To combat escalating cyber censorship worldwide, the Tor Project’s Anti-Censorship Team has introduced WebTunnel, a technology designed to facilitate access to the Tor network in heavily censored regions.
WebTunnel represents a pioneering censorship-resistant pluggable transport mechanism engineered to emulate encrypted web traffic (HTTPS), drawing inspiration from HTTPT. Its functionality lies in encapsulating the payload connection within a WebSocket-like HTTPS connection, masquerading as ordinary HTTPS traffic to network observers.
This camouflage allows WebTunnel to seamlessly blend into the web traffic landscape, appearing indistinguishable from standard HTTP connections. Moreover, its ability to coexist with regular web traffic on the same network endpoint further enhances its stealth capabilities.
Essentially, WebTunnel operates incognito, evading detection and enabling users to access the Tor network clandestinely.
While WebTunnel shares the objective of circumventing censorship with Obfs4 bridges, its distinctive approach sets it apart. Unlike Obfs4, which endeavours to render traffic entirely unrecognisable through full encryption, WebTunnel adopts a more nuanced strategy by mimicking recognised web protocols.
This strategic divergence equips WebTunnel with a tactical advantage in environments characterised by protocol-allow lists and deny-by-default network policies.
As of now, the Tor Project has deployed 60 WebTunnel bridges worldwide, and over 700 daily users benefit from this innovative technology. As the number of WebTunnels increases in the future, the impact of this technology will be palpable.
By following a three-step setup process involving bridge acquisition, Tor Browser installation, and connection configuration, users can integrate WebTunnel into their browsing experience, fortifying the global network against censorship.
In an era marked by a global election megacycle and a volatile geopolitical landscape, the need for robust censorship circumvention tools has never been more pressing. Tools like WebTunnels will help achieve the desired result of information flow where there is strict censorship.
“Our goal is to ensure that Tor works for everyone. Amid geopolitical conflicts that put millions of people at risk, the internet has become crucial for us to communicate, witness and share what is happening around the world, organize, defend human rights, and build solidarity,” the company said.
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