Censorship & Safeguards: Strengthening Internet Protocols
Nick Sullivan
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About This Podcast
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Recent Episodes
S2E7 Future of Network Censorship and Plaintext
In this season finale, we explore how encryption and obfuscation tools are adapting to advanced censorship. Topics include potential client-side backdoors, the centralization of encrypted services,…
S2E6 MASQUE – Tunneling Through HTTP
MASQUE (sometimes spelled “mask”) expands on HTTPS-based tunneling to conceal additional traffic types, including IP-level tunnels. You’ll look at how MASQUE can make censorship more difficult by…
S2E6 Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) – Cloaking the Handshake
TLS used to expose data like Server Name Indication during the handshake. Encrypted Client Hello (ECH) fixes that by encrypting handshake info, defeating SNI-based blocking. This episode covers how…
S2E4 DNS over HTTPS (DoH) – Obfuscating the Resolver
Shifting into the encryption era, you introduce DNS over HTTPS (DoH) and explain how it attempts to shield DNS queries from on-path observers. This episode investigates the controversies around…
DNS – The Original Plaintext Protocol
This episode explores how DNS, traditionally in plaintext, exposes user intentions and becomes a target for censorship via spoofing, redirection, or injection. It covers classic DNS-based blocking…
S2E2 Choke Points and Organizational Control
Here, you map out the “where” of censorship: ISPs, internet exchange points (IXPs), backbone providers, and government-run or regulated network segments. The focus is on how each actor can enforce…
S2E1 The Plaintext Problem
This episode explores how unencrypted (plaintext) traffic historically enabled governments, ISPs, and entities to monitor and control internet communications. You'll learn foundational concepts—such…
The Human Element: User Perspectives on Circumvention
How do people in censored environments access information? We explore user perspectives, priorities, and barriers to using circumvention tools. Research from Xue et al. highlights challenges in…
The Complexities of Internet Shutdowns
Some governments take censorship further by shutting down the internet entirely. We analyze case studies from Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Sudan, examining economic and social impacts, resistance…
Circumvention Strategies: Bypassing Censorship
We examine popular circumvention methods—VPNs, Tor, and encrypted DNS (DoH/DoT)—and how governments counter them. What makes these tools effective? What are their limitations? Insights from Feldstein…
S1E4 DDoS Attacks: Tools of Repression and Expression
Censorship isn’t just about blocking—sometimes, it’s about disruption. This episode covers DDoS attacks, how states and non-state actors deploy them, and their impact on independent media. We discuss…
Deep Packet Inspection and the Rise of HTTPS
We dive into Deep Packet Inspection (DPI), TCP resets, and packet filtering—tools used to inspect and block content. As HTTPS adoption grows, how does it challenge censorship? We examine how…
Early Methods and Economic Levers
We explore early censorship techniques like IP blocking and DNS manipulation, alongside economic levers such as data taxes and ISP restrictions. How did these methods evolve, and how effective were…
S1E1 The Fundamentals of Internet Censorship
This episode introduces internet censorship, exploring its motivations—political, economic, and cultural. We discuss its impact on societies and individuals, the tools governments use, and a preview…
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Censorship & Safeguards: Strengthening Internet Protocols has published 14 episodes since January 2025, covering topics in Technology.
Censorship & Safeguards: Strengthening Internet Protocols is currently dormant with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 14m.
