Vidalia is a cross-platform GUI for the Tor network, which makes it very easy to anonymize your Mac's TCP activity. The Tor project (which we posted about a long time ago) is a volunteer network designed to foil traffic analysis and thus allow you to cover your tracks online. Basically it bounces your network requests across a number of Tor computers (and back again) so that nobody is able to figure out your actual destination.
This is obviously useful for keeping your identity secret, but it may also allow you to access IP addresses and services that your local network administrator blocks. Now you should think carefully about trying to circumvent such restrictions, as bad things may happen to you if it's discovered. The other big downside is speed. Needless to say if you're bouncing around computers all over the globe before you get to your destination there's going to be some lag. Nonetheless, if you need the anonymity (or if the people you're communicating with need it -- think journalists or whistleblowers) it may be worth it. You may also like to contribute your own computer as a node to help out the network.
Vidalia is open source and a free download. The latest package is marked for Tiger, but it seems to work on Leopard as well. If you're having trouble getting it from the Vidalia project page you can also download it from the Tor project download page. Once you download it, be sure to carefully follow the instructions in the Installation Guide for OS X.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-22-2008 @ 7:53AM
Grimloch said...
Interesting... I wonder if you could spoof your access to look like you're coming from the UK and thus hit ITMS UK....
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4-22-2008 @ 8:09AM
Ed said...
I've used the Tor network reasonably often in the past. It's slow (obviously), but it works.
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4-22-2008 @ 9:00AM
NotAwesome said...
@Grimloch, it's possible. I've used Vidalia, along with the Firefox plugin Torbutton, to watch TV programs from US networks' websites. Thing is, many of them have wised up to non-US peeps doing this, so they've blocked Tor servers after doing their homework to identify them.
Anyway, once you have Vidalia and Torbutton, if you go to this TorCheck site, it will tell you which country you appear to be coming from: http://torcheck.xenobite.eu/index.php?
Usually takes several tries, but if you're not where you want to appear to be, click the Use a New Identity button in Vidalia, then click the Check Again button back on TorCheck. Repeat until you get the UK.
I wasn't able to find a way to do this directly in Vidalia. Maybe this new version allows it. Also hope it's Universal. Privoxy is the only PowerPC app running and I'd like to give it the boot.
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4-22-2008 @ 9:20AM
Alex said...
If you just want to access a blocked site then JAP is much better and faster, but not as secure
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4-22-2008 @ 10:28AM
Erik said...
Please note there were reports last year of someone doing SSL MITM attacks in a Tor exit node last year. Tor is anonymous but NOT secure. So use it to post political things in heavily monitored countries but not check your email or do your banking.
4-22-2008 @ 9:28AM
Aron Trimble said...
It should also be noted that the Tor project strongly requests users not take part in Bittorrent downloading as it can slow the service down as a whole. The main idea of the project is to help those in parts of the world where they do not have unfiltered (by their ISPs, gov'ts, etc.) access to the internet. All that being said, any bloggers looking for unrestricted access to Google at the Olympics this summer will likely become familiar with the Tor project.
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4-22-2008 @ 9:46AM
Tom Boucher said...
After using this for a day to play with it you'll find yourself on ORBS black lists, Slashdot's blacklists, and many other black lists.
Because your network connection if at all outbound will do nothing but churn out spam & other sundries until you shut it down.
Least that's what happened to me when I was in a 'fight big brother' phase and thought that might be one way to do it.
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4-22-2008 @ 8:42PM
Cal said...
Tom Boucher and anyone else interested,
You shouldn't set up a tor server unless you seriously understand the consequences. Especially when acting as an exit node, your ip will be the face for any spammer or sicko on the network. Not only can your IP be targeted for blacklists, but you might want to be prepared for visits from law enforcement. For example, If I download pirate software or music and you happen to be my exit node, any law enforcement agents watching will see your IP address not mine.
I don't want to scare anyone off though. Fortunately, Vidalia doesn't turn the server on by default.
As a client you would experience none of the major negative issues. While using the proxy, your connection will be slower and some site will block your access, but that goes away as soon as you turn it off.
Setting up a proxy is a great way to be an outstanding supporter of free speech, but its not for everyone. There have been antidotes of police showing up with warrants so you have to make sure your computers are especially clean and you document your tor server so you can prove you aren't doing anything illegal.
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