Operating Tor Relays at Universities: Experiences and Considerations

TL;DR

This paper examines the role of universities in supporting the Tor network by analyzing their contributions and sharing experiences from operating relays at a German university, highlighting potential for increased participation.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of university contributions to Tor and offers practical insights and recommendations for institutions interested in hosting relays.

Findings

Universities contribute negligible relays and bandwidth to Tor.

Many universities have ideal conditions for hosting relays.

Encourages more institutions to participate in Tor relay operation.

Abstract

In today's digital society, the Tor network has become an indispensable tool for individuals to protect their privacy on the Internet. Operated by volunteers, relay servers constitute the core component of Tor and are used to geographically escape surveillance. It is therefore essential to have a large, yet diverse set of relays. In this work, we analyze the contribution of educational institutions to the Tor network and report on our experience of operating exit relays at a university. Taking Germany as an example (but arguing that the global situation is similar), we carry out a quantitative study and find that universities contribute negligible amounts of relays and bandwidth. Since many universities all over the world have excellent conditions that render them perfect places to host Tor (exit) relays, we encourage other interested people and institutions to join. To this end, we discuss and resolve common concerns and provide lessons learned.