From: Tomaz Borstnar <tomaz@cmir.arnes.si>
Date: Thu, 17 Nov 94 17:08:38 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: : Anon III - RFM
Message-ID: <199411180108.CAA17863@cmir.arnes.si>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



Key for user ID: Tomaz Borstnar <tomaz.borstnar@arnes.si>
1024-bit key, Key ID BC52F895, created 1993/12/06
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Hello!

	This is one of proposals for anonymous irc on IRC network called 
Undernet (servers: undernet.org, us.undernet.org, eu.undernet.org).

Author is Denis Holmes (dholmes@rahul.net)

- ------- Forwarded Message

date:    Wed, 16 Nov 1994 22:22:58 -0800
(Note, non-list mail)

Hmm, I wasn't gonna just send ya the proposal again, but on second thought,
I guess I will.  I've put the test servers back up so you can see it if you
want.  My recommendation is that if there is a user desire for anonymity,
having them post to the newsgroup or wastelanders would probably have the
strongest impact.  A statement of why they feel it is necessary and/or
beneficial would be heard best I expect.

I can give a couple reasons offhand why I didn't pursue this further:
- - - Very few people expressed support for the idea.
- - - It looked like I would be expected to upgrade it to the latest server
  level, yet I have not been provided with details of code changes despite
  my requests.  And my suggestions to consult with others prior to any
  non-trivial code change (basically) have not been well-received.
- - - Arguing about it became a waste of too much time.  Well, that's not
  entirely true; one of the goals I was after has started to happen.  Maybe
  that's a more legitimate reason than any of the others for laying off a
  bit.


Subject: Anon III - RFM

Revised summary of ideas for an anonymous IRC service.  This proposal is
dated 2 October 1994 (version III).

Proposal: (n.) something put forth for consideration.

RFM:  Request For Mail.  If you realize a way the service described below
can be abused by users, please mail dholmes@rahul.net with the information,
and be as specific as possible.  Thoughts on how the service might be
improved are also welcome.

If needed, additional mail discussion will be used to try to determine the
least intrusive solutions to problems received.  A new revision or status
will be posted to wastelanders when appropriate.

Please do not send me your wonderful ideas on registering users, restricting
mode changes, or other "problemless solutions" (unless requested or it
concerns one of the particular points below).  While these ideas may have
merit, if they do not address specific abuses peculiar to this service, then
they will most likely not fall into the category of "least intrusive
solutions" being sought as described above.

An implementation of Anon III is currently available for testing at
jive.rahul.net port 5853.  A standard Undernet server is connected to it and
runs on port 5854.  Please send me your observations, bug reports, and
results (good and bad) from using various clients.

The following points describe features of the proposed service, or
restrictions to be placed on its users.  "Registration" as used below refers
to the normal process of a client signing onto a server and having its
presence propagated across the net.

*  Use a special server to provide a high level of service, so that users
are able to operate in the environment to which they are accustomed.  After
connecting to this server and registering in the normal fashion, a client
becomes anonymous by sending a specific command to the server, upon which
the server performs any checking, signs the user off the net, and
reregisters the user.

*  Insure that each anonymous client is registered with a unique user@host
combination so that individual users can still be banned from channels,
ignored, etc.  (User appears as anon376@<servername>, and must disconnect
from the server (signoff) in order to change this.  Also provides for
banning of all anonymous users from a channel.)

*  Furthermore, a user becoming anonymous more than once within a certain
period (let's say a day, for now, but this may vary at the admin's
discretion) will receive the same anonymous identification on subsequent
invokations after the first.  This provides further protection against ban
and ignore evasion.

*  Users of the service will be logged.  (It should be noted, however, that,
in general, this information will not be released except as required by law.
The purpose here is to assist the administrator in assuring appropriate use
of the service.)

*  Disallow anonymous oper (IRC/server operator) status.  (This means that
opers becoming anonymous will also be de-opered.)  This prevents
unidentifiable discontent operators from disrupting the net.

*  Block CTCP CLIENTINFO and USERINFO requests.  This protects against
users deliberately attempting to cause other users to flood or overload
their connections without being identified.
 
*  Block CTCP FINGER and USERINFO replies, to protect client anonymity.

*  Lower the flood detection threshhold for anonymous users, so they're
killed more quickly upon trying to flood.

* Detect reconnecting users who were anonymous (users connecting who
disconnected less than [60] seconds ago and were anonymous) and prevent them
from joining channels or sending messages/notices for [30] seconds.  This
will stop queued messages within the client (from a would-be flooder) while
still protecting the user's anonymity.

*  Ability to allow or deny anonymity based on address.  This allows the
administrator to deny known abusers the privelege of using the service.

*  Disallow multi-mode changes (i.e. allow only one channel mode change per
MODE command).  Also allow mode change or kick only once every "few"
seconds.  This provides channel operators time to react if an anonymous user
attempts to take over a channel.

Ensor.
+----------------+-------------------+------------------------------------+
| Dennis Holmes  | dholmes@rahul.net |  "We demand rigidly defined        |
| San Jose, CA   +-------------------+   areas of doubt and uncertainty!" |
+------=>{ Meanwhile, as Ford said: "Where are my potato chips?" }<=------+


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