Well at least it’s a mention, and in mainstream IT press:
Jones said he expected other online services to take the same route, perhaps using the Tor-like open-source project MaidSafe, which he described as “commercial Tor”.
Seems to me that MaidSAFE shall totally disrupt hacking as we know it, and turn the IT industry upside down and inside out… It is a legitimate game changer…
“Commercial Tor” probably doesn’t do it justice – but then again it isn’t just another dropbox either…
I just added a mega comment:
FYI http://MaidSafe.net while it is designed to provide secure anonymous services, is not a “commercial Tor” but rather a secure decentralised internet, running entirely independently (and very very much more securely) from the “old internet”. For example, it provides all its own domain and routing services, does not propagate IP addresses, has no servers, and is entirely encrypted. The lack of exposed routing information, packet content, user ids or credentials, and particularly servers, makes it far harder to attack, but also, makes most attacks far less impactful and far less attractive - all those high value centralised lists of user data no longer exist, and no centralised caches of files, means no more Sony Hacks, no more cloud service hacks, or surveillance, or service suppression, no DoS attacks etc. This makes it ideal for business and governments, who are already very exposed, and suffering increasingly from ever more embarrassing and damaging criminal and state sponsored hacking. And it is ideal for everyday users too of course!
Initial SAFE Network services will include pay once stored forever, secure anonymous storage (with Dropbox style sharing), secure anonymous communications, numerous third party apps (similar to Skype, YouTube, facebook etc).
It is how the internet should have been built (according to Marc Andreessen), and is fuelled by its own decentralised network of farmers, earning the built-in crypto currency (Safecoin) which is, unlike bitcoin and altcoins, not based on a blockchain, but uses its own decentralised ANT consensus technology, which promises to be both more secure (e.g from >75% network attacks), and highly scalable.
It has an extremely low cost of entry for developers, service providers and users, and many novel characteristics that make it an outstanding and highly innovative development - due to launch in the next few months.
For example, websites or services hosted on the network automatically scale with demand, at no cost to developers, so a tiny group or even individual can deploy services based purely on development costs, zero infrastructure costs, and so without the need to seek VC or other investment making it possible even for mass market services to be self funding. SAFE Network also has very low cost of entry because services such as data upload are paid for in Safecoin which can be earned by anyone, even using old hardware (unlike bitcoin where only specialist centralised miners are economic).
Clearly security services are going to find it harder to perform mass surveillance, and may complain about this, but it is essential we deliver a secure, robust internet for users, businesses, and governments (think health data for example). Spies will simply be returned to the old targeted model of surveillance, which is actually far better for all: for users’ privacy, liberty and free expression, for oversight and accountability, for everyone’s security. Security is good. Security against criminal and state sponsored cyber attack creates stability that allows individuals, business and government to operate more effectively. Oversight and accountability - which has rapidly been deteriorating - strengthens democracy and national security rather than undermining it! I sometimes wonder who the spies are really working for, they’ve made such a mess, rather than helping enhance online security.
“Why did you rob the bank?”
“Because that was where the money was”
“Why did you hack the server”
“Because that is where the data was”
We change that, and we change the game forever…
Mark, this is a fabulous summation. I’m copying it out into a separate doc to share when I want to explain the advantages of SAFE simply with others.
Thanks.
We need to put you up front for media interviews. (I mean it.)
Thanks @fergish. I’m not confident that I’d do as well being interviewed but when I start giving talks, which I’d like to, I’ll get some indication.
There were a couple of typos you probably spotted. I’ll fix them up now.
“This could be used to provide a “reasonable degree of protection and anonymity” for commercial information and other sensitive data for services such as counselling and medical or legal advice.”
Counselling. Like being able to help children (and adults) suffering from trauma, caused by war…i would give safecoin for that.