[BitPool] Mesh networks to bypass ISPs

[raganius]

Hi, I have found this. Sounds interesting.

On Covert Acoustical Mesh Networks in Air
Michael Hanspach and Michael Goetz
Fraunhofer FKIE, Wachtberg, Germany
http://cryptome.org/2014/06/covert-acoustical-mesh.pdf

Abstract
— Covert channels can be used to circumvent system and network policies by establishing communications that have not been considered in the design of the computing system. We construct a covert channel between different computing systems that utilizes audio modulation/demodulation to exchange data between the computing systems over the air medium. The underlying network stack is based on a communication system that was originally designed for robust underwater communication. We adapt the communication system to implement covert and stealthy communications by utilizing the ultrasonic frequency range. We further demonstrate how the scenario of covert acoustical communication over the air medium can be extended to multi-hop communications and even to wireless mesh networks. A covert acoustical mesh network can be conceived as a meshed botnet or malnet that is accessible via inaudible audio transmissions. Different applications of covert acoustical mesh networks are presented, including the use for remote keylogging over multiple hops. It is shown that the concept of a covert acoustical mesh network renders many conventional security concepts useless, as acoustical communications are usually not considered. Finally, countermeasures against covert acoustical mesh networks are discussed, including the use of lowpass filtering in computing systems and a host-based intrusion detection system for analyzing audio input and output in order to detect any irregularities.
Index Terms
— malware, network covert channels, wireless mesh networks, ultrasonic communication

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[onezerobit]

----Very Very Expensive----
Something similar to the mesh network offered by the concept of Google Drones.
there will be a need for Antennas with good range, and Satellite Uplink and Downlink To cover the whole world with the mesh.

Instead, if we find a way to mask the data, under the packets which will not face The control from the ISP's would be easily the best, cost effective way to accomplish what we desire.
I maybe blunt and naive in this, but with the right minds working on it, it is very likely to be possible.

Thoughts?

[Elwar]

----Very Very Expensive----
Something similar to the mesh network offered by the concept of Google Drones.
there will be a need for Antennas with good range, and Satellite Uplink and Downlink To cover the whole world with the mesh.

Instead, if we find a way to mask the data, under the packets which will not face The control from the ISP's would be easily the best, cost effective way to accomplish what we desire.
I maybe blunt and naive in this, but with the right minds working on it, it is very likely to be possible.

Thoughts?

You are describing safecoin if it ever gets going.

It's not like we need to cover the globe in order to turn things on. A small network in major cities connected through an encrypted tunnel via the ISPs will be fine for a long time in most places.

But think of places like China where their Internet is severely censored. This is likely to be the way of things everyone else. Government likes to fill spaces where it is not involved. The Internet is like a vacuum of freedom that will be filled by government regulation eventually.

[libivan]

There's Kryptoradio: http://kryptoradio.koodilehto.fi (Connect to the bitcoin network from anywhere – even without the Internet!)

And there's also this Reddit:
Nick Szabo: "Reliable & secure P2P broadcast crucial to block chain protocols. Radio more secure than simulated broadcast on Internet."
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/2ajrmg/nick_szabo_reliable_secure_p2p_broadcast_crucial

A link to this thread was put there.

[raganius]

Also, this post might be of interest to be quoted here:

One of the key tenets is that bitcoin block data is easy to distribute widely.  Information wants to be free.  One of the ways we may keep bitcoin healthy and free is finding alternative ways to distribute block chain data.  This provides resilience in case the P2P mesh network is attacked.

My personal favorite is satellite distribution, something I have been working on quietly in the background.  Satellites means one of two things:

• 1. Buy some bandwidth on an existing satellite.
• 2. Launch your own satellite.

Buying bandwidth is the most cost-effective, and readily attainable method today.  However, not just any satellite channel will do.  Bitcoin requires a dedicated, one-to-many broadcast mechanism.  This is like renting a TV channel -- although at much lower bandwidth requirements (1MB every minute or two).

Nanosatellites have recently cut satellite costs down from the absurd, traditional $20m+ build, $50m+ launch.  There is now a standardized cubesat size.  Two innovations reduced launch costs down into the $100k's range: (1) Many organizations collaborate together (rideshare), paying a portion of the launch cost.  Sometimes 27 or more cubesats are launched at once.  (2) These clusters of cubesats are launched as a secondary payload.  A primary payload has priority, which means secondary payloads are sometimes not launched into a proper orbit.  With these two factors, cubesat construction and launch is lowered to a reachable price: $2m or so.

Several people, including some investors, in the bitcoin community have privately expressed interest.  It seemed like a good time to move forward with Phase 1 of the project.

Phase 1 is:   flesh out cubesat specifications, research leased bandwidth pricing, and specific data needs (xmit tech, frequencies).  The initial goal is broadcasting worldwide (or at least major continents) the latest bitcoin block, over and over again.  Stretch goals include broadcasting recent chains, recent TX's, and other data.

A word about government involvement:  Set expectations properly.  There are three points at which government is inevitably involved, at some level: (a) getting launch approval, (b) ground station(s) inevitably must be located in some useful geolocation, and (c) frequency selection.   Fundamentally, these satellites will be broadcasting public, not-encrypted blockchain data, so the content should not be an issue.

Donations accepted at 1M9MyyPsAak7zRjW4D96pTxDaAEpDDZLR7

Feb 05 update:

Project update #1 (PDF): http://www.dunveganspace.com/goals/bitsat/BitSatUpdate1.pdf
BitSat architecture, v0.1 (PDF): http://www.dunveganspace.com/goals/bitsat/BitSatArchitecture-0.1.pdf

Files posted on http://www.dunveganspace.com/goals/bitsat

Sponsors (1 BTC or more):

• Mohit Kalra (2 BTC, May 2014)
• Unknown (1 BTC, Apr 2014)
• http://www.redstarmining.com/ (1 BTC, Jan 2014)
• Roger Ver (5 BTC, Dec 2013)
• Erik Voorhees (5 BTC, Dec 2013)
• Rusty Russell (1 BTC, Dec 2013)
• BitcoinGrant.org (25 BTC, Nov 2013)
• Jeff Garzik (1 BTC, Nov 2013)

Standard disclaimer:  This is a personal project.  Nothing to do with my employer.