Davitt, Killian;
(2024)
Improving the usability and security of low and high-latency anonymity networks.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
Preview |
Text
Davitt_10200093_thesis.pdf Download (7MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Useable software is critical for gathering a broad base of anonymity system users and enhancing anonymity guarantees. This thesis presents four projects that enhance the usability and security of low and high-latency anonymity systems and further this cause. Firstly, the thesis assesses the usability of mixnet anonymity networks where high latency is required and can often affect usability significantly. Specifically, a user study is conducted, evaluating the tolerable levels of delay for users. The thesis argues that collaborative work is one of the most frustrating tasks for Mixnet users. A user study is constructed that simulates and evaluates this scenario, where a user answers questions with a second simulated user, intentionally designed to induce conflict. The second project concerns “HTTPS-Only modes”, web browser modes that enforce HTTPS connection and discourage users from loading non-HTTPS websites. Their use in Tor Browser is specifically considered, and they are analysed in anonymous settings. A qualitative survey of Tor Browser experts is performed, and Tor users’ risk from unencrypted HTTP connections is explored. Continuing the improvement of HTTPS-Only modes, new warning pages were designed, leveraging the previous survey and existing literature. These pages attempted to provide greater context to Tor Browser users and warn them of the risks they may face from non-HTTPS connections over Tor. A large-scale survey was conducted, and the effectiveness of these new warning pages was evaluated. In the final chapter, the HSTS mechanism is studied. While normally an effective security mechanism, it is also used to track users and thus was disabled in Tor Browser. This project proposes a novel approach to share HSTS data among Tor Browser users. Specifically designed for Tor Browser, this protocol enables the use of HSTS to enhance user anonymity without tracking potential.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Improving the usability and security of low and high-latency anonymity networks |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2024. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Computer Science |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10200093 |
Loading...
Loading...Loading...Loading...Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
