So as the title says, I am at a point in life where I find myself looking for the best opsec for hosting a hidden service.
It seems to come down to 2 options when it comes to server location.
VPS: for individuals that hold anonymity higher than the security of data.
Self hosting: for individuals that hold the security of data higher than personal anonymity
Neither of these satisfy my needs as I require something that offers the best of both worlds. This got me thinking and I may have a solution but would like to run it past other like minded members of this community.
So here goes.
Let's say I have access to somewhere that is in the heart of a city that is well overpopulated, We are talking surrounded by skyscrapers. It has electricity and is almost impossible to find / gain access. Evening you was looking for it. Access 24hrs if required and less than 100m from a 5g cell tower
There's space for a good few servers.
So I'm sure by now you see where I am going with this. I have been working quietly over the past 12 months on a DNM and hope to go live in the next 6-12 months
So far I've setup on local hardware,
Multiple servers for backend database, xmrnodes and mirrors
Server for balancing
Server for endgame
My thoughts are as follows:
Each server loaded with multiple LTE dongles for load balance/failover
All servers will be installed into a high security enclosure (think ventilated tool vault) bolted into concrete with a tamper switch installed to kill the servers if tripped and a cctv camera that sends motion notifications over Tor
Now as for the data plan the sims will be paid in cash preloaded with 500 GBs of data and each server will have 4 sims so that 2000gbs per server before I need to change the sims I plan to buy enough sims months in advance to last at least 12-24 months and estimate I will probably need to change them once a month. Depending on how many page visits :) and DDOS attacks :( I get ,
What are your thoughts on this setup? Good or bad. Tia
/u/Moitoza · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 22:18 · Link
I feel like just using bulletproof hosting bought with crypto would be easier, cheaper, and safer. No personal association with your or the area you live in. Your plan sounds mostly fine, and it sounds like you've already got a fair amount of stuff. One thing I'd change is perhaps putting your balancing and endgame on a VPS, so you can scale to attacks easier. Then you can just use all the servers you have for data and backend.
/u/___Nelson___ · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 23:00 · Link
That is a really good idea. I honestly hadn't thought about that. It saves some bandwidth and frees up more hardware for more mirrors.
/u/warwick · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 23:31 · Link
You need to do more research it sounds like you have been reading too many fairy tales tbh
/u/___Nelson___ · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 23:38 · Link
Indeed I plan to. It may not be the best or last idea I've had. I'm all open to suggestions. I've laid out a reasonable argument for an alternative to VPS / self hosting. If I've failed somewhere in researching this option at least advise me what points In my logic I have overlooked or misunderstood
/u/warwick · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 23:40 · Link
As the other user above said just buy a VPS with crypto would be my suggestion.
/u/___Nelson___ · N/A votes · 7th May, 2024 - 00:16 · Link
My greatest concern with a VPS is keeping the physical database secure. Too many servers have been compromised by LE and its the database that is the golden treasure. Although LE gaining access to the database would not affect my opsec on its own, it could be extremely bad for users who haven't used PGP or used weak passwords. I want to have an option that is more long term in security, and anonymity, I want an alternative that may just switch up how hidden services are hosted. I'm a great out of the box thinker. But for my peace of mind i dont think putting everything on separate VPS's across separate hosting providers and just hoping that, if the host is compromised the database VPS can be shut down, is an option for me. I want something that can be another selling point to the market.
/u/warwick · N/A votes · 7th May, 2024 - 01:02 · Link
> My greatest concern with a VPS is keeping the physical database secure. > I want an alternative that may just switch up how hidden services are hosted. I'm a great out of the box thinker. But for my peace of mind i dont think putting everything on separate VPS's across separate hosting providers and just hoping that, if the host is compromised the database VPS can be shut down, is an option for me. I think you need to lower your ego a bit and stop thinking you are the next steve jobs, also steve jobs was a good thinker like you but he wasn't actually very technically sound whatsoever. Most people don't do this unless they have a very specific location in mind and even then are you as robust as any of these supposed as robust as you can get crypto outsourced servers etc. I mean in an ideal world the crypto option at least makes it as minimal of a chance of any connection + the server is a long way away from you.
/u/UnrefinedRevelerRover · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 22:14 · Link
Why you hope to go live? Isn't it less secure?
/u/___Nelson___ · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 23:10 · Link
In terms of what? Hard disks encrypted with vms that are also encrypted in a unknown place with automatic shutdown on tamper and remote notifications of motion plus I also have 24hr remote video feed of the surrounding area as I installed the security at this location for a client. My thinking is that if the servers ip is compromised the location wouldn't be. And when LE go snooping u can see onbthe cctv. If they by chance find the server which will be literally 0.5% chance it will be shut down and encrypted before they access the hardware. I would also have a remote kill switch. Something like a esp32 that kills power over a network command If I only need to visit once a month then my thinking is if LE have tried locating the server I will know and not return. Shut down the power and by this time have redundancy in place. I'm now always scouting out options for alternative locations just for that.
/u/HeadJanitor · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 22:16 · Link
/d/hiddenservice
/u/sooni · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 22:24 · Link
I enjoyed reading this and I think it is an interesting idea. I have several concerns. I am not the most informed on this area of cyber security, but I am under the impression that cell networks are not exactly the most secure. I would to some heavy research into that. In addition one problem I have had at points in my life is connecting to Tor over a mobile connection. I do not know if this was because I was moving, or if it was the mobile connection, but connecting to a VPN stabilized it. I have theories as to why, but have not done enough research as to what caused that. But something to be aware of (maybe?) I think it is interesting. I personally would not use this setup. It is good you are thinking about this. Tor is not enough alone.
/u/warwick · N/A votes · 6th May, 2024 - 23:31 · Link
While a cool story, not the best idea.
/u/gemini · N/A votes · 7th May, 2024 - 05:41 · Link
Lets go Over the Top. A raspberry pi with solar battery charger, packaged up with tools that you need and a gsm modem. A drone with a solar battery and autopilot. Drone flys onto a roof, and just sits there charging. Rpi does what its gotta do. Solar charges battery + powers rpi, so you have a good few hours. Drone charging slowly. On request drone flys to another roof or location. If this is automated the drone could just do its own thing.