GNUnet

GNUnet is a free framework for secure and anonymous peer-to- peer networking that does not use centralized or otherwise trusted services.

A first implementation that builds on the network layer allows anonymous, censorship - resistant file-sharing. GNUnet uses a simple, excess - based economic model to allocate resources. Peers in GNUnet network monitor the behavior of others in terms of resource usage; Participants that contribute to the network are rewarded with better service.

GNUnet is part of the GNU project.

Properties

Data packets as searches, downloads, uploads, and file parts are not sent directly from the source, the uploader, the goal of the downloader, but several other GNUnet network participants who act as middlemen. Thus, there is no direct network connection between the uploader and the downloader; their IP addresses remain each other and from other unknown. Because packets are forwarded, no one can know whether a certain other participants a packet ( or a file ) only forwarded or sent themselves on the trip (for example, in response to a search query). Thus it can be demonstrated that GNUnet users the real uploader or downloader of a file. Through the VPN service is the ability to run with GNUnet hidden services; they can be tunneled over many transport protocols such as TCP, UDP, HTTP, HTTPS, WiFi, Bluetooth, IPv4 and IPv6.

Confidentiality

All data in GNUnet network are transmitted to the recipient by end-to -end encryption by the sender. No one, none of the forwarding subscriber can, monitor, censor or interfere with communication. In addition a developed for GNUnet method used, the so-called Encoding for Censorship -Resistant Sharing ( ECRS ), which used the method before version 0.7 Efficient Sharing of Encrypted Data ( ESED ) and ESED replaces II. Furthermore search queries and searches are not stored in clear text and transmitted, but only their checksums (called hashes, similar to a checksum ) that can be brought difficult with a specific keyword in conjunction, however, are clearly yet. Confidentiality has the goal that never a following assignment is possible: GNUnet participants ⇔ IP address (computer) ⇔ ⇔ user search, download, upload

Plausible deniability

Data content can be stored in GNUnet on the hard drives of other participants ( unless this has been enabled by the user). Even if someone can prove that on a PC, certain data is stored, can not be proved that the operator of the PCs knew about it. The data can also come from a completely different GNUnet participants and were automatically stored on this PC (a " migration ").

Economics / accounting

To cripple a system, attackers often use the possibility of " flooding " ( flooding ). An entire Exchange can counterfeit (file name does not match the content, spam ) are flooded, individual participants can be flooded with too many requests. To prevent this, a node must earn "trust" in GNUnet. Each participant shall keep records how he ( has, for example, a download A to B " something good" participants) trust someone and then rewards him accordingly with better treatment.

Decentralization

GNUnet depends only on startup of central services, namely when automatically contact information of other participants will be charged ( by the so-called " host list "). From then on, no central servers are required to download and run searches among the participants itself. The contents do not remain central to a subscriber, they " migrate " (see above ) to other participants, thus ensuring also that the publisher is relieved.

Openness

That " anonymous communications " is a market, some vendors have recognized the twilight and offer appropriate products. These are often characterized by the fact that only the finished program can be downloaded and the source code and thus the practical operation remains secret. GNUnet is a true open source software, which means it is known exactly how the software behaves and each extension will be distributed worldwide by e -mail to a large group of interested parties and specialists and archived on multiple websites. This ensures that no backdoors are smuggled. In addition, five scientific publications produced several lectures and complete documentation of the source code and are each available for inspection.

Friend -to -Friend / Darknet

Optionally, GNUnet also be used as a private encrypted darknet or friend-to -friend - computer network. With the friend-to -friend option GNUnet provides the function of the IP addresses of the directly connected friends and in turn their friends, etc. to exchange information and files anonymously. GNUnet connects these two options only with authorized trusted nodes (friends). User authentication is done here by using digital signatures.

GNU Name System

GNUnet includes an implementation of GNU Name System ( GNS ), a decentralized and censorship resistant replacement for the Domain Name System. In GNS each user maintains his own master zone, which is displayed in the DNS name space under the. Gnu -top -level domain. Users can assign subdomains to zones that are managed by other users. Queries of entries of other users are handled by GNUnet distributed hash table. A big problem with this approach is that names are not unique in the world, making the use of proxy servers and other workarounds is necessary in order to meet the needs of older applications can meet.

Related Projects

• Retroshare
• I2P
• Freenet
• Tor ( network)