Psiphon Guide
Psiphon Guide
Contents
Section 1: How Pisphon Works Section 2: Getting and Installing Psiphon Section 3: Security and Trust Section 4: Connection Troubleshooting Section 5: Setting
Section 1: How Psiphon Works
Psiphon Inc. has provide open access to the Internet for millions of citizens around the world since 2006. Psiphon operates a proxy system known as "Psiphon 2" as well "Psiphon 3," which is an application ("app") for Android, Windows, and iOS, The following document focus on the Psiphon 3 network, which is the most widely used. Psiphon is a free, open-soruce, censorship circumvention software. It uses a combination of secure communication and obfuscation technologies to allow users to connect with apps and content which would otherwise be blocked.
The internet
The internet is a global network of billion of computers (or "routers") which communicate with one another. These connected systems allow pepole to share (or "serve") information to others. The internet can be visualized as a web, with multiple routes and connection is severed, the redundancy of the web infrastructure allows people to connect by finding another route. To get from one loction to another, web trffic (messages sent on the internet) make many hops. Traffic travels from router to router befor arriving at their destination. In order to do this, specifice networking and routing equipment is required. This is provided by Internet Service Providers ("ISPs"). ISPs allow internet users to use their infrastructure, including "serving" content that other ISPs "serve", usually for a fee.
Filtering and Censors
Filtering can occur at one or many points in the network, such as, the internet backbone (often the international gatway), ISPs, institutions (such s companies or schools), and even on an individual's device(such as a phone or desktop computer).
Circumvention Tools
Psiphon is part of category of technology known as circumvention tools. Circumvention tools are designed to bypass interceptive technical forms of blocking online. Circumvention tools usually work by either diverting web traffic so it avoids the machines that filter or by disgusing the traffic to appear like traffic that is not subject to filtering. The Psiphon app does both. As filtering techniques become more sophisticated, circumvention tool providers must always update their technology and so methods and strategies are continually evolving.
Psiphon Traffic
As a censorship circumvention tool, the Psiphon app's primary objective is to establish a connection to the internet. The Psiphon app attempts to connect to known Psiphon servers using various methods. Something the Psiphon traffic is obfuscated, meaning that it is disguised to look like a different or less identified type of traffic.
Because it is encrypted, censors are unable to see the content of traffic passing through the tunnel. Censors may still attempt to block encrypted traffic based on other characteristics, such as communication protocols. Communication protocols are a set of rules used to route data and ensure it arrives at the intended location.
Because it is encrypted, censors are unable to see the content of traffic passing through the tunnel. Censors may still attempt to block encrypted traffic based on other characteristics, such as communication protocols. Communication protocols are a set of rules used to route data and ensure it arrives at the intended location.
The network is always changing. Psiphon continuously deploys new servers across numerous locations worldwide. The Psiphon app will receive updated information about how to access them. Over time, a single Psiphon app may eventually gain knowledge of hunders of new Psiphon servers.