A TorPath to TorCoin: Proof-of-Bandwidth Altcoins for Compensating Relays

Abstract

The Tor network relies on volunteer relay operators for relay bandwidth, which may limit its growth and scaling potential. We propose an incentive scheme for Tor relying on two novel concepts. We introduce TorCoin, an "altcoin" that uses the Bitcoin protocol to reward relays for contributing bandwidth. Relays "mine" TorCoins, then sell them for cash on any existing altcoin exchange. To verify that a given TorCoin represents actual bandwidth transferred, we introduce TorPath a decentralized protocol for forming Tor circuits such that each circuit is privately-addressable but publicly veriable. Each circuit's participants may then collectively mine a limited number of TorCoins, in proportion to the end-to-end transmission goodput they measure on that circuit.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 18, 2014
Accession Number
ADA621867

Entities

People

  • Bryan Ford
  • Mainak Ghosh
  • Miles Richardson
  • Rob Jansen

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Engineered Resilient Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Algorithms
  • Bandwidth
  • Behavior And Behavior Mechanisms
  • Blockchain
  • Computations
  • Computer Access Control
  • Consensus Algorithms
  • Contracts
  • Directories
  • Distributed Ledger
  • Human Behavior
  • Information Operations
  • Measurement
  • Military Research
  • Monitoring
  • Motivation

Fields of Study

  • Computer science

Readers

  • Computer Networking
  • Industrial Economics
  • Tactical Satellite Communications Systems Engineering.