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September 22, 2006 10:53 AM PDT
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The Web browser, called "Torpark," is a modified version of Portable Firefox. Released last week, it can be run directly from a USB drive, meaning it can be used on public terminals in cybercafes. It creates an encrypted connection to the TOR (The Onion Router) network, which supplies a succession of different IP addresses.
"Torpark causes the IP address seen by the Web site to change every few minutes, to frustrate eavesdropping and mask the requesting source," Hacktivismo said in a statement.
For example, a user could be in London and Web sites would see an IP address from a university in Germany, or other addresses belonging to the TOR network.
Hacktivismo operates under the aegis of the influential group the Cult of the Dead Cow. Developers said the browser is different from other anonymous browsers, such as Anonymizer or SecretSurfer, in that it doesn't cost anything and is small and portable.
Torpark uses English by default, but includes language packs for Arabic, German, French and simplified Chinese. More than 30 other language packs are available via links built into the browser, which is available here.
The Torpark site was available intermittently this week, because of heavy download traffic, developers said.
The browser encrypts data sent to the TOR network, but data isn't encrypted between TOR and the destination Web site, Hacktivismo cautioned. "Therefore, the user should not use his or her user name or password on Web sites that do not offer a secure login and session," the group stated.
The browser session is somewhat slower than with an unmodified browser, testers have reported. The browser resembles Firefox, but displays the IP address being used at the time, and includes a button for resetting the server connection.
The official launch follows more than a year of development work on Torpark. A sister application called Torbird is also available; it uses the TOR network for e-mail.
Matthew Broersma reported for ZDNet UK from London.
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the tor network is a great concept.. however, its under tight control of some of the biggest abusers of civil liberities the net has ever known!
if only a select "power hungry" few are able to peer into the traffic.. shouldnt everyones traffic be viewable to all?
the tor network needs everyones attention.. in the meantime.. that trackmenot plugin "could" secure not just "democracy" but even "capitalism"... hey! what a concept!
Other than only being able to use it where a firewall is not used, it's a great concept.
EFF's site: http://tor.eff.org/
That probably explains the double-take reaction to the group being referred to as good guys.
I did a little research and found this:
Back Orifice:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_Orifice
Tor:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tor_(anonymity_network)
I wonder if Eff's endorsment of Tor implies an endorsement of Cult of the Dead Cow.
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If you control the firewall and can authorize connecting to the port, then no problems.
If you have a way to connect to TOR using only standard ports, then also no problem.
- Torpark Installer
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by Tephlon
September 26, 2006 1:12 PM PDT
- Even though Torpark is a portable application, there are many people who might be interested in trying it out who are not comfortable with a "no install" installation. Thus, I have created a Torpark installer and a step-by-step guide for using it.
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Reply to this comment
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See all 22 Comments >>If anyone is interested, the installer and guide are available from http://www.dailycupoftech.com/?page_id=165.