In need of a few good anons for a new project
Mission Statement
It has become apparent that general Anon communications via the “old standard” of IRC has been impossibly abused rendering it almost a megaphone to feds and derailing trolls. System Admins and Channel Ops have routinely exhibited censorship and tendencies to form power groups which centralize and direct Anon activities. This is unacceptable and truly goes against the original ideas of Anonymous, therefore we must make a change in the way we EQUALLY communicate to disallow these power centers.
The rationale to create this new model is with the intent of fixing problems with the existing irc networks that are unaddressable without a radical change in the entire protocol and concept. This is not to say that the purpose for the project is to replace ANYTHING, but only to add in a different and less potentially abusable method of communication and interaction for Anon users. Here , we are referring to the Anons that have not lost sight of the original premise , and who don’t want to follow, but think and act TOGETHER. Remember? Divided by ZERO? It still applies, and without it, we are lost. The fundamental Problem, and why we need to fix it:
Existing Anon IRC networks are hierarchical in nature both in terms of topology and in terms of power. Users are forced to be subservient to operators, and central HUB sites have known to resort to extortion to force their will upon others.
IRC has survived over two decades, in a world that is increasingly image- and video-based. IRC can offer neither of those easily. It is tired, it is old, and in need of replacement for this and many other reasons, not the least of which is it’s forced hierarchical structure.
These paradigm changes are necessary because the existing method of handling abuse on a case-by-case basis in IRC is ineffective and becomes completely unworkable in large networks. Also, anytime you give someone the power to control these abuses it seems inevitable that that power is abused. As long as the existing hierarchy is maintained (which is fundamentally forced if using IRC as a framework) , there is an ultimate limit to the size that the current network can grow and retain any functionality at all. If you don’t see this already, you are not looking hard enough.
What we’re working on: The DarkMatter network , as proposed, exists for the users. While minimum responsibility system “maintainers” are still necessary , it does not exist for the opers or server admins, it exists for the users. In fact, the model removes current hierarchy and power abuses, we believe, as much as possible. Cyber-activism can’t be directed and controlled by a select few, we must revisit the model of earlier solidarity and equality, not the fragmented state of chaos and suspicion that exists today.
The DarkMatter network will evolve into a more fully meshed architecture in order to address these and other fundamental problems inherent in all existing IRC based networks. Some key points about the current prototype DarkMatters system concept:
- -DarkMatter systems do -not- run on the hierarchical IRC model and therefore cannot be abused in the aforementioned ways.
- -DarkMatter systems are more like a secure menu-driven , services based system than a conventional IRC.
- -DarkMatter systems , although they do support real-time multi-user and private person-to-person chat in “channels”, have other functions such as file sharing, voting on issues, etc.
- -The DarkMatter concept does not allow for easy direct conversation logging. The chat function is for -CHAT-, not for copy/pasting and documenting your current project or woes against another user, etc. and certainly not (as in irc) to be utilized as in blackmail or otherwise hurt other users.
- -An internal anonymous email system is provided , as well as areas for “group voting” on group-identified issues, and a document storage area for retrieval by ALL the users is provided as well.
- -There is no hierarchy, there are no chiefs in DarkMatter. There are no channel operators with special powers. Everyone is on an even playing field. Everyone has an equal voice. Everyone has access to any control commands present.
- -There is no kick/ban function. There is a command that sets off an action if many users activate it, which send the messages of the “offending” user to a dedicated channel; For 15 minutes if 5 users activate the command, one hour if 10, one day if more. Others may join this dedicated channel and read the messages while the targeted user is not banned from the first channel and can read others messages, so then therefore there is no censorship implied or imposed, it is just a method to “keep the general peace” as enacted by the system.
- -Bots on DarkMatter nodes. Now, all that exists is a simple helper bot with no function other than to help users understand and use the system , do basic tasks, and for user entertainment purposes. Bots are scripted with a “Brain Editor” not coded with php, etc. Users will be given bot-development software for utilizing this functionality. There is no support for bot-nets or malicious scripting bots. irc bots are not supported, but work-alikes are easily implemented for users.
- -No scripts, as in IRC , are supported whatsoever. It is not irc-based, and never will be.
- -The use of secure Tor sockets and non-irc related ports
- -The system architecture , which relies on Tor, has absolutely no IP logging mechanism.
- Fact: A TOR file of data stream is split in 3 or more than 3 ways between more than 1 computer. No 1 node (or computer) will ever get the full file you download or send. So they only get 1/3 of it. Now out of that “1/3″ they can see everything is encrypted with 128bit encryption. No common law enforcement can break the encryption (only NSA can) and it takes a supercomputer to do it. So the only thing they can see is tidbits of encrypted info.
There are several parts to TOR called nodes that can be used to our advantage. You can hide your IP Address from -TOR- itself for another layer of anonymity by using your own proxy before TOR reads and send you traffic. The biggest flaw of TOR is an exit node. Exit nodes are not encrypted but TOR has included a program called HTTS that is now included with TOR. It encrypts your last bit of info out of the exit node.
Another good proxy program the government hasn’t touched yet is “JAP”. We might concern ourselves with a like system that uses JAP if we find that Tor has too many REAL vulnerabilities, not the “theoretical” ones that have rarely been shown to matter in real-life testing. http://anon.inf.tu-dresden.de/index_en.html
- -Connection to a DarkMatter server requires nothing more than a properly configured open source client such as PuTTY. In the future, we are considering a custom client effort, but this will depend upon interest by technical supporters.
- -There is no web-client access to a DarkMatter node. Adding in a web-client to a DarkMatter system just opens up another attack vector and set of vulnerabilities, so this will likely never be supported.
- -Any non Tor connection request is refused, i.e. forced anonymity. If a user attempts to connect to a DarkMatter server without adhering to connection rules that force anonymity, they are turned away. Period.
- -There is only an .onion address for each DarkMatter node.
- -DarkMatter will be Inclusive by nature, not Exclusive as current IRC based systems tend to dictate. No cliques are encouraged or wanted. Philosophically, this is a direct democracy system only. Join AnonOPs if you prefer leadership and if you are a follower not a leader. In DarkMatter, everyone is equal. Like it or not.
Some preliminary technical details in brief: The system , as envisioned and now in a very early alpha phase of development, is not based upon standard , and very security-feeble Open Source irc code. It relies on a dual layer remote login, security gateways utilizing complex passwords, encryption, and Tor for anonymity functions.
The system supports multiple OS’s on the client and server sides NOW, but is in need of various important customizations. A (now) private repository for joint-advanced development is in progress and will be available for review by selected contributors/developers very soon.
The system, now, is menu-based upon services, for example, chat, file libraries, internal secure anon email functions, custom user setting adjustments,
Right now, login is accomplished through a client application, generically, based upon PuTTY or similar open source direct port connect applications, these tailored specifically for complex server interconnect rules , Tor proxy and custom proxy configuration settings, plus other layered anonymity based and security based layers. the prototype, as it exists now, is accessed thru a terminal emulation front-end, therefore, is not optimized sufficiently yet due to its generic nature. Customized settings and plugins the emulator are then supported somewhat sufficiently now, but need optimization and more customized solutions. Non-standard IPs and ports are also utilized, along with a long term goal solution for hard-to-predict combinations which are regularly updated , encrypted, to clients authorized to use the system(s). More exists in the spec, but for now this is all we can quickly tabulate – this pad will be updated frequently and collaborative coding and planning spaces are to be offered to interested parties in the Anon community.
Prerequisites for inclusion in this project as a developer are as follows: The ability to work with others, follow and understand rather complex software engineering goals, and not to attempt make this effort a one-man / one power center show. It goes against the philosophy of the project, and we have such dead-ended developed applications already that we will not name here but are quite well recognized. We are NOT rewriting the internet, we have seen the abject failure of such radical approaches from evidence like low user acceptance, very complex software configuration which are not at all well-suited for the masses of (non-technical) Anons in the global community, and other reasons too numerous to list here but readily apparent to objective and-unbiased reviewers and developers with no agenda for hidden control or spying mechanisms.
Advanced C/C++ experience: We want to make this a respected and pro-Anon software developer solution, not a newbie playground destined for failure.
Software testing experience and a full understanding and ACCEPTANCE of these software application design rule philosophies, in general: http://www.multicians.org/thvv/proverbs.html
Finally, it should be noted that the effort required to produce a current revision is a tiny fraction of the effort that will be required for the original final core and that we are at ORIGINAL status level, with only general principles of operation and user functionalities clearly define and utilizing less-than-optimized or vetted code, in addition to generic starting points for the long-term effort. Yes these approaches are proven by years of similar development but in need of advanced customizations and module additions to reach the goal.
If you fit this description of a team player who really wants to make a difference that will hang-in with the project for more than a passing association, and allow for a new paradigm of Anon communications, please do ask to be included. We need you. The project will be extensive in scope, but not insanely so. Perfection only exists in nature, not software coding skills, we know that already.
The whole enchilada in a conceptual easy-to-understand shell: THIS IS NOT a how-to manual, it’s a pad that is a call for serious contributors. If we have to tell people how to do it, why bother? That is the purpose of multiple heads, to make new and better methods, but based on the software engineering models basic core values and experiments performed to date to prove general concepts.
We are Anonymous , have SHOULD no ego about this, other than that it is a necessary core idea-set for the freeing of current control structures imposed by the old ways of irc, even the clever but still hierarchically constrained bolt-ons to irc that exist today as alternatives. Again , no need in revisiting that which is an obvious dead-end.
Some approaches are still a huge vulnerability no matter how “popular” or mass-accepted. No matter what you fix, patch , or convolute by virtue of its hierarchical structure, irc approaches are still based upon easily discovered fundamental code problems and imposed and screwed up forced power structures impossible to remove from the model.
/* <Technical experiments to date, soon to be explictily described, please be patient it is not a simple system nor is it remotely cut in stone as to it’s precise coding on a few fronts yet. We have an idea, some supportive evidence that it will work, and it addresses other issues not yet addressed for the Anon community , but hugely needed in a more TRULY conceived of direct-democracy driven multi-group/ multi-user system. :-) >
- /
It was necessary that technical solutions to problems of control and censorship abuse be found and implemented so that eventually ops and the power and frequent abuses that go with them in irc based Anon ircs will no longer be necessary. DarkMatter, as a concept, and basic experiments we have performed to date, show that ours is a viable option worthy of more advanced development. If you are not convinced yet, fine, but:
We, as stated above, are looking for additional programmers and to get the prototype DarkMatter servers to have the capabilities we need to allow for working 100% so the system can evolve beyond the current conceptual / cruder generically generated code example phase.
If you are interested in assisting us please contact: darkmatters-info@hushmail.com; See us in irc.cyberguerrilla.org #ideas
For further discourse, and selected strategic discussions, chat there with DMR_F in #ideas or pm him. This user will attempt (for now) to field all comms and direct them to internal resources and others involved in this project until we switch over to the beta-level systems completely for internal security reasons.
LULZ and all the best, Thanks for reading our short Intro Pad about the effort.
- Sincerely,
- ANONDARKMATTER_REACTORGROUP_1
- http://www.freeanons.info New_Chat_System_Project
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