Blubster 2.5 loaded with spyware

[TankGirl]

Originally posted by pod
I'd agree with the FreeNet guy. Unless you're using encrypted connections a'la FreeNet/Waste, or some sort of universal forwarding mechanism (aka plausible deniability), you have nothing resembling anonymity, and you're just fooling yourself.

And I'd agree with you. UDP is inherently no safer than TCP - both as channels are similarly subject to outside snooping, by your ISP and by any number of middlemen. As I see it, both encryption and some sort of smart forwarding/proxying scheme are needed to provide safe anonymity. Upload and download anonymity are also somewhat different cases with different requirements. As there is a price for all proxying, it would make sense to allow users to choose what content to share anonymously and what publicly. Similarly they could choose between an anonymous (possibly slower) download mode and an open (possibly faster) download mode - depending on the local legal circumstances...

As for Blubster, I have to say that it is hard to take seriously any anonymity claims from a company that makes money by installing third-party spyware to your computer.

- tg