Update: We’re getting quite a lot of traffic because of this announcement and the server is struggling to keep up. Please be patient!
Today is June 4th, 2009. Twenty years ago today, the government of the People’s Republic of China brutally massacred intellectuals and students who had gathered in Tianamen Square to peacefully protest for freedom. Most of the western world now knows of the atrocities committed there because of the stories and the images which were able to escape the following media crackdown. Yet, most of the youth in China remain completely unaware of those events because of constant, total censorship which still occurs in China.
A lot has changed in twenty years. Digital technology has led to the creation of powerful, democratizing tools which let people from around the world communicate and collaborate. Still, state and corporate censorship persists all over the globe.
On this anniversary of the Tianamen Square Massacre (六四屠城), in response to continued global repression of information, we are pleased to announce the first public release of Anomos. Anomos is a modification of the popular BitTorrent peer-to-peer file sharing protocol which adds layers of cryptography to create a network which is completely secure and anonymous. In this system, nobody besides the trusted central tracker is able to know who is transferring any file being tracked. Using the same techniques which provide security to online shopping and banking, Anomos is able to resist censorship and pass through oppressive national firewalls.
We have created this system in hopes that it will be used to bring knowledge to those in places where knowledge is forbidden. We strongly believe in the freedom of information, that people with information are able to make better decisions and are better equipped to take care of each other. The world is a better place when people know more.
Anomos is by no means finished, and no anonymity system yet has gotten it totally right on the first try, but it works. We wouldn’t recommend it be used for matters of life-and-death until it has been thoroughly reviewed and inspected; remember, this is just the beta version. Still, we are ready to provide the beginnings of what may become a global shift in the way information is transferred around the world, without interference from censors who want enforce ignorance. Anomos is a Free and Open Source project which seeks help from all willing participants who are able to provide code, translation, bandwidth or moral support.
Downloads are available here for GNU/Linux and here for Windows. Further instructions for both systems are available on the Downloads page. Windows users may also have to install the latest version of OpenSSL (.9.8k “Light”) available here.
In the next week or so, when we are legally in the clear to do so, we will be launching a public tracker so that citizen journalists and brave whistle blowers throughout the world can anonymously distribute their materials. In the meantime, you can help test the system by using the software and seeding on our test torrent, a live performance by the post-rock band A Silver Mount Zion: which you can download here.
Before you begin, please make sure that port 6881 is forwarding properly to your computer.
If you would like to be involved in the further development of this project, please join the mailing list at lists.anomos.info, come chat with us in #anomos on irc.freenode.org, file bugs on the BugTracker and, as always, seed, seed, seed!
Anomos is graciously funded by the NLNet foundation. Source code is available at git.anomos.info under the GNU-GPL. More information about the protocol and the development process is available by clicking the ‘FAQ’ link above.
TL;DR: Censorship is bad, so we made an anonymous version of BitTorrent. It’s still early but it works and we’d like you to help us make it better. Thank you!
PS: Press/blog coverage is more than welcome! We’re friendly and quite passionate, so if you’d like to have a chat with us please send us an email. Also, there’s a larger version of the logo here if you want to use it for something.
There is some problem with the *.atorrent file it will not find on Windows when i do Open Torrent.
And when changing extension to *.torrent then it finds Anomos,
but Anomos freezes then, i think it doesnt like the renamed torrent file more or the tracker is down.
Why not use the sourceforge for upload files?
http://sourceforge.net/projects/anomos/
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/Release%20files%20for%20download
howto upload release files on sourceforge here is easy howto:
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/SFTP
[jsmith@linux ~]$ sftp jsmith@frs.sourceforge.net
Connecting to frs.sourceforge.net…
The authenticity of host ‘frs.sourceforge.net (216.34.181.57)’ can’t be established.
RSA key fingerprint is 68:b3:26:02:a0:07:e4:78:d4:ec:7f:2f:6a:4d:32:c5.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes
Warning: Permanently added ‘frs.sourceforge.net,216.34.181.57′ (RSA) to the list of known hosts.
jsmith@frs.sourceforge.net‘s password:
sftp> cd uploads
sftp> put foofile
Uploading foofile to /incoming/j/js/jsmith/uploads/foofile
foofile 100% 241 0.2KB/s 00:01
sftp> exit
then must look Create or edit a release
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/Release%20files%20for%20download#Createoreditarelease
Why not use the sourceforge for upload release files?
http://sourceforge.net/projects/anomos/
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/Release%20files%20for%20download
howto upload release files on sourceforge here is easy howto:
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/SFTP
example:
[jsmith@linux ~]$ sftp jsmith@frs.sourceforge.net
Connecting to frs.sourceforge.net…
The authenticity of host ‘frs.sourceforge.net (216.34.181.57)’ can’t be established.
RSA key fingerprint is 68:b3:26:02:a0:07:e4:78:d4:ec:7f:2f:6a:4d:32:c5.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)? yes
Warning: Permanently added ‘frs.sourceforge.net,216.34.181.57′ (RSA) to the list of known hosts.
jsmith@frs.sourceforge.net’s password:
sftp> cd uploads
sftp> put foofile
Uploading foofile to /incoming/j/js/jsmith/uploads/foofile
foofile 100% 241 0.2KB/s 00:01
sftp> exit
then must look Create or edit a release
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/Release%20files%20for%20download#Createoreditarelease
Whoops!
Pushed out the wrong bundle before. Should be sorted.
Why not use the sourceforge for upload release files?
http://sourceforge.net/projects/anomos/
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/Release%20files%20for%20download
howto upload release files on sourceforge here is easy howto:
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/SFTP
example:
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/SFTP#Formanagingfilereleases
then must look Create or edit a release
http://apps.sourceforge.net/trac/sourceforge/wiki/Release%20files%20for%20download#Createoreditarelease
cant see if it has how Seeders/Leechers?
and Connections info where my Anomos routes the traffic.
Mean when Anomos doesnt show nothing about where is connected and routes the data.
Thats importend to show infos of connected IPs and routed packets like in size: B/MB/GB/TB.
Like other Anonymous networks does show it like:
StealthNet,Kommute,Mute,
It doesnt makes sence when the connections are hidden.
Bars:
That stuff is hidden in the normal GUI – you can turn on ‘advanced mode’ in the config file, or use the command line client.
For most users, that information isn’t necessary.
There don’t appear to be any workable instructions in the linux version, just some .py-files (none of which with x-attribute), a bittorent Readme-file written by Bram Cohen and installation instructions for windows, including a .bat-file.
I tested some of the .py-files but python reports different errors on each one and nothing happens.
What to do?
I had to install python-m2crypto
Then I could launch “python btdownloadgui.py”.
Opening the .zip.zip (why that extension mess if it is a torrent file?) with it I get this message: “Warning! This file is not an anonymous torrent, which means you will be completely exposed while downloading! Do you still want to continue?”. I click yes.
Changing the port in the settings makes it crash (sorry, forgot the message). I restart, the port is changed properly.
Nothing happens so I check the Log: “(global message) : Version check failed: no DNS library”.
I try the btdownloadcli.py instead. Seems like stuff is happening, yay. If not I will report again.
Great to see this.
Excellent work guys, I can use this to avoid getting identified by the music and film industries when I pirate copyrighted content. Anomos truly is freedom – from lawsuits!
Do A Silver Mt. Zion approve of your use of their music?
I’m a fan of their music and I know they would probably endorse something like this, but is it actually authorized?
Please do not use port 6881: since ports 6881-6889 were originally associated with bittorrent, they’ve been blocked/throttled by lots of ISPs for years.
The best way (used by e.g. utorrent) is to choose a random port between 10000 and 65535.
please use the Anomos sourceforge site for releasing files, doesnt need rapidshare stuff.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/anomos/
Mine is not downloading or relaying. What could be wrong?
Using Windows xp and I’m using a free port.
I’m disgusted at this development. You know fine well it’ll mainly be used for trading child porn and other disgusting content, just like Tor’s hidden services are used for. Shame on you for enabling pedophilia to flourish unchecked.
@ASMZ fan: ASMZ has not explicitly endorsed our use of this file but we retrieved it from archive.org where the band has stated that archiving/sharing of live recordings free of charge is fine by them.
@disgusted: Your comment is in the same vein of unreasonable fear-mongering that has led to the world wide suppression of free speech which we are fighting. Our technology no more enables child pornography to flourish than did the printing press, television, VHS/DVD, or the Internet and the myriad of file sharing protocols already in use on it. People have and will continue to share such material regardless of the technologies available. I wish this were not the case, as I too am disgusted by such content, but we should not submit ourselves to unmitigated surveillance simply to hinder the spread of content which we find disagreeable. That would make us no better than the censors.
I encourage you to visit https://wikileaks.org for examples of the kind of content which I hope to flourish on Anomos networks.
Hi! I’m wondering where I’m supposed to be getting a/the .atorrent, I have browsed the ANOMOS filesystem tree (WinXP version) but could not find anything !
Got the file, but as I wrote in #anomos, it does not start transfering. I thought the problem was from my free C:\ space (below 150 MB which is the size of the asmz.. zip folder; but after relocating the default dl folder to another partition, removing the .atorrent, closing the client, restarting the client, and adding the .atorrent again still no transfer begins.
The zip folder *is* created in that new chosen partition; however, the the atorrent info popup still reports C:\Documents and Settings\ACCOUNTNAME\ as the save folder.
Also FWIW my OpenSSL client is version 0.9.8g
‘lo Rich
Im having issues with the provided torrent. It simply doesnt download, could be due to lack of seeders. I cant tell.
But I’m not relaying either.
My log:
[2009-06-06 15:54:08] — Anomos started —
[2009-06-06 15:54:26] “asmz_2006-05-02_aud2.flac16_vbr_mp3.zip” : Connecting with PeerID: A0-1-08e47307df71e00
[2009-06-06 15:54:28] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’71.230.250.120′, 6881)
[2009-06-06 15:54:28] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’67.23.4.114′, 6881)
[2009-06-06 15:54:28] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’192.101.188.51′, 6881)
[2009-06-06 15:54:28] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’124.235.114.160′, 6883)
[2009-06-06 15:54:29] (global message) : Adding Neighbor: (\x69, (’71.230.250.120′, 6881))
[2009-06-06 15:54:29] (global message) : Adding Neighbor: (\xf2, (’67.23.4.114′, 6881))
[2009-06-06 15:54:30] (global message) : Adding Neighbor: (\x5f, (’124.235.114.160′, 6883))
[2009-06-06 16:00:27] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’124.235.114.160′, 6884)
[2009-06-06 16:00:27] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’80.3.210.50′, 6881)
[2009-06-06 16:00:28] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’86.42.162.22′, 6881)
[2009-06-06 16:00:29] (global message) : Adding Neighbor: (\xc1, (’124.235.114.160′, 6884))
[2009-06-06 16:06:27] (global message) : Starting SSL Connection to (’124.235.114.160′, 6883)
[2009-06-06 16:06:32] (global message) : Adding Neighbor: (\x1d, (’124.235.114.160′, 6883))
It seems everyone has that problem.
PS: re that .zip.zip rant above, sorry, Opera’s fault. ;)
Why do you need to disclose such information to a central server? How is that anonymous.
i cant enable the Connections list…
i doesnt find in configs or in config file it.
i think what i see each Torrent has his own Routing Traffic?
mean more Torrent different Routing network?
At the moment more Torrents mean more Routings networks.
There is a superior product http://www.anotorrent.net
How does this compare to bitblinder or I2P?
[...] dwudziestą rocznicę chińskiej masakry dokonanej na własnych obywatelach programiści projektu Anomos wydali bazujące na BitTorrencie oprogramowanie przeznaczone do anonimowego pobierania danych z [...]
China man: …that does not exist.
Please not that this guy has been spamming swedish forums with links to his vaporware site for a long time, please just remove it.
[...] Presenting.. Anomos! Censorship-Resistant, Anonymous BitTorrent – Anomos is a politically-motivated bittorrent application that attempts to keep bittorrent traffic completely hidden from government censorship. [...]
Amonymous: Protect your stupid Swedish politics with a piracy flag, analphabetic.
When the tracker goes up????????
As I understand it, does Anomos as StealtNet
http://www.stealthnet.de/en_index.php
Only the Tracker Stealthnet needed or not?
Awesome job you guys, congratulations on the first public release! I have been following your progress for many months now and I’m very happy. This is good progress, thank you for your hard work and please continue developing Anomos even if things may look dark sometimes. Looking forward to the next release. :)
Marcus, Sweden
Man my Anomos dont starts when i press exe file :(
Anomos is freedom, AnoTorrent is justice.
so when you guys launching the public tracker, can’t wait :)
Я вообще человек нервный, потому все комменты насмерть уношу, когда посещаю базы данных…
“In this system, nobody besides the trusted central tracker is able to know who is transferring any file being tracked.”
Sorry but this has FAIL written all over it. If there is a single point of FAIL, project will FAIL. Who says we trust your trusted central tracker? FAIL!
Óëüòðàçâóêîâîé íåðàçðóøàþùèé êîíòðîëü…
Óëüòðàçâóêîâûå ïðèáîðû…
@ 15disgusted so everyone who have a knife in home must be terrorist and a murderer because has a knife in the kitchen, yes?
You fool your kind of thinking is so stupid and sick like you and your pedophils.
Client doesn’t work – port 5061 is port forwarded on the router, and the yellow exclamation point still shows up.
Even submitting a bug require an install of a SQL instance and Trac software. What an absolutely crappy implementation.
You guys need to get your shit together.
where can i find atorrent files for download? Or is it to early?