Discusion

MGMT 393 Laboratory Manual Last Updated 16 Jun 2013

Activity 8.2 Page 1

MGMT 393 Laboratory Manual

Activity 8.2 — The Onion: A View, And A Relay, For Your Networks

SOFTWARE REQUIRED. Actually, none, beyond your browser. We are going to investigate The Onion

Relay Project – which had its genesis in the US Navy Research Labs, and became something used by

“black hats”, “white hats,” freedom fighters and revolutionaries (or “terrorists,” if you disagree with

their aims); journalists and private citizens use it as well.

First, your background reading and research for this task. Point your browser at www.torproject.org,

and wander around on this site. Investigate who builds TOR, who uses it, and why. Investigate its basic

operations concept. Look at their “op-ed” pieces, such as “Why Anonymity Matters,” and even their

recent press releases and Announcements.

Now, put your thinking cap on, and address the following questions:

1. What is “traffic analysis?” Who does it? Why?

2. Compare and contrast the operation of TOR, with an anonymizer-style VPN like HideMyAss (which

you can read about at their web site, www.hidemyass.com ). What conclusions might you draw?

3. On the one hand, TOR talks about how their system can help businesses “facilitate internal

accountability;” yet, that seems on the surface to be in conflict with a system that anonymizes and hides

traffic. How do you reconcile these two apparently disparate descriptions of what TOR does?

4. Is it ethical for an honest, upright citizen, one who has nothing to hide from anybody, to use TOR or

something like it? Why or why not?

5. Is it ethical for such a citizen to participate with TOR, support it, even volunteer time on their PC and

ISP connection to be a Relay? What about the other “get involved” options that TOR lists on its web

site? Is it ethically necessary, or required by your ethics, to get involved?

Put your thoughts and answers together in a Word-compatible document, and submit it for grading as

an attachment via the SUBMIT link in Activity 8.2 in Module 8.