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ALPHA.C2.ORG Remailer FAQ
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INI File
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1996-05-06
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21KB
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509 lines
[Image] ALPHA.C2.ORG
ALPHA.C2.ORG Remailer FAQ
by
Andre Bacard, Author of
Computer Privacy Handbook ("The Scariest Computer Book of the Year")
[FAQ Updated November 10, 1995]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This article offers an unofficial, semi-technical user's guide to
the ALPHA.C2.ORG remailer. I have written this especially for
persons with a sense of humor. You may distribute this (unaltered)
FAQ for non-commercial purposes.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Who can benefit from this FAQ?
This FAQ assumes that you have used a remailer, for example the
popular ANON.PENET.FI in Finland. If you are a novice to
remailers, please read my Anonymous Remailer FAQ before you
proceed. This other FAQ provides a overview of remailers plus
links to technical info.
This ALPHA.C2.ORG article is designed for people who seek a
higher-security remailer than ANON.PENET.FI. Let's be blunt.
ALPHA.C2.ORG confuses many intelligent would-be users. This FAQ
shows how to open an account and how to use ALPHA.C2.ORG. I use as
little jargon as possible.
What is ALPHA.C2.ORG?
ALPHA.C2.ORG is a PSEUDO-anonymous remailer based in Berkeley,
California. In 1994, Sameer Parekh <sameer@c2.org> founded a
pro-privacy internet service provider called the Community
ConneXion. ALPHA.C2.ORG is part of the Community ConneXion. Matt
Ghio, well-known in remailer circles, wrote the software for
ALPHA.C2.ORG. The code for ALPHA.C2.ORG is publicly available from
Mr. Ghio <ghio@c2.org>.
What's special about ALPHA.C2.ORG?
ALPHA.C2.ORG uses PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) encryption for all
messages (and headers!) between your machine and the C2.ORG
machine. Why is this important? For most e-mail users, the
greatest privacy threat comes from their internet service
provider; namely, from employees who read mail as part of "routine
security maintenance." ALPHA.C2.ORG protects you from these
employees, as well as from other snoops.
[For curious readers only. ALPHA.C2.ORG is a PSEUDO-anonymous
remailer. This means that the person(s) who operate ALPHA.C2.ORG
can read your mail. In addition, your internet provider (and
others) can monitor when you send or receive material from
remailers. This "traffic analysis" may or may not concern you.]
What software/data do I need to use ALPHA.C2.ORG?
* You need PGP version 2.6 or later installed in your computer. Better
yet, it helps if you know how to use PGP. :-)
* You need an email program that can process two colons in succession
("::"). [Strictly speaking, you will need this feature to test your
reply block, which is part of the process of opening an ALPHA.C2.ORG
account]. I use the popular Pine mail reader for this task.
* You need an email account that permits you to send and receive PGP
encrypted mail.
* You need the PGP public key for alias@alpha.c2.org on your PGP key
ring. This FAQ provides that public key. [It is always possible that
Community ConneXion will change this key. Write <help@alpha.c2.org> to
be sure you are using the latest key].
* You need the PGP public key for AT LEAST ONE active (cypherpunk)
remailer on your key ring. This FAQ provides the public key for one
sample remailer called <hal@alumni.caltech.edu>. [It is always possible
that "hal" will shut down by the time you read this FAQ]. You can get
up-do-date remailer PGP keys from various sources, including:
o finger pgpkeys@kiwi.cs.berkeley.edu
o Go to Raph Levien's Page. Click on the link to Matt Ghio's site.
* You need an up-to-date list of active (cypherpunk) remailers. You can
get this list via:
o finger remailer-list@kiwi.cs.berkeley.edu
o Go to Raph Levien's Page.
* You need a text editor (word processing software) that can save a page
of text as an ASCII file.
What are the fewest steps I need to use ALPHA.C2.ORG?
* You need to build a "reply block". This FAQ shows exactly how to
accomplish this.
* You need to e-mail an "application form" to ALPHA.C2.ORG. This FAQ
explains the exact details.
* You need to test that your ALPHA.C2.ORG account is open and working.
You guessed correctly. This FAQ shows how to do this.
How do I build a "reply block"?
A reply block is a PGP encrypted message that tells a (cypherpunk)
remailer your e-mail address.
In the following illustrations, l have used my dog's e-mail
address <wuffwuff@well.com>. I have also employed "cut here"
lines. The material that you need is BETWEEN these lines. Do not
actually type the "cut here" lines. Blank lines are important.
Thus, I have marked where blank lines are required. Do not
actually type "<blank line>".
* Step 1) Using your text editor, type text that looks EXACTLY
as follows. [Of course, you will use your e-mail address
rather than <wuffwuff@well.com>.
+++ cut here +++
::
Request-Remailing-To: wuffwuff@well.com
<blank line>
+++ cut here +++
* Step 2) Save these three lines as an ASCII file called
FILE1.TXT. This file must be a purely ASCII file, as your
text editor's command codes will cause chaos.
* Step 3) Decide what remailer(s) you want to use for your
reply block. You can use one or more remailers. To my mind,
it is overkill to use more than three. The good news... The
more remailers you use, the better you hide your real e- mail
address. The bad news... The more remailers you use, the
better chance that one of the remailers is DOWN and that your
email gets lost! For his FAQ, I use the PGP public key for
<hal@alumni.caltech.edu>. At present, "hal" is a reliable
remailer.
Here is the <hal@alumni.caltech.edu> PGP public key:
+++ cut here +++
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: 2.7
mQBNAisCtU0AAAEB/jNOYzN1B2YzOxlK/Zb6axoOaGlPq5I7DV9GH3hcGRN5N6Fi
T4sRLhi53Sc5rUdYDa8mFQd4tqvFG6rHcT8LtDcABRG0KlJlbWFpbGluZyBTZXJ2
aWNlIDxoYWxAYWx1bW5pLmNhbHRlY2guZWR1PokAlQIFECsGk/aoEwOvWCFMNwEB
24gEAJlpxL88gdKUxdgXCTCeFZ45bTbyiS0Mfy86iGthyuLRYjAEjJB5yerRaKDi
JNOgCTvnO+I9YyFdXnPEpvBjqVfpqHF2WCc4f7BgzBbOKg79EyiOp2/eYIQT1Fkk
cvisjRGlmHncfGgoq+OhVUw81imeSUPbv8vZyqskUU7djZKb
=4W6s
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
+++ cut here +++
* Step 4) Encrypt FILE1.TXT as shown in the next command line.
[If you use a graphical interface, click the proper boxes.]
+++ cut here +++
pgp -eat FILE1.TXT hal@alumni.caltech.edu
+++ cut here +++
You just created a PGP encrypted file called FILE1.ASC. My
FILE1.ASC is reproduced below. Of course your PGP encrypted
file will have different characters than mine.
+++ cut here +++
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
hEwDG6rHcT8LtDcBAf4qBi2PKnUyeK51i7PrmL919TSWUJEAYLoPanLrTfGulPJm
e1AsurWBzlHLRDwGFZvDAw0+0zSMZlk2Ka8c5GkmpgAAAE9gZuto8qo+tDEMnPTd
xSb47bzkrQB8GHduzdzpVosKEOqIMslkQKZOiBn2cR5qm7ZEIDGBYcGYYdYbhT0c
Rtb95yVmdHWDXiU88vmDTKwq
+hwGS
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
+++ cut here +++
* Step 5) Tell your remailer that you are sending it a PGP
encrypted message, so that it will know to decrypt your
instructions. To accomplish this, add three lines to the top
of FILE1.ASC as shown below:
+++ cut here +++
::
Encrypted: PGP
<blank line>
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
hEwDG6rHcT8LtDcBAf4qBi2PKnUyeK51i7PrmL919TSWUJEAYLoPanLrTfGulPJm
e1AsurWBzlHLRDwGFZvDAw0+0zSMZlk2Ka8c5GkmpgAAAE9gZuto8qo+tDEMnPTd
xSb47bzkrQB8GHduzdzpVosKEOqIMslkQKZOiBn2cR5qm7ZEIDGBYcGYYdYbhT0c
Rtb95yVmdHWDXiU88vmDTKwq
+hwGS
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
+++ cut here +++
* Step 6) Save this purely ASCII file as FILE2.ASC. This new
file is your reply block. Congratulations!
* Step 7) Test your reply block to be sure it works. To do so,
send FILE2.ASC to <hal@alumni.caltech.edu>. Your headers can
look like this:
+++ cut here +++
To: hal@alumni.caltech.edu
Subject: testing
+++ cut here +++
whereas your message will look like this,
+++ cut here +++
::
Encrypted: PGP
<blank line>
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
hEwDG6rHcT8LtDcBAf4qBi2PKnUyeK51i7PrmL919TSWUJEAYLoPanLrTfGulPJm
e1AsurWBzlHLRDwGFZvDAw0+0zSMZlk2Ka8c5GkmpgAAAE9gZuto8qo+tDEMnPTd
xSb47bzkrQB8GHduzdzpVosKEOqIMslkQKZOiBn2cR5qm7ZEIDGBYcGYYdYbhT0c
Rtb95yVmdHWDXiU88vmDTKwq
+hwGS
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
<blank line>
+++ cut here +++
If everything goes well, <hal@alumni.caltech.edu> will
decrypt your reply block and send you a message. This process
could take minutes, hours, or a couple days. Note that this
"confirmation" message may come from an anonymous remailer
other than <hal@alumni.caltech.edu>! Don't worry about this.
It provides extra security for you. Here is a sample
confirmation:
+++ cut here +++
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1995 15:06:09 -0700
To: wuffwuff@well.com
From: anonymous-remailer@shell.portal.com
Subject: ignore
Comments: This message is NOT from the person listed in the From
line. It is from an automated software remailing service operating
at that address.
THE PORTAL SYSTEM DOES NOT CONDONE OR APPROVE OF THE CONTENTS OF
THIS POSTING. Please report problem mail to
<hfinney@shell.portal.com>.
+++ cut here +++
If you do NOT receive a response, something has gone wrong.
Do NOT expect the remailer, in this case
<hal@alumni.caltech.edu>, to send you an error message. If
you've made a mistake, there is no way for the remailer to
read your message and respond to you. It's also possible that
the remailer is down. All you can do is RECHECK and then
RESUBMIT your reply block. This can be frustrating, but
nobody says that finding glitches is easy.
In my experience, four problems are most common.
* People do NOT build their reply block using ASCII files.
* People do NOT encrypt their reply block with the proper "pgp
-eat" commands.
* People make typos; for example, they misspell "Remailing".
* The remailer(s) in your reply block are DOWN.
How do I open an ALPHA.C2.ORG account?
* Step 1) Choose a unique username for yourself. For illustration, I will
pick "bigwuff".
* Step 2) Pick a passphrase that includes alpha-numeric characters and/or
the hyphen. ALPHA.C2.ORG will use this passphrase to encrypt messages
to you using PGP's conventional option. Thus, you'll have to retype
your passphrase to decrypt every e-mail that you receive from
ALPHA.C2.ORG. Give yourself a break. Create a passphrase that you can
type without making typos. Do NOT use the same passphrase that you use
for your PGP secret\public key. For this demo, I'll use "pussycat".
* Step 3) Build a message to ALPHA.C2.ORG that includes the reply block
that you have ALREADY TESTED. Your message should look like this:
+++ cut here +++
From: bigwuff@alpha.c2.org
Password: pussycat
Reply-Block:
::
Anon-To: hal@alumni.caltech.edu
<blank line>
::
Encrypted: PGP
<blank line>
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
hEwDG6rHcT8LtDcBAf4qBi2PKnUyeK51i7PrmL919TSWUJEAYLoPanLrTfGulPJm
e1AsurWBzlHLRDwGFZvDAw0+0zSMZlk2Ka8c5GkmpgAAAE9gZuto8qo+tDEMnPTd
xSb47bzkrQB8GHduzdzpVosKEOqIMslkQKZOiBn2cR5qm7ZEIDGBYcGYYdYbhT0c
Rtb95yVmdHWDXiU88vmDTKwq
+hwGS
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
+++ cut here +++
* Step 4) Save this as the purely ASCII file FILE3.TXT.
* Step 5) Add the PGP public key for ALPHA.C2.ORG to your key ring.
Here is the PGP key, which is called alias@alpha.c2.org. [Write
<help@alpha.c2.org> to be sure this is the latest key.]
+++ cut here +++
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: 2.7
mQCNAi7K8rQAAAEEAMiK09Nd+NfaL4Q14bKT0Ivdj3MdbCjAG6Cs5ULYBS1ZWSLA
KiHsm0+kPNHqBVOufN7FT2iK0Mbuyk+dZgHG6ScicDkImysRkmso7eh5c9mU9V8K
M0+ImKJyOwgVLEgyRK5e4h2XHpwSTtpx3zZpk4CsexLGCQNXF+ikm236U0rNAAUR
tCpQc2V1ZG9ueW1vdXMgUmVtYWlsZXIgPGFsaWFzQGFscGhhLmMyLm9yZz4=
=xmQf
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
+++ cut here +++
* Step 6) Encrypt FILE3.TXT as shown in the next command line. [If you
use a graphical interface, click the proper boxes.]
+++ cut here +++
pgp -eat FILE3.TXT alias@alpha.c2.org
+++ cut here +++
You just created a PGP encrypted file called FILE3.ASC that will look
something like this:
+++ cut here +++
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
hIwD6KSbbfpTSs0BA/9tSqalNSgCqiIy6jf/LsxlD3BX3d+bc3BiRoP/FcFwoxB5
pZjki8gX8vmYqXDRvjDdohfH2glCzwDPOaYpshr0RbL1zY+7dqZDwY+ABtqivls4
ng5s1R+3JZjksadzjJ3Xtvftk5nre+S66r33bwrZvz/4ay3XBcsLN/RInNypeXia
+6UjG
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
+++ cut here +++
[For curious readers only. Note that you do NOT add the "::" and "PGP:
Encrypted" headers to ALPHA.C2.ORG encrypted messages as is required by
(cypherpunk) remailers].
* Step 7) Send this "application form" to ALPHA.C2.ORG as follows. You
don't need to put anything in the Subject: header unless your mailer
software requires it. Here is a sample.
headers,
+++ cut here +++
To: alias@alpha.c2.org
Subject: dogs and cats
+++ cut here +++
message,
+++ cut here +++
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
hIwD6KSbbfpTSs0BA/9tSqalNSgCqiIy6jf/LsxlD3BX3d+bc3BiRoP/FcFwoxB5
pZjki8gX8vmYqXDRvjDdohfH2glCzwDPOaYpshr0RbL1zY+7dqZDwY+ABtqivls4
ng5s1R+3JZjksadzjJ3Xtvftk5nre+S66r33bwrZvz/4ay3XBcsLN/RInNypeXia
+6UjG
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
+++ cut here +++
If all goes well, this will open your account and your new e-mail
address will be <bigwuff@alpha.c2.org>. Your account might take a few
minutes, hours, or days to open.
How do I know my ALPHA.C2.ORG account works?
In theory, you will receive a "confirmation" note from
ALPHA.C2.ORG that your account has been opened. In practice, I
have not received one. [As a wit once noted, "In theory, there is
no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is a
big difference.] To save yourself from a sleepless night, I
recommend:
* Step 1) Send mail to <bigwuff@alpha.c2.org> and see if the
mail is forwarded to you. Here is a sample test message:
headers,
+++ cut here +++
To: bigwuff@alpha.c2.org
Subject: Testing
+++ cut here +++
message,
+++ cut here +++
Send any test message you want here. It can be encrypted or unencrypted.
++ cut here +++
[For curious readers only. Notice that the above demo message
is NOT encrypted. This means that your internet provider can
read this outgoing e-mail. He might be able to guess that you
<wuffwuff@well.com> are the person behind the
<bigwuff@alpha.c2.org> account. For greater security, you
could send the above message encrypted and through an
intermediate anonmyous remailer.]
If all goes well, you will receive a message similar to this:
++ cut here +++
To: wuffwuff@well.com
From: anonymous-remailer@shell.portal.com
Comments: This message is NOT from the person listed in the From
line. It is from an automated software remailing service
operating at
that address.
THE PORTAL SYSTEM DOES NOT CONDONE OR APPROVE OF THE CONTENTS OF THIS
POSTING. Please report problem mail to
<hfinney@shell.portal.com>.
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.6
pgAAAcU+Awu6CMYZoYDKc2vSwWiIWnXUksVWAFe1vjMzUTbpVYuXi3qMxmj8jFz1
jkiopHGTYliegjhLYOUGakdierthgj84+2ablecIOPlepglapeKHYaMxnkrlwplf
XLFlK4/59J6HfI06WAb2/VzDpfIUFs78XlE+
+/7ZV
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
++ cut here +++
ALPHA.C2.ORG encrypted the above message to you using your
passphrase "pussycat".
* Step 2) Use PGP and your passphrase "pussycat" to decrypt
your test message. If it reads "Send any test message you
want here. It can be encrypted or unencrypted", you are in
business.
What happens if you do NOT receive a response? Again,
ALPHA.C2.ORG or the remailer(s) in your reply block might be
down. You must simply try again!
Here is another possibility. Suppose that someone has already
opened the account <bigwuff@alpha.c2.org>. Your "application
form" will have the wrong password. You cannot know that your
choice for a username has been taken. You will know only that
you do NOT receive a response to your test mailing.
Meanwhile, whoever does control <bigwuff@alpha.c2.org> will
get your test message!
How do I send mail via ALPHA.C2.ORG?
* Step 1) Using your text edit, write any message that you want to send
to a correspondent. You can leave this message as plaintext, or you can
PGP ASCII encrypt the message before you send it to someone. At the top
of your message, add the appropriate headers. Here is a sample.
++ cut here +++
From: bigwuff@alpha.c2.org
Password: pussycat
To: tiger@zoo.org
Subject: Size of Tigers
<blank line>
Mr. Tiger,
My seven pound pussycat friend says that you weigh five hundred
pounds. I promise never to bark at you! Respectfully yours, Little
Dog.
++ cut here +++
* Step 2) Save this as a purely ASCII file called FILE4.TXT.
* Step 3) Encrypt FILE4.TXT as shown in the next command line. [If you
use a graphical interface, click the proper boxes.]
+++ cut here +++
pgp -eat FILE4.TXT alias@alpha.c2.org
+++ cut here +++
You just created the encrypted file FILE4.ASC.
* Step 4) Send FILE4.ASC to alias@alpha.c2.org. You do NOT need any
additional headers. [For curious readers only. For added security, you
can make alias@alpha.c2.org the last destination in a chain of
remailers. This way there is no direct link between you and
alpha.c2.org.]
How do I change my account?
After all this work, do you really want to change anything?
Seriously, remailers come and go. If your reply block depends on a
remailer that no longer works, then ALPHA.C2.ORG will have NO WAY
to contact you. Thus, you'll have to change your reply block. You
might also periodically change your passphrase.
Send ALPHA.C2.ORG an encrypted message just as you did to set up
your initial account. The only difference is that you add a
Password: header and/or a new reply block. Examine the following
example:
+++ cut here +++
From: bigwuff@alpha.c2.org
Password: pussycat
New-Password: tiger
Reply-Block:
::
Anon-To: hal@alumni.caltech.edu
<blank line>
::
Encrypted: PGP
<blank line>
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: 2.7
aj6kcstHcT8LtDcBAf4qBi2PKnUyeK51i7PrmL919TSWUJEAYLoPanLrTfGulPJm
e1AsurWBzlHLRDwGFZvDAw0+0zSMZlk2Ka8c5GkmpgAAAE9gZuto8qo+tDEMnPTd
xSb47bzkrQB8GHduzdzpVosKEOqIMslkQKZOiBn2cR5qm7ZEIDGBYcGYYdYbhT0c
Rtb95yVmdHWDXiU88vmDTKwq
+hwGS
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
+++ cut here +++
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