Eluding Carnivores: File Sharing with Strong Anonymity
📜 Abstract
We present Tarzan, a peer-to-peer anonymous IP network overlay and a file-sharing system. Tarzan is designed to provide strong anonymity and robustness against current adversaries known as Carnivores, which are widely used for surveillance. The system utilizes both encryption and a layered network topology to obfuscate the network paths. We describe several aspects of Tarzan including structure, data flow, and possible attacks resistant to the design choices.
✨ Summary
The paper “Eluding Carnivores: File Sharing with Strong Anonymity” introduces Tarzan, a peer-to-peer overlay network aimed at providing strong anonymity for users against surveillance. Authored by Michael J. Freedman and Robert Morris and published in May 2002, it outlines the design of a file-sharing system that utilizes encryption and a layered network topology to hide user identities and activities from network adversaries. This work contributes significantly to the field of computer security and distributed systems by offering a robust method for maintaining user anonymity in file-sharing networks.
A web search for this paper indicates that it is often referenced in studies relating to network anonymity and peer-to-peer systems, reflecting its importance in these areas. The Tarzan system proposed in this paper has been cited in subsequent works focusing on improving network anonymity protocols and conducting anonymization effectiveness analyses. For instance, the paper has been referenced in discussions of network privacy solutions, like those seeking to enhance existing anonymization mechanisms (source, source). However, specific widespread industry adoption of this particular system is not evident from available data, indicating its primary influence remains within academic and research-focused initiatives.