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I have spent most of the day trying to get Tor working (and failed).  The documentation is very poor.

50 BTC bounty for writing a sasl mIRC script that doesn't suck, and is well tested and documented.  (if new script works, and doesn't suck, test and document, the developer of the script then can claim the bounty off me anytime, if the identity can be proven)  ;D  I have been successfully using the SASL-lite script... it so this is null... we still need to update the Guide.

Another 10 BTC bounty for the writing of a full guide explaining how to get Tor working on windows with Bitcoin, mIRC (on Freenode), and Firefox. (50 BTC Paid)

The prize will be awarded on the completion of this task, (judged by da2ce7).

Please write the guide at: https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Tor (https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Tor)

Bonus Prizes:

- Great X-Chat Tor guide [10 BTC]
- Easy to understand and in-depth explanation of Tor, and it's relationship to Bitcoin. [10 BTC]
- Generic 'going underground' guide.  Linking to well written credible sources, and explaining it's relationship to Bitcoin [10 BTC]

Have Fun!

Edit: changed stuff around, cause 3 months has passed.
Edit: added Freenode restriction, made the bounty's larger.
Edit: updated for paid bounties!
Edit: closed bounties... been a long time.

I'll try to write the guide for you, do you mind using Pidgin (universal IM client, supports IRC) instead of mIRC?

Yes, I use mIRC.  The guide is dependent on getting Tor working with mIRC. You are more than welcome to team up with somebody else, and split the prize.

This guide is going to be pretty specific to you, so perhaps I should write it somewhere other than the Bitcoin wiki page for Tor. I'd be willing to write a guide there for just Tor with Firefox and Bitcoin (no mIRC) for a portion of the bounty.

For the second bonus prize, how in-depth do you want it? In a nutshell, using Tor is like using a series of secure proxies distributed across the world and randomly changing them every ten minutes. Connecting to Bitcoin nodes using Tor makes it almost impossible to trace the IP address sending or recieving a transaction.

Tor+Bitcoing is a win, in my book! If I have a decent number of BTC before this bounty ends, I'll contribute.

mIRC is a very commonly used IRC client.  I hardly think that it is 'just-for-me.'  Even so, I'm making the bounty, there is no issue of having a narrow focus.  I'm just under the assumption that I'm not the only person having issues setting it up.

From my view there is no in problem having this included on the Bitcoin wiki.


This needs to explain clearly, with diagrams: how tor works (and the general onion network concept), why tor is helpful for Bitcoin, limitations on privacy, contrast to other networks like freenet.

I think a solid 500 word document with a few diagrams should suffice the bounty.  Be creative, It needs to be aimed at somebody that is just starting out with all this Bitcoin-tor stuff.  It should also contain lots of link to more tougher documents.

hi, using tor + firefox is tricky
unless you change your behaviour or maintain your personal proxy settings, it will be difficult
(sites will try to store cookies on your pc, do you allow/deny/make exceptions?)
if you go with easy rules, you won't protect much your privacy
if you go with strict rules, you won't have much browse fun.

irc + tor should be easy
irc + bitcoin should work

you made me install irc after 7 years :)

just to be sure, we're doing the same thing, please be a little more specific.
do you use windows? if yes, which release? :)
i assume that mirc is only available for windows but there has been a lot of changes between XP and let's say Win 7

I have never had problems using tor+vidalia/privoxy bundle + plugin for firefox.
changing application settings to use tor i can do only for windows or mac os 10.4/10.5.

I'm using windows 7 x64  ;D  I have got tor working for Firefox, privoxy, mIRC (irc.lfnet.org:6667).  However the one part that I have been unable to get working is Freenode on mIRC.   >:(  This is because of the useless and un-documented sasl scripts.

I found getting Firefox, Privoxy, mIRC documentation all jumbled, out-of-date, or hard to understand.  It was quite a mission to get that far.  I have made this bounty so that hopefully somebody can spend the time to make some good guides.  ;D

ok, I connected to freenode irc server and registered my nickname (to be able to connect via tor & sasl)
now i work on the sasl support in irc client (to use the nickname/password)

i think you got this error msg (at least i'm stuck there at the moment)
-anthony.freenode.net- *** Notice -- You need to identify via SASL to use this server

Yep you got to the point that I got stuck at... The documentation for SASL with mIRC is virtually non-existent. (and what exist's is of very poor quality).

ok, two things you could try

execute /dialog -m SASL.main SASL.main command in your mirc app to see if you get a window to manage SASL connections or an error message, please. the F2 button did not work for me but the /dialog command does pretty much the same. This was pretty much my main problem. to add sasl support to mirc.

the second problem was the .dll itself. while using the dll advertised on http://freenode.net/sasl/ it did not work.
as soon as i changed it for this one http://honk-honk.org/SASL/SASL.dll
it started to work for me.

here's a quick and dirty howto to share with you how i did it.

1) register a nick name with freenode's nickserv
2) copy the SASL.dll and sasl.mrc to mirc directory
3) execute /dialog -m SASL.main SASL.main (at this point you might see an error about the .dll)
4) if you see a dialog window, you can add a Freenode entry with all the parameters requested
5) save, connect

and of course run tor/vidalia locally and configure mirc to use tor as a local proxy

i'm not familiar with wiki style editing, so i just might drop the screenshots in my homepage and split the bounty with the final publisher if applicable ;)

i'm currently on the irc forum as ptmhd (what a surprise ;)

ptmhd is debian-tor@gateway/tor-sasl/ptmhd * martin
ptmhd on #bitcoin-discussion
ptmhd using anthony.freenode.net Irvine, CA, USA
ptmhd is connecting from *@gateway/tor-sasl/ptmhd 255.255.255.255
ptmhd has been idle 4secs, signed on Sat Jan 08 07:16:24
ptmhd is logged in as ptmhd
ptmhd End of /WHOIS list.

i'm connected from a win xp box.
i'll try to get the windows 7 box using irc/tor as well as a proof for that.
screenshots comming soon. hope this helps for the moment

cool, good work! You have got further than me.  :D  What bounty are you aiming for?

50 BTC bounty for writing a sasl mIRC script that doesn't suck, and is well tested and documented.
Bounty has been about 5% completed. I would not call this well tested or documented.  Maybe if the existing script works, however there is no documentation that explains _why_ it works.

Another 60 BTC bounty for the writing of a full guide explaining how to get Tor working on windows with Bitcoin, mIRC (on Freenode), and Firefox.
This bounty you have just the your foot in the door.  A full guide needs to be easy to understand and show clear instructions.  The 5 points you have posted now is barely a proof of concept.

The reason I make such bounties is because I'm lazy and don't want to do it myself.  ;D  I'm not going to spend lots of time porting it over to the wiki.   Good start so far! Hope my bar isn't too high.

before i get some sleep i post my notes. this should match the request for a tutorial IRC (mIRC client) with Freenode server.
not explaining SASL as such nor how tor works. prerequisite is having tor running on your pc

1. pimp your mirc installation (add sasl support)

download those 2 files and copy them to your mirc directory
http://honk-honk.org/SASL/SASL.dll
http://honk-honk.org/SASL/sasl.mrc

load SASL.mrc into your remotes
(p.ex. Alt + R to open script editor, Ctrl + L to load a file, browse to sasl.mrc)
OK or save & exit

2. register your nick with freenode nickserv

connect without using tor & execute
/msg nickserv register <password> <email>

-NickServ- An email containing nickname activation instructions has been sent to <email>
-NickServ- If you do not complete registration within one day, your nickname will expire.

go to your email and follow the instructions (copy/paste 1 command from mail to irc)

3. in mirc execute /dialog -m SASL.main SASL.main

you should see this
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-sasl-manager.png">

configure Freenode network using the GUI interface, and connect as you would any server
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-sasl-network-config.png">
use the nick/password as registered in step 2.

4. in mirc setup the proxy & irc server
 
use tor as your proxy
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-mirc-proxy.png">

connect to the freenode irc via tor
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-irc-server.png">




Troubleshooting:

symptom: you see unable to open 'A:\Path\to\mirc\SASL.dll' message
remedy: try different SASL.dll (freenode vs honk-konk)

symptom: error Notice -- You need to identify via SASL to use this server
remedy: correct your SASL settings, see 3. /dialog  -m SASL.main SASL.main

your bounty, your rules ;)
no idea if i'll be in the mood to learn wiki markup and format it

i'm familiar with tor so the only really tricky part was the irc/sasl.
if you get stuck somewhere, i'll try to help you.

i'm lazy as well and now also tired. C U later

You are using port 8118, that port is for Privoxy, there is no need to go through Privoxy for IRC.  Use port 9050 instead.

ok, thanks for the tip. i do not really distinguish between using tor directly or tor via privoxy
but i'm going give it a try for irc. port 9050 works well for tor

to setup bitcoin client to connect via tor, select Settings -> Options
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-btc-options.png">

and check "Connect through socks 4 proxy" with the address 127.0.0.1 and port 9050
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-btc-client-tor-as-proxy.png">

as a kind of proof, here the bandwidth use statistics (did not use the pc for anything else)
<img src="http://uber.1337.sk/~ptmhd/btc/da2ce7/20110108-btc-tor-trafic.png">

after spending a little bit of time debugging yet again... I have got SASL working on Tor.  The issue was that my password was too long.

thanks for the info.
btw, could you share what's the maximum recommended pwd lenght?

I had som difficulties to configure mIRC with the 9050 port so I keep the settings as on the image.
The 8118 port is a valit tor proxy and works for the purpose of connecting.

If no one else finishes earlier than me, I will continue to add material to the wiki.
The Bitcoin part was easy. What worries me is the web sites and their cookies + AJAX & other advanced technologies that can trick the browser to disclose the IP address despite instructed to use tor.

I think the SASL script and dll work just fine. Finished installing SASL support on my other pc and it woks. Shame on me for the F2 button that does not work and user should type /dialog -m ... manually.

EDIT: i just got the idea why it does not work with 9050 port for Freenode + IRC + Tor
The service is already an onion service. It might work completely without?
But seems i'm too tired to have valid ideas.

well good work so far! I think that I can send you some coins for your work so-far  ;D  The Tor wiki page is starting to look like on of the best ones so far!

Wait when it's finished :) seems that also sawzall is working on an article about Tor
you might want to check out his progress at https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/User:Sawzall/Tor
i'll continue on weekend again.

Wow I am glad I don't do Windows.

How is this project coming along? I am not much judge of whether guides / manuals are usable by Windows users because I tend to way over-estimate people's ability to make sense of guides / manuals. (If they can't make sense of unix style man pages well sheesh what would it take to make sense to them?)

I am bumping this because I might have an interest in keeping track of it which will be easier if it isn't way down deep out of sight. This way I can at least find it again by checking what threads I have actually written in.

-MarkM-

1) the sasl script for mirc is actually good & working so it is usable with tor + mirc for freenode

2) the tor setup is easy and changing configuration per application is easy but it is risky to rely on tor without understanding how it works.
there is/was a discussion on the talk page of the wiki article
I might add something during weekend, I was really busy at work

my mirc keeps on forgetting it's sasl information... I wonder what I'm doing wrong.  >:(

Overall good work... the Bitcoins are all good to send, you have done lots of good work!  When I have time, I'll go through it all and try and check everything.

ok, i will go through both my mirc installations and make detailed notes
to troubleshoot where our configurations differ.
i should be here all night today

at home lots of work, barely make it to pc lately :(

You should check the freenode sasl [1] section again. There is an updated version of sasl.mrc (Mar 2 2011 14:00) that does not need the dll for plain auth. It also has some bug fixes (ie. settings saving).

[1]: http://freenode.net/sasl/ (http://freenode.net/sasl/)

For anyone interested, I am working on a X-Chat version of this how-to as well, currently it will be just for windows but I will gladly do a Linux writeup later. 

I did want to point out one thing that is really bugging me about using Tor + Freenode.  This threat really depends on what level of anonymity you want out of this setup but with the current how-to, Freenode will have information about your original IP.  While other users might not get this data it is still logged with Freenode.

Because you have to register a nick with nickserv before using Tor to connect to the server you will be giving away a non Tor endpoint IP address to Freenode.  So if you want full anonymity out of using Tor + Freenode I would recommend registering your nick with nickserv from a public wifi or through a nonpublic proxy (I would not recommend this either).

Also make sure and check that you are not leaking any personal info when you register your nick, just run this nickserv command to check and see what kinda data you might be leaking about yourself through your nick: (when connected to Freenode of course)

/msg NickServ info YOURNICKNAME

While this might not include your full home IP address, small bits and pieces of data can be collected and quickly build up to a full profile.

And if you ever login to Freenode, and identify with the same nick that you use with Tor, someone keeping tabs on your with the 'info' command could identify your home IP.  So make sure to stay watchful of what data you are giving away. 

Just my 2 cents,
- Lurking resident tinfoil hat security guy.

Yeah, at this point your guide looks much more detailed. The only thing I see is that the Tor install guide is just a link to the Tor website, and the Portable Tor options are not mentioned.

I am covering the portable version install of tor in the x-chat guide.

please note that the bounty is probably -50 BTC that i already got for my mixed contribution

Yeah, no problem, 50 btc is still cool.

I am curious if anyone else shares my opinion on the possible attack vector with the nickserv server.  Or am I just way too 'tin foil hat'?

In reality, it's unlikely that someone would do that.
HOWEVER, law enforcement has done that sort of thing, gathering little bits of identifying information to track someone down. See this article: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2011/03/illegal-tv-streamers-heres-how-the-feds-will-hunt-you-down.ars

i'm more worried about invalid ssl certificates on bitcoin.org site
using tor & receiving the warning i have no idea to check if the site is legit
any man in the middle attack possible if tor exit node not honest

you mean nickserv operator logging ip of user who registered a particular nick?
can do that from a library or whatever other place, !home

honk-honk is down, does anyone have the updated SASL files that can put up a mirror?

What howto are you following? If the bitcoin.it wiki, it's slightly outdated.
I did not rewrite it (my bad) since freenode came up with it's own script, much simplified the whole thing.
you might see their manual, not using the old script

New script is sans-dll, I think I am going to try to make a screencast or something then update the Wiki myself, since I have it working now.

So nobody has claimed the "going under-ground" guide?

I'm an anonymous entrepreneur -- by which I mean, to be clear, that I am doing non-anonymity-related entrepreneurial stuff behind a veil of anonymity -- and as such, I have found myself effectively taking a never-ending crash-course in how to effectively use various technologies, social techniques and common-sense measures to protect my anonymity while also permitting me to actually get stuff done.

I am planning on doing a write-up about this -- a kind of how-to guide, but not of the laundry-list-of-unexplained-instructions variety -- because, going forward, I will need an anonymity training regimen in place so that I can bring new staffers up to speed on how to protect their own identities and that of my enterprise and avoid some of the pitfalls that I learned the hard way.  Plus, I could definitely find some ways to put 10BTC to use :)

So, not sure what the original vision for this was but I'd certainly be keen to take a very serious look at the possibility of taking this on.  Can someone let me know, whose bounty is this exactly?  Yours, da2ce7?

@whomever-is-offering-the-bounty: can you please elaborate re: what sort of guide you are envisioning (medium?  topical emphasis?  tone?)... I need a get a better idea as to what you are looking for because the description in OP is rather general / vague (even if my write-up plans are not perfectly synergistic, I still very well might be able to adapt/expand my plans to stay consistent with your vision once I understand a little better)?

Thanks!  Post or PM is fine.

please read the history of this thread if you did not already, i write somewhere that i got 50+ bitcoins for partial answers to some of the bounties. it might be a good idea to check with the thread owner