Security
ABSOLUTELY - all traffic inbound and outbound is encrypted and other nodes in the network cannot neither inspect the contents, nor identify the route of the data through the network.
This is arguably what stands out most about the MASQ Network technology when compared to other VPN, dVPN solutions (many are simply end-to-end client-server tunnels) or even Tor.
MASQ Node routes requests through a number of peers in hops but has the following dynamics for underlying network security:
- 1.All HTTPS consuming traffic is already encrypted normally through the way modern Internet protocol operates.
- 2.Uniquely in MASQ Network, the consuming traffic is encrypted by the TLS handshake between the browser and the server – all the CORES packages are encrypted with the keypairs your Node is using for Network traffic.
- 3.The request payload is encrypted for the exit node ONLY and the response payloads are encrypted for the consuming origin ONLY.
Only a node directly connected to you (your immediate neighbor) will know your IP address. The only other identifier that could be known on the network is your Node's public key. Therefore, MASQ Node won't link any of the following together beyond your neighbors:
- IP address
- Consuming wallet
- Earning Wallet
- Node descriptor
Important to note: Consuming wallet is never part of any Gossip record
Unless you use the same wallet for both Consuming and Earning, no party but you will be able to directly associate your consuming wallet with your Node public key.
As the network grows and becomes available there will be a time when outside forces will want to intercept or prevent the network from being utilized in the way it was intended. To create another barrier to prevent malicious intent, data packages will be wrapped in a mask – this is referred to as ‘clandestine routing'
The first mask will be basic encryption methods used today – these masks will provide an extra layer of security similar to typical HTTPS traffic.
As development of more in-depth features for the network continues the goal is to create clandestine routes. Each CORES package will be wrapped in a layer of obscurity that will resemble different types of traffic.
Normally, traffic patterns viewed over time can be distinguishable. By masking packages in random traffic patterns, it deters typical packet sniffing and traffic analysis methods, and prevents the blocking of requests.
This entire layer will wrap around CORES packages and its various components before being handed off to other nodes
When MASQ Network is official deployed on Polygon Mainnet, $MASQ tokens can be earned peer to peer, through routing requests across the network while sharing your bandwidth through the MASQ Node software.
As of Oct 2022 the Network is in a closed Beta test phase on Polygon Mumbai, so the monetization component is done on the Mumbai testnet with tMASQ tokens.
To check the current testnet token movements, see below link: https://mumbai.polygonscan.com/address/0x9b27034acabd44223fb23d628ba4849867ce1db2
This is cleverly designed by developers to be handled with scanning intervals and thresholds.
The Accountant Module keeps track of the balances of consuming wallets that are connected to you and your neighborhood. If debts are not paid after certain thresholds, then that node will be banned from consuming traffic on the network.
Also, if a MASQ user is trying to run Node without a consuming wallet specified, the software will shutdown with a warning that wallets are not configured correctly.
If a User does not have $MASQ and gas-token present (in testnet it detects tMASQ & MATIC) then they will also be banned by network peers.
MASQ Node operates for each user with two wallets specified:
- Consuming Wallet – used to pay for services used by the user on the Network
- Earning Wallet – used to store the payments for requests provided to other users on the Network
Users can specify an earning wallet address in the Node software to direct your earnings.
Much like ‘balancing the booksʼ in accounting, the Node software makes use of an inbuilt Accountant Module. This module keeps track of payables (consuming traffic) and receivables (serving traffic) and will action payments when certain thresholds are reached.
The amounts are currently not exact as it is still in testing phase.
The Accountant Module scans the neighborhood every hour, and debts are to be paid each 24 hours.
Last modified 5mo ago