Instead of regular attempts at securing one’s own computer, which still leaves it open to privacy problems since it is still dependent on ISPs, many open source developers have been thinking of ways to help. Two new technologies have come up to help in cases of internet shutdowns, which we are seeing more of every week. The first is the Handshake Network and the second is the Relaynet.
The Handshake Network for domain systems
The Handshake Network is a decentralized naming protocol as an alternative to existing Certificate Authorities. The protocol maintains the root zone file in a decentralized manner, making the root zone uncensorable, permissionless and free of gatekeepers. In short, while it does not replace the ordinary Top Level Domain system [TLDs] and DNS protocol, but to replace the root zone file and the root servers with a public commons., ones that you may choose or own via auction.
While Handshake claims it does not replace TLDs, in actual fact it is attempting to replace ICANN itself, the nonprofit that manages domain name servers globally.
The advantages of Handshake is that it uses bitcoin, and it is more secure, against DDOS and other types of attacks.
The Network has two sites: https://handshake.org/ and https://handshakeacademy.org/
Relaynet
Relaynet, is a technology to circumvent complete Internet blackouts
caused by repressive regime. According to their site, ” Relaynet is a technology originally designed to circumvent complete Internet blackouts caused by repressive regimes, but it can also be used to restore connectivity in the immediate aftermath of a disaster or even connect isolated communities where a traditional Internet infrastructure isn’t cost-effective.”
Here is a video from their site https://relaynet.link/ that explains how it works. It is expalined by its creator Gustavo Narea at the University of Oxford
