | * [[StealthNet]] (discontinued) | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ===Defunct=== | + | |
| - | * [[AllPeers]] | + | |
| - | * [[anoNet]] | + | |
| - | * [[Turtle F2F]] | + | |
| - | + | ||
| - | ==See also== | + | |
| - | {{Portal|Computer science}} | + | |
| * [[Crypto-anarchism]] | * [[Crypto-anarchism]] | ||
| - | * [[Private P2P]] | + | * [[Darknet]] |
| - | * [[Sneakernet]] | + | * [[Dark Web]] |
| - | * [[Virtual private network]] (VPN) | + | * [[Deep Web (search indexing)]] |
| - | * [[Cryptocurrency]] | + | * [[Freedom of information]] |
| + | * [[I2P]] | ||
| + | * [[Internet censorship]] | ||
| + | * [[Internet censorship circumvention]] | ||
| + | * [[Internet privacy]] | ||
| + | * [[Privoxy]] | ||
| + | * [[Proxy server]] | ||
| + | * [[Psiphon]] | ||
| + | * [[Sandbox (computer security)]] | ||
| + | * [[Tor2web]] | ||
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Revision as of 16:35, 6 June 2017
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Tor is free software for enabling anonymous communication. The name is derived from an acronym for the original software project name "The Onion Router".
See also
- .onion
- Anonymous P2P
- Anonymous web browsing
- Crypto-anarchism
- Darknet
- Dark Web
- Deep Web (search indexing)
- Freedom of information
- I2P
- Internet censorship
- Internet censorship circumvention
- Internet privacy
- Privoxy
- Proxy server
- Psiphon
- Sandbox (computer security)
- Tor2web
Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Tor (anonymity network)" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.
