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1 | Title: User and project cloaks | |
2 | --- | |
3 | There are two types of "cloak" available on freenode; both replace the | |
4 | hostname/IP displayed when you are connected (but only when you're identified to | |
5 | NickServ - see below). | |
6 | ||
7 | Project cloaks | |
8 | ============== | |
9 | Project cloaks typically take the form `project/role/user`, for instance | |
10 | `freenode/staff/bigpresh`, and are designed to demonstrate that the user is | |
11 | connected to the project in some way. Different projects use cloaks for various | |
12 | roles - some only use them for their "core" team, some will assign "user" cloaks | |
13 | as well. | |
14 | ||
15 | Project cloaks can only be requested by a registered group contact of an | |
16 | already [registered group](pages/groupreg) - they should contact a member of | |
17 | freenode staff to request that a user be given a project cloak. | |
18 | ||
19 | ||
20 | Unaffiliated cloaks | |
21 | =================== | |
22 | Unaffiliated cloaks take the form `unaffiliated/accountname`. They indicate that | |
23 | you are not affiliated with any specific project on freenode. They can also | |
24 | help obscure your IP from casual observers, to a certain degree - but see the | |
25 | weaknesses section below. | |
26 | ||
27 | ||
28 | Gateway cloaks | |
29 | ============== | |
30 | If you are connected via a gateway which sets a gateway cloak (for instance, our | |
31 | webchat, or KiwiIRC, or some bouncer/shell providers) then you will receive an | |
32 | automatic gateway cloak - for instance `gateway/web/freenode/ip.1.2.3.4` - these | |
33 | gateway cloaks override unaffiliated cloaks, but do not override project cloaks. | |
34 | ||
35 | ||
36 | Cloaks do not effectively hide your IP | |
37 | ====================================== | |
38 | Cloaks can help obscure your IP address/hostname from casual observers, but | |
39 | should *not* be relied upon for that purpose, as they are not reliable: | |
40 | ||
41 | - Connecting before identifying to NickServ (or whilst services are unavailable | |
42 | due to a netsplit or maintenance) will show your uncloaked IP/hostname | |
43 | connecting via SASL can help a little here, as authentication is done much | |
44 | earlier in the connection) | |
45 | - Connecting via a gateway (for instance, the webchat) will override | |
46 | unaffiliated cloaks (see the "gateway cloaks" section above) | |
47 | - Due to the nature of IRC services, there are some tricks which can cause | |
48 | services to reveal a cloaked user's IP/hostname. | |
49 | - Accepting a DCC chat/file transfer session, or clicking a link someone sends | |
50 | you could reveal your IP to them | |
51 | ||
52 | For these reasons, we advise you to consider cloaks very basic protection from | |
53 | casual observers, and a way to stop your IP/hostname being passively logged in | |
54 | most cases, but caution that they cannot be relied upon to hide your IP/hostname | |
55 | robustly - if you want that, you should consider an IRC bouncer, VPN or Tor. | |
56 | ||
57 | Do consider, however, just how much you need to hide your IP address; it's | |
58 | disclosed routinely during normal Internet usage - for instance, every website | |
59 | you visit will necessarily see your IP address, unless you are using a VPN or | |
60 | Tor. Many, many users happily use IRC for decades, never hiding their IP | |
61 | address, and do not have any problems. | |
62 | ||
63 | To re-iterate, the primary purpose of cloaks is to show your project affiliation, | |
64 | or lack thereof. "Hiding your IP" is not their primary purpose, and they cannot | |
65 | be fully relied upon to do that. | |
66 | ||
67 | Requesting a cloak | |
68 | ================== | |
69 | Once you've read and understood the above, if you would like an unaffiliated | |
70 | cloak, please drop in to #freenode or speak to a member of the staff team and | |
71 | we'll be happy to set one up for you. | |
72 | ||
73 | For project cloaks, a registered GC for the project needs to contact staff to | |
74 | request the cloak be added to the desired user. | |
75 |