schedule.hope.net
The Onion Shell: Zero-Install Tor From the Browser HOPE 26
What if anyone in the world could connect to the Tor network and benefit from its privacy protections with nothing more than a standard web browser? Volunteers globally operate a free onion network that protects Internet privacy. It prevents tracking, surveillance, and censorship. However, accessing the onion network has always required special software running as a privileged user. Often, users even install virtual machines or operate dedicated machines to isolate their applications connecting to Tor. Not all threat models are equal. Some users do not have the privileges and access to their machines necessary to connect to Tor. This is increasingly important in a world where governments are mandating OS-level PII capture and reporting. Walled garden operating systems such as iOS and Android are increasingly tightening a user’s freedom to install software such as Tor. Finally, the Tor onion network can be made available to more users on more devices through advancements in web technologies. Using The Onion Shell, users can now connect to the Tor onion network from their browser with real browser-initiated onion circuits. This talk will include demos, a discussion of the effort, and new risks this technology introduces, such as enhanced exfiltration techniques.
