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Preface:
This work is currently under going daily changes. It is a work in progress.
It is the intention of the authors not to duplicate works that are under open source copyright agreements that already accomplish some objectives of the project being worked on. This results in many revisions of the current essay, sometimes requiring a full rewrite.
We apologize in advance.
An Open Publishing Work
“The Project”
By Daniel Foscarini (Vancouver, BC Canada)
and Blair DuCray-Oppat (Toms River, NJ USA)
December 2003 © copyright GNU/GPL
Revision: October 2004 © copyright GNU/GPL
http://www.opensource.org/licenses/gpl-license.php
Table of Contents:
Preface
1
Title Page
2
Preamble
6
Introduction
7
Decentralized Communications
9
The Messor Module
The Spider Module
The Google Method
Bayes theorem
Cluster Networking
Pyramid
Anonymous Systems
Mixmaster
IIP/I2P
Freenet/Entropy
Encryption Methods
RSA
File Transfers
Acknowledgments
Appendix “A” copyright agreement
Appendix “B” GPG Public Keys of Authors
Glossary
List of Abbreviations
Bibliography
List of Illustrations:
Current freenet/entropy Node
Altered freenet/entropy Node
Packet headers
List of Tables:
Preamble:
I'm going to ask you here to use your imagination for a bit. I need you to try and picture a massive network consisting of every communication medium available to the human race, each connected seamlessly. Now attached to this network are individuals running clients that allow them to send data totally secure across this network.
A place where each person's identity is completely secure and safe from prying eyes. Think of this network as a safe haven for freedom of thought, freedom to FREE education, freedom to gather with out persecution from any form of body. This network will be an all inclusive institution of learning.
With everything from apple growing, to zipper making, it will be the "Big Endless Book of HOW TO", enabling the everyday person to be free of restrictions from the corporate world, to the governmental one in every sense. Now try and come up with a name that describes this network in its fullest extent, we had the same problem.
Our goal here by producing this project is to create this very network so as to safeguard equality and freedom down to the very basic level, the individual.
- Blair DuCray-Oppat
Introduction:
"The blind don't lead the blind, people walk around with their eyes closed."
- Daniel Foscarini
"Lady Justice isn't blind, she sees all before her.
She is mute, with no one to speak up for her."
Blair DuCray-Oppat
The Phoenicians (3500 BC to 2900 BC) were the inventors of the alphabet, this new form of communication helped the society grow into city-states from small villages. It supported the monarch lead democracy, the first recorded democracy known. It allowed these people to create marine charts, making the Phoenicians the most successful trading society of it's time.
Every advancement in communication since then as lead to a new paradigm in civilization, from the time the Greeks created the first library in 530 BC, to AT&T's telephone lines of the 1960's. These very same advancements have led to greater freedom of information, as well as resulting in attempts to hinder the same knowledge. Throughout history there have been those that have tried to use their knowledge to control the masses. Even the church has used it's knowledge of Latin to keep their followers ignorant of the truth.
By allowing the masses to communicate for free, and providing all knowledge to all people, without fear of retribution, the creators of this project hope to bring to the masses a new paradigm of Solidarity.
This essay describes the issues and goals of “The Project”.
There are four segments involved:
Decentralized Anonymous Communications,
Freedom of Knowledge,
Volunteer Based Essential Services,
Solidarity.
The first part of The Project is to create a decentralized anonymous communications network. For the purpose of this essay we refer to a system that does not contain any form of a HUB and uses secure encryption methods to transfer data in real time.
It may become necessary to evolve small packets with inherent identifiers within the packet headers, due to problems with transferring large files over ham radio systems. As of yet, we currently have no need of such a setup, however, this must be kept in mind for further developments.
Compression is a secondary concern. Each mini-packet must be signed and confirmed to authenticate authorship, as well as include headers to gather the rest of the larger achieve. The entire decentralized network will use these small packets to transfer information from one form of medium to another. This standard should be broad enough to encompass packet transmission from Internet formats, and convert to short-wave radio and Ham Radio transmissions.
Decentralized networks provide service in three forms. They become difficult to obstruct as the spectrum increases. They should maintain privacy in both source of transmission and identity of receivers. It allows an individual organization to specialize aspects of “The Project” to fit their needs. An example is the Linux Development source. A1 Due to the success of this existing system all programming source is to be under the Gnu Public License, or similar open source agreements. A2 In addition, actual works that become part of the secondary scope of the project should also be under similar terms, such as achieved works.
The Second part is largely an achieve based data initiative, collectively a “HowTo” resource. “Learning Objects” A3 should become a primary method to exchange the tutorial base, as well as self-help styled ebooks. The scope of subjects should be progressive in origin and branch out into many technical and broad materials, the limits of which should see no end.
It is foreseen that if the first two steps of this project are successful, in both popularity of use, and completing their task, Then the possibility to form collectives which are secure from outside pressure become possible as well as Volunteer Based Essential Services. In addition, Learning Objects within the system should be encouraged to this end.
In addition, it is also hoped that this means of communication and the free exchange of knowledge without harassment, will result in a culture of Solidarity.
Daniel Foscarini
Decentralized Communications:
The Messor Module:
The Messor method of decentralizing a network, involves a process by which users of the system send a request, which generates a set of actions within the system. These search actions are random, to meet the request of the user, with a pooling of successful requests being added to a database.
The method never actually leaves it's roots of being completely random, however the results tend to create a set of databases that can speed the process by gathering more data that is similar in nature to the requests.
“As an instance of CAS (complex adaptive systems) drawn from nature, consider an ant colony. Several species of ants, in particular those belonging to the Messor Sancta species, are known to group objects in their environment (e.g., dead corpses) into piles so as to clean up their nests. Observing this behavior, one could be mislead into thinking that the cleanup operation is being coordinated by some “leader” ants. Resnick [18] describes an artificial ant colony exhibiting this very same behavior in a simulated environment. Resnick’s artificial ant follows three simple rules: (i) wanders around randomly, until it encounters an object; (ii) if it was carrying an object, it drops the object and continues to wander randomly; (iii) if it was not carrying an object, it picks the object up and continues to wander. Despite their simplicity, a colony of these “unintelligent” ants is able to group objects into large clusters, independent of their initial distribution.” - Messor A8
The advantage of using the Messor method is the ability to gather randomly placed nodes in a network. This means that there would be no need for each node to also act as a Hub for other nodes, each would be independent in it's search, and tasks. The search criteria could be any standard setup in advance, such as a random search of addresses.
The disadvantages are the time involved during the maturing of a nodes, and the pooled data itself may result in a database of addresses of nodes which desire to remain anonymous.
An example of this disadvantage would be akin to a search script which seeks out nodes a Messor network. As the script gathers positive results, it stores this information in a database. All the adverse user would have to do is investigate the database to find the nodes in question.
A
counter measure against such an attack would be to use an existing
network, and “piggy-back” onto it. Therefore increasing the
target range beyond the ability of such an attack to be of any real
threat, however this causes the maturing rate of nodes to grow in
direct ratio to the size of the network. If TCP/IP's were used as
search addresses, the maturing rate for a node in the network would
be years, for a single positive result.
The Spider Module:
Search engines, use a spider method to index web pages on the Internet. Generally, spiders use key words defined in the meta tags of the HTML source code to place the result in the correct database. Finding of the the originating web pages is done by direct entry, or a systematic search of a range of IP's. (See also: Google Method)
Another well known spider like program is used by spammers to gather email addresses from newsgroup postings, web pages etc, otherwise known as email harvesters, these programs download Usenet posts and search the headers and bodies of messages, for addresses to be added to a database.
Usenet by it's very nature is decentralized to begin with, this format of communication in many ways is ideal for nodes to pass addresses through. With the additional security of using anonymous remailers each message could provide The Project with a means for nodes to add their address databases.
There are a few problems with such a method.
First, it lacks real time communciation, although this maybe a method for creating and updating networks for the purpose of real time communication, it cannot be useful as a sole means of database creation.
Secondly, unless another means of creating connections other then IP's even when proxies are used, the information passed, even when encrypted, becomes available for anyone running a node which posts to usenet.
The Google Method:
Bayes theorem:
Cluster Networking:
Pyramid:
Anonymous Systems:
Mixmaster:
IIP/I2P:
Freenet/Entropy:
Encryption Methods:
RSA:
Data Packets:
Standards:
File Transfers:
There have been several attempts in the recent past to accomplish at least one or another part of this project by others to at least some degree of success.
Napster A4 was perhaps was the most well known peer to peer network, however it was not completely decentralized or anonymous and this lead to it's downfall. Freenet/Entropy,A5 however has had greater success at keeping it's user base secret, but searching for files becomes not only laborious but limited at the early stages of node creation (it is important to note here that it the current nature of freenet/entropy to be “slow” in regards to new nodes, as each node matures the process speeds up) A5. With this current system it may be possible to alter the system of nodes which exist in freenet/entropy to server our purpose.
Under the current system of the freenet/entropy Project achieved works which are of a great importance to The Project might get deleted by lack of use as compared to other files in use by the user base of the freenet/entropy project.
The proposal is to create a compatible file transfer system which could link and use the current system of freenet/entropy. Thereby reducing the amount of original source code building that will be necessary to complete the project.
Achieves could then be flagged and placed in the node core, thereby protecting them from deletion by the current system. There maybe an addition problem in regards to locating the achieves by a user using the projects system of headers within the compression type we plan to use. It maybe therefore necessary to create a client for the system as well which can send requests to search the headers of the achieves.
Files which follow this basic format will allow help provide a means to recompile larger data from smaller packets, as well as help locate addition resources for such. This becomes necessary when transferring large amounts of data via alternative means of communications.
Smaller packets become necessary when moving data from binary format to analog format, due to the nature of transmission and the possibility of corruption from atmosphere interruptions. By incorporating smaller packets which can be recompiled confirmations of accuracy become easier and faster.
An additional benefit of this approach is the ability to gather the remaining achieve from multiply sources, in the event that one connection to the decentralized network becomes unstable.
Node Control:
OBJECTS:
If the customized small packets of this system can be referred to as the blood of the network, then the Objects are it's heart.
A smaller version of this project is currently running on IRC networks. Although it is currently using a combination of programming and scripts from various methods, it's primary purpose is to test each concept to it's maturity, or demise.
One of the successes is the development of an argument method between bots.
ROUGH>>
How the argue works...
each script or module or program or feature is an "object" for
the rest of this rough stuff
the first thing the owner sets is a priority value the number
can be 1 to anything
if the number is higher then the "objects" then all objects
will
almost always run unless your connected to a lot of bots
the second thing the owner sets value of priority for each
object
a value of "0" (zero) means that object is NEVER run it is
turned off
EXAMPLE: the bot EKO have a priority for running object set
to 3
MAIN IRC SERVER has a value of 67
EMAIL has a value of 56
Usenet a value of 45
and ICQ a value 34
AIM 23
yahoo messenger 12
HAM RADIO 1
FSERV 0
If EKO does not connect to any other bots it will run
MAIN IRC
AND USENET
and nothing else
if it does connect to a bot which also runs EMAIL
with a value of 57 (and nothing else for this example)
then EKO will run
MAIN IRC
USENET
And ICQ ...
and so on
EKO will always run the highest valued OBJECT this will
also be the first thing other bots use to connect to your bot
the values change as they are passed off to other bots,
except for the
highest valued object, that will always have a +5 value to any other object
there are a couple of odd things that happen as well...
there are different groups of objects...
they can be 1 to max
there is always at least one group...
lets say that you run an email object...
which is to say that your Comlink can get and send email via a email pop3 account
you want to only use this object if no other bots are also doing so.. as in several bots share access to the same pop3 account..
then the object email would be put in group 1 end of story
rough stuff and thoughts on EKO 7
-start a buffer line. like a party line
everything coming in to the bot or going out
goes through the buffer line only the owner can
join the buffer line
-have a call function which looks for other bots via...
every Comlink
-if no other bots are found run one Comlink (priority 1)
-use Comlink one to search for other bots.. if no other bots are found..
run another Comlink -priority 2
- repeat pattern above for all priorities, the number
of priority's is from 1 to max
- if all priorities are running or if another bot is found then....
-assume all bots already online have just joined the party line
and call them "new"
-ask each new bot what they are already doing...
if what they are doing is EXACTLY the same as what you do
argue with them so only one of you do it
-ask each bot what they CAN do
if what they CAN do is exactly the same as what you can do
argue with them so that ONE of you do it
Learning Objects:
VBES:
Conclusions:
Acknowledgments:
PAC -for additional telnet options and flag ideas, not to mention "city" stuff ;)
MidiRain -western union knowledge, pay pal, Ecash, phreaking, and many other odds and ends
Foxtrot -Takeover programming, and Warbot protection
V3M___ -For Packet Ham Radio testing, Bug fixes, equipment suggestions, Radio Voice Mail Circuits
STAFF of The "______ DAWN" fishing boat - for a free ride on the west coast and information on marine radios and Internet access at sea
A Former Disgruntled Employee of VIACOM - For information on "using" 800 pagers accounts, with shortwave radios
Those who are "off-the-grid" - For the collection and creation of so many "HowTo" ebooks for the "NEO-COT" part of this project. And helping Information to be free.
TJ "Jesus Freak" Duffy - For connections to the underground and fighting for the protection of children and parents in KKKanada
Acknowledgments:(cont.)
In regards to the IRC bots:
Many Thanks to our testers and scriptwriters:
Freeze -Windrop Compatibility, and relay testing
PA -non-interactive channel testing
SkippyOE -file serve testing
Leaf -COMLINK Web Cam and MSN testing
os -flood and loop testing
InnerRainbow -COMLINK yahoo, AOL, ICQ testing
Trapper -COMLINK Phreaking circuits testing and building
augusto -encryption and decryption testing
earthman -ssh, ssl, trace route, host mask testing
WhizDNR -COMLINK IPhone compatibilities
Geckox -Nickserv, Chanserv, Memoserv testing via Comlink
Crow -Takeover testing and scripting
Scottc/sissyman -Partyline commands testing
PsiSeraph -help file testing and proof reading
clarknova -Hack and Brute Force testing
anthrax -Public access terminal testing and web interface testing
Phychotron -Channel Command testing
ADDITIONAL THANKS TO MANY FRIENDS WHO HELPED WITH THE PROJEST'S OTHER STUFF
SHOUTS OUT TO: CORE-COMMAND, Earth Liberation Front, Animal Liberation Front, Earth First, Anarchist Black Cross, Anarchist Red Cross, Earth Liberation Army, NETLINK-CITIZENS, Deltawave, Danath, RedWood Mafia, Mohawk Warriors, Six Nations, Crimethinc, Digihitch, Rainbow Family of Living Light, Anti-Racist Action, Sourceforge, The NEW LOFT, Manhattan 2600's, Montreal 2600's, Toronto Yonge Street Posse, The "Family" (Toronto), Dyce, UJEAN (NY-NYC), The Terminator Breakfast Club NYC, "REZ", L33T (Paris, France), The Fishermen Resistance, The BASIN FARM Commune, TREESPIKE, La Queena Collective (Vancouver), P4ck3tSt0rm, END-TIME Survivors, UFO RESISTANNCE (New Mexico) .... and to freedom fighters everywhere to which this project is dedicated.
Appendix: (1..)
Glossary:
ANONYMOUS PROXY SERVER:
“... What is an anonymous proxy server?
Any web site in the world can track your movements through its pages and monitor your reading interests using your IP address, a unique ID assigned to each computer on the Internet. Depending on the policies of the Internet resource, you might not be able to get access to the information you need. Also, your visit can be registered and used later to gather some personal information about you. ... The anonymous proxy prevents this by hiding your IP address so that no one can access your computer via the network. In most cases, however, proxies do inform the target server about the address of the computer that made the request, transmitting your IP-address in different forms. Anonymous (real anonymous!) proxy servers don't transfer the information about the IP-address of the client, and thus effectively hide the information about you and your surfing interests.“ -RIKIJO-C1
remailer/s:
data packet: data divided into packets of about a hundred bits for transmission B1
HUB: <networking> (By analogy with the hub of a wheel) A device connected to several other devices. In ARCnet, a hub is used to connect several computers together. In a message handling service, a number of local computers might exchange messages solely with a hub computer. The hub would be responsible for exchanging messages with other hubs and non-local computers. A6
Learning Object: “... software that uses the true power of the computer to present educational material ... Learning Objects could take two forms ... Self-study applications ... Teacher led - projector style – lessons ... “ A3
Node: An addressable device attached to a computer network A6 , in the case of the freenet/entropy project it also acts as an anonymous proxy.
Objects: for our purposes, the word objects refers to any program, module, script or feature of a decentralized node which can be turned off or on by another node in the network or the operator.
Bots: “An IRC bot is a program that sits in an IRC channel around the clock, keeping it open 24 hours a day. It looks just like a normal user on the channel, but is usually idle until it's called upon to perform a particular function.” A7
List of Abbreviations:
IRC : Inter Relay Chat
Bibliography:
A1- Browne, Christopher B. “Linux and Decentralized Development”
First Monday: Peer-Reviewed Journal. The University of Illinois,
Chicago Library
Online:. Http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/issue3_3/browne/index.html
December 19th 2003
A2- “The Approved Licenses” Open Source Initiative (OSI),
(Multiple Locations) Online. http://www.opensource.org/licenses/
December 19th 2003
A3- “Open Source in Education” ZYTRAX, Inc.
Montreal, QC, Canada Online. http://www.zytrax.com/open/education.html#manifesto
December 19th 2003
A4- “History of Napster” Marcus, Sandra
University of Tennessee at Knoxville,
Online. http://web.utk.edu/~smarcus/History.html
December 21st 2003
A5a- FREENET “The Free Network Project” Clarke, Ian. SourceForge.net
(Multiple Locations)
Online: http://freenet.sourceforge.net/index.php?page=ngrouting
December 21st 2003
A5b- ENTROPY
A6- Computer Dictionary Online, Cicero FOP
Online: http://www.computer-dictionary-online.org/?q=node
December 21st 2003
A7- “What is an Eggdrop?” Slennox. Egghelp.org
Englewood, CO. USA Online: http://www.egghelp.org/whatis.htm
December 31st 2003
A8- “Messor: Load-Balancing through a Swarm of Autonomous Agents”
Montresor, Alberto. Meling, Hein. and Babao, Ozalp.
Department of Computer Science, University of Bologna.
Bologna (Italy)
Department of Telematics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Trondheim (Norway)
Online: http://www.cs.unibo.it/babaoglu/papers/
July 2002
B1- Meadows, A.J.; Gordon, M.; Singleton, A. “Dictionary of New Information Technology” (Century Publishing CO. Ltd., London ISBN: 0-7126-0019-1 ) p. 46
C1- RIKIJO <rikijo@home.com> (2000/08/03) “All about proxies.. “
Available USENET: alt.hackers.malicious
December 21st 2003