Zeronet offers “real-time updated, P2P websites using Bitcoin cryptography and the BitTorrent networ
18 replies, posted
"An interesting torrent site has just debuted which has the honor of being almost shutdown-proof. 'Play' has just appeared on Zeronet, a server-less P2P network that utilizes Bitcoin cryptography and BitTorrent technology. As a result Play might well be the first torrent site that offers magnet links while being hosted by its users."
Source: [url]https://torrentfreak.com/play-p2p-impossible-shutdown-160301/[/url]
TL;DR this is basically a functioning version of a magnet/torrent website that is completely decentralized and as such impervious to take downs resulting from DDoS/legal issues.
(Obviously such a service would only be used for the exchange of legal linux ISO files and music from guys who died like 600 years ago because piracy is bad)
Good, more decentralized stuff is always good.
[QUOTE=eirexe;49851266]Good, more decentralized stuff is always good.[/QUOTE]
I think what is most interesting is how a service like this which hosts webm or similar could easily overtake a service like YouTube in the space of just a few months.
So the takeaway is that when you're running the client/site you're also seeding and serving it to other users as well? I can see how the website itself can't be taken down, but given history it might give ban happy music labels etc. an incentive to start hammering down clients who are hosting the site as hard as users who download pirate content
[QUOTE=i_speel_good;49851274]So the takeaway is that when you're running the client/site you're also seeding and serving it to other users as well? I can see how the website itself can't be taken down, but given history it might give ban happy music labels etc. an incentive to start hammering down clients who are hosting the site as hard as users who download pirate content[/QUOTE]
Potentially. But you're basically just sharing magnet links which are likely encrypted across tor which is encrypted. I don't know the full answer to your question, but I assume the risk is minimal, and the larger the network the lower the risk.
Even if this option doesn't offer full protection for users, it is possible that using similar technology an option becomes available that offers much more protection to users.
Beyond what is shared on this network, the magnet links still carry the same legal risks as with any other torrents.
[QUOTE=Teddybeer;49852586]As you can browse it even when offline it could be useful like when Libya cut off internet. But probably just another of those projects you never will hear about again, torrents sort of needs to fix its anonymity problem which keeps growing.[/QUOTE]
Except that it is an actual working model at the moment. Magnet links and all (obviously only for legal linux ISO files). Usually people announce shit like this, promise a client soon, get a bunch of funding and fk all happens for eternity.
And not only does it provide torrent magnet links via different hosts etc it also has a reddit/twitter clone as well as encrypted private messaging.
Provided no flaws are found in it, it could easily gain a sizeable following.
Plus, installation is literally unzipping a folder and running a single file which runs some python scripts etc and you just run it from your web browser. No setup. Easy to use for anyone.
I'm both happy and sad, because I really like the idea and I was also working on it myself. This is a game-changer when it comes to keeping websites resistant to takedown. If it catches on, it's also probably going to be a viable alternative to supporting a website with ads.
[QUOTE=SashaWolf;49853987]I'm both happy and sad, because I really like the idea and I was also working on it myself. This is a game-changer when it comes to keeping websites resistant to takedown. If it catches on, it's also probably going to be a viable alternative to supporting a website with ads.[/QUOTE]
Yes it is a great alternative to traditional webhosting. The unfortunate side affect is that it can be used for hosting malicious content (CP, terrorism etc). But I still think it is an absolutely interesting development in decentralisation, if only because it has presented an "actual option" which exists rather than promising shit which may never exist.
So long as running a crypto client isn't equivocal to supporting illegal shit (CP or otherwise) then this may hold some weight.
hooray
Considering the system they seem to have for content modification by trusted individuals, and the extension for temporary trust tokens as well, it would be fully possible to do something like a community news site or blog.
I really want to play around with this technology, see how easy it is to build something like a blog or a forum.
This is pretty awesome. How does it differ from Tor? (I didn't read the article)
[QUOTE=cody8295;49858879]This is pretty awesome. How does it differ from Tor? (I didn't read the article)[/QUOTE]
TOR is still server based, it anonymizes the client. This removes the need for a central server to host content and instead relies on P2P. It does not make you anon by default like TOR but it makes sites hosted on this system much harder to take down.
It's like torrenting files but for websites. If a peer goes down, as long as there's other peers the content keeps working.
Slightly confused, is this sort of like how Limewire functioned?
[QUOTE=dedo678;49858938]Slightly confused, is this sort of like how Limewire functioned?[/QUOTE]
Limewire was p2p but didn't had bitcoin like encryption
This has a lot of potential. Hopefully it becomes widely-known, though, because otherwise it's wasted.
So this is like I2P or Freenet then? Just with the added bonus of a little better encryption? What exactly is the Bitcoin stype of encryption that makes it special? (Never dabbled in cryptocurrency)
[QUOTE=Revenge282;49860698]So this is like I2P or Freenet then? Just with the added bonus of a little better encryption? What exactly is the Bitcoin stype of encryption that makes it special? (Never dabbled in cryptocurrency)[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Bitcoin makes use of two hashing functions, SHA-256 and RIPEMD-160, but it also uses Elliptic Curve DSA on the curve secp256k1 to perform signatures.[/QUOTE]
[url]http://blog.ezyang.com/2011/06/the-cryptography-of-bitcoin/[/url]
Not sure how this utilizes any of em
[QUOTE=cody8295;49860720][url]http://blog.ezyang.com/2011/06/the-cryptography-of-bitcoin/[/url]
Not sure how this utilizes any of em[/QUOTE]
Features
Real-time updated sites
Namecoin .bit domains support
Easy to setup: unpack & run
Clone websites in one click
Password-less BIP32 based authorization: Your account is protected by same cryptography as your Bitcoin wallet
Built-in SQL server with P2P data synchronization: Allows easier site development and faster page load times
Anonymity: Full Tor network support with .onion hidden services instead of ipv4 addresses
TLS encrypted connections
Automatic, uPnP port opening
Plugin for multiuser (openproxy) support
Works with any browser/OS
How does it work?
After starting zeronet.py you will be able to visit zeronet sites using http://127.0.0.1:43110/{zeronet_address} (eg. [url]http://127.0.0.1:43110/1HeLLo4uzjaLetFx6NH3PMwFP3qbRbTf3D[/url]).
When you visit a new zeronet site, it tries to find peers using the BitTorrent network so it can download the site files (html, css, js...) from them.
Each visited site becomes also served by you.
Every site contains a content.json which holds all other files in a sha512 hash and a signature generated using site's private key.
If the site owner (who has the private key for the site address) modifies the site, then he/she signs the new content.json and publishes it to the peers. After the peers have verified the content.json integrity (using the signature), they download the modified files and publish the new content to other peers.
(from their github)
Is ZeroNet anonymous?
It's no more anonymous than BitTorrent, but privacy (the possibility to find out who is the owner of the comment/site) will increase as the network and the sites gains more peers.
ZeroNet is made to work with anonymity networks: you can easily hide your IP using the Tor network.
Does ZeroNet uses Bitcoin's blockchain?
No, ZeroNet only using the cryptography of Bitcoin for site addresses and content signing/verification. The users identification is also based on Bitcoin's BIP32 format.
Namecoin's blockchain is being used for domain registrations.
How does it work?
When you want to open a new site it asks visitors IP addresses from BitTorrent network
First downloads a file named content.json, which holds all other filenames, hashes and the site owner's cryptographic signature
Verifies the downloaded content.json file using the site's address and the site owner's signature from the file
Downloads other file (html, css, js...) and verifies them using the SHA512 hash for content.json file
Each visited site becomes also served by you.
If the site owner (who has the private key for the site address) modifies the site, then he/she signs the new content.json and publishes it to the peers. After the peers have verified the content.json integrity (using the signature), they download the modified files and publish the new content to other peers.
(from the website itself)
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