A Framework for Local Anonymity in the Internet
David M. A. Martin · 1997
We describe and evaluate options for providing anonymous IP service, argue for the further investigation of local anonymity, and sketch a framework for the implementation of locally anonymous networks. 1 Introduction Anonymity is not the same as confidentiality. Existing systems such as IPSEC can ably protect the contents of IP-based communication [Atk95, Pos81b], making it impractical for network eavesdroppers to deduce the purpose of observed traffic. However, the fact of the traffic itself is not hidden; the sender and receiver of each packet is clearly visible in the packet headers even when the packet is end-to-end encrypted. Such information should sometimes be protected as well. Suppose that Alice, the CEO of Apricot, decides to buy out the publicly-traded firm Banananon. When other Apricot officers learn of the plans, the subsequent flurry of connections from the executive suite to the Banananon's web site could betray Alice's intent. If Alice's network administrator Eve react...