Meet The New TorProject.org

I think TP doing its own outreach events is an essential part of growing user trust around the globe, and also will surely help bring in badly needed grassroots contributions from around the globe.

Liasing with like-minded organizations is also very important. In Latin America, one of the most important is Derechos Digitales (Digital Rights; derechosdigitales.org), which is based in Santiago, Chile but also works in other Spanish/Portugese speaking countries.

Speaking of which, about the translation work: we should bear in mind that translation works both ways! One of the best written documents I have seen urging NGOs and individuals to use Tor and even to consider running an exit node was written by Derechos Digitales for Tor promotion in Mexico. This is a lovely poster with terrific artwork (eye candy can attract new friends!) and I urge anyone seeking inspiration to get a copy. It can be found at derechosdigitales.org under Publications (look for "Use Tor!").

With the permission of the moderator, here is my somewhat free translation into English:

Often one associates anonymity with undesirable or even illegal behaviour. However, anonymity guarantees the right to express ourselves freely, to associate freely with others, and to engage in social protest and political dissidence; it allows us communicate and to access information in repressive contexts.

Who could benefit from using a tool like Tor?

o Internet users trying to avoid censorship in their country or region.
o Journalists communicating with at-risk sources.
o People who want to report an illicit act, but fear reprisal.
o People that suffer from a stigmatised illness and who require information and support.
o People opposed to tracking of their on-line activities.
o And many more.

Join Tor!

Install an exit node in your organisation. Internet anonymity allows us to protect privacy, promote freedom of expression and combat censorship.

Tor is both a software and an international community devoted to protect our identity on line.

Why it is important to create more Tor exit nodes in Latin America?

The Tor network is possible thanks to the guards, relay and exit nodes, that pipe information in order to guarantee the anonymity of data transport. The network is more robust to the extent that there are more available nodes and more people surfing through Tor.

In Latin America, where governments are constantly enacting laws fostering monitoring and massive cybersurveillance dragnets, we can defend our privacy rights by promoting anonymous communication between people, anonymized websurfing, and the installation of Tor nodes by individuals, organisations and institutions, because up to now our participation in the world-wide network does not reach 2%. We need to improve this figure.

What is Tor?

Tor is a network of computers (called nodes), distributed around the world and maintained by volunteers, that allows anonymous connection to internet and hides who accesses which information, by means of Tor circuits.

The simplest way to use the Tor network is to use Tor Browser, a browser web that incorporates Tor-enabled anonymity.

Tor is created and maintained by the Tor Project, a nonprofit organization based in the United States.

How does Tor work?

When you visit a website, networking software establishes a direct connection between your device and the server that hosts the content you want to access. Through the IP assigned to our device, is possible to determine from where this connection was made. But when you do this through the Tor network, the connection is enciphered and redirected randomly through three distinct nodes, making it very difficult to determine who is accessing which information and from where.

On behalf of the Tor user, a Tor exit node needs to connect with the requested website. If somebody abuses the Tor network to commit an undue act, the IP of the node could be logged (and provided to authorities). Although the exit node operator cannot reasonably be held responsible in such a situation, it is necessary to be ready for accusations which could arise.

More information

Visit tor.derechosdigitales.org, a website created by Digital Rights which offers valuable information on Tor, its operation and the positive role which the Latin American community can play in promoting digital freedoms.

Install a Tor exit node

The Tor network works thanks to thousands of volunteers who maintain the nodes of which it is comprised, thus helping to defend the right to on-line privacy, freedom of expression, and to combat censorship.

The greater the number of exit nodes, the stronger, faster, and more stable the Tor network becomes. However there are very few exit nodes in Latin America. Thus, the help of organisations and institutions that which defend human rights is fundamental. Can you help out?

What technical capacity is required?

To guarantee the stability of the node, you need:
• at least 10 Mbps bandwidth exclusively for use by the Tor server,
• a fixed public IP address for the node,
• a router that allow open connections, with the capability to designate specific ports for specific services,
• a computer powered up 24/7, with at least 520 MB of RAM and 200 MB of disk space, exclusively for use of the Tor server.
• don't forget to check that your internet provider does not forbid the operation of Tor exit nodes.

Legal considerations

It anonymity legal in Mexico?

• Yes. Both the national Constitution and international agreements to which Mexico is a signatory recognise the right to anonymity, to privacy of the communications, and to freedom of expression.

It is legal to install a node of exit in Mexico?

• Yes. While there is not specific law protecting Tor, the law allows the use of tools for privacy protection and freedom of expression, which are internationally recognised human rights.

Are there any obstacles to the use of anonymity tools?

• No. The use of Tor is not subjected to any type of limitation: encryption tools are recognised as a means to guarantee the security and confidentiality of information. Likewise, internet providers cannot block access to any network, included those that allow the anonymous activity of their users. However, it is necessary to consider that the Federal Law of Telecommunications and Broadcast requires internet providers to store, for a period of 2 years, all the data related to the connection of their customers. This means that all the active connections associated with the IP of the exit node will be logged.

What can happen if an illicit act is committed by someone using the IP of my node of exit?

• In Mexico there exists no law holding the operator of an exit node responsible for any crimes enabled through use of the Tor network. However, a judge can order that computer equipment be confiscated as part of an investigation. The node operator has to cooperate at all times with the authorities and cannot refuse to provide any needed help for an authorized investigation, as this could constitute a crime.

Although it requires of some knowledge and technical capacities, installing a Tor exit node is relatively simple.

Installation in three steps

Install Tor

At tor.derechosdigitales.org you will find indications to install Tor under Debian, but you also can install Tor in other Linux distributions and some versions of BSD.

Configure the node

Assign it a name, a port and a bandwidth.
Indicate that you want your node to function as an Exit and Relay.

Testing the node

Restart and test the node. After of a couple of hours, look for the IP of your node in the public list of nodes available at torproject.org.

Recommendations for the installation

Assign a subdomain to the node: tor-exit.myorganization.org

Afterwards, add a note in the WHOIS registration, explaining that this IP belongs to a Tor exit node.

Create an HTML warning page, stating that this server is a Tor exit node and explaining the type of traffic that is allowed to pass through the node.

Do you have a strong commitment to privacy rights and freedom of expression? Do you want to be part of the Tor project? Maintaining a node can be a great help!

If you need you need more information or support, visit https://tor.derechosdigitales.org or write us at tor@derechosdigitales.org.