[darcs-users] Freenet clone (was Re: need to jump in with both feet)

[David Brown]

On Wed, May 26, 2004 at 10:00:17AM +1000, BARBOUR Timothy wrote:

> I am also interested in this, since I run my own server, with limited
> bandwidth. I would like to use Freenet to avoid scalability problems.
> 
> Entropy is a Freenet clone, written in C :

I glanced over the Entropy source.  It seems to be based on Freenet,
with some severe misunderstandings of security thrown in for good
measure.

Of the ciphers available, only one has any demonstratable security to it
(twofish).  The default cipher is 'lorenz' seems to be based on the
Lorenz' equations (not the Lorenz cipher machine used during WWII).  The
only references I've seen of these class of functions in cryptographic
literature is to use them as an example of a function that seems random,
but actually very quickly reveals its own state.

I don't think the framework of any of these programs would be helpful to
avoid scalability problems.  Their focus is on anonymity, with
performance only a secondary consideration.  (Even when this is poorly
conceived).

For distribution of data, I think it would be more appropriate to
investigate, or create, protocols designed for load sharing, not for
anonymity, since these two goals are often in conflict with one another.

Dave Brown