"wo0t!!1!"
Posted on 09/23/2006 12:27:40 AM PDT by Panerai
Hacktivismo, a group of human-rights advocates and computer security experts, has released a Firefox-based browser designed to allow anonymous Web surfing.
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.com ...
ping
The answer for the Great Firewall of China?
Also, though not relevant to Torpark, the TOR network has in general the advantage over privacy by proxy in that TOR supports keeping both parties to the conversation secret. The privacy proxy's allow you to access a public web server without exposing your internet address to them, but not to exchange messages or data with someone else when both parties want the communication kept secret.
"wo0t!!1!"
It's pretty nifty, but IIRC, it's only directly usable in Windows.
You'd pretty much have to install tor and privoxy along with Firefox to the USB stick if you wanted something for Mac or Linux...
These aren't noble activists performing an altruistic deed for to sake of any cause. These are the type of hackers who refer to themselves as 'social engineers', and don't give a damn about who they victimize.
Influential? This is the first mention I've heard of the Dead Cow in several years.
Back in the 1990's they had a small IRC network but it's long gone now.
If memory serves, their primary "server" on IRC was called "udder" or something like that. They developed several windows based Trojans.
Back Orifice is actually a remote system admin tool, like those from Microsoft and others. However, the fact that it's small and fairly stealty makes it perfect for use as a trojan payload by attackers.
cDc put out a tool that would turn a legitimate application's setup into a wrapper for the B.O. installer.
People should be extremely wary of running software associated with this group.
It seems to be very sloooow.
It's a POS.
Now it is a gone POS.
yea, I deleted it too. It was horrible.
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