Links to info on bouncers/VPNs/Tor.

[irc/freenode/web-7.0.git] / content / kb / general / cloaks.md

diff --git a/content/kb/general/cloaks.md b/content/kb/general/cloaks.md
index dfd7aeb6cfbac0c2d27e24c84f5570b6658a7345..6018ec8b98e99d3bd88a33f28186d7fda6f59471 100755 (executable)
--- a/content/kb/general/cloaks.md
+++ b/content/kb/general/cloaks.md
@@ -1,16 +1,20 @@
 Title: User and project cloaks
 ---
-There are two types of "cloak" available on freenode; both replace the
-hostname/IP displayed when you are connected (but only when you're identified to
-NickServ - see below).
+There are two types of cloak which can be set on accounts on freenode; both 
+replace the hostname/IP displayed when you are connected (but only when you're
+identified to NickServ - see below).
+
+There are also gateway cloaks, which are automatically applied if you're
+connecting from certain providers, gateways or web IRC clients, whether or not
+you are identified to NickServ, and which override unaffiliated cloaks.
 
 Project cloaks
 ==============
 Project cloaks typically take the form `project/role/user`, for instance
-`freenode/staff/bigpresh`, and are designed to demonstrate that the user is
-connected to the project in some way.  Different projects use cloaks for various
-roles - some only use them for their "core" team, some will assign "user" cloaks
-as well.
+`freenode/staff/bigpresh` (however, some take other forms).  They are designed to
+demonstrate that the user is connected to a project in some way.  Different
+projects use cloaks for various roles - some only use them for their core
+team, some will assign user cloaks as well.
 
 Project cloaks can only be requested by a registered group contact of an
 already [registered group](pages/groupreg) - they should contact a member of
@@ -19,8 +23,14 @@ freenode staff to request that a user be given a project cloak.
 
 Unaffiliated cloaks
 ===================
-Unaffiliated cloaks take the form `unaffiliated/accountname`.  They obscure your 
-IP from casual observers, to a degree - but see the weaknesses section below.
+Unaffiliated cloaks for users take the form `unaffiliated/accountname`.  They
+indicate that you are not affiliated with any specific project on freenode.
+They can also help obscure your IP from casual observers, to a certain degree
+- but see the weaknesses section below.
+
+Bots can also be cloaked to indicate their owner - unaffiliated bot cloaks take
+the form `unaffiliated/bot/accountname`, where the accountname in that case is
+the bot owner's account name, not the bot's account.
 
 
 Gateway cloaks
@@ -30,6 +40,11 @@ webchat, or KiwiIRC, or some bouncer/shell providers) then you will receive an
 automatic gateway cloak - for instance `gateway/web/freenode/ip.1.2.3.4` - these
 gateway cloaks override unaffiliated cloaks, but do not override project cloaks.
 
+There are also gateway cloaks which may denote that the host the user is coming
+from is recognised as a large-scale NAT gateway (where the public IP is being
+shared by many individual customers behind it) or conferences, where many users
+are at one location temporarily.
+
 
 Cloaks do not effectively hide your IP
 ======================================
@@ -47,10 +62,14 @@ should *not* be relied upon for that purpose, as they are not reliable:
 - Accepting a DCC chat/file transfer session, or clicking a link someone sends
   you could reveal your IP to them
 
-For these reasons, we advise you to consider cloaks very basic protection from
-casual observers, and a way to stop your IP/hostname being passively logged in
-most cases, but caution that they cannot be relied upon to hide your IP/hostname
-robustly - if you want that, you should consider an IRC bouncer, VPN or Tor.
+For these reasons, we advise you to consider cloaks as only very basic
+protection from casual observers, and a way to stop your IP/hostname being
+passively logged in most cases, but caution that they cannot be relied upon to
+hide your IP/hostname robustly - if you want that, you should consider an
+[IRC bouncer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRC_bouncer),
+[VPN](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network)
+[Tor](https://www.torproject.org/) (see our blog post on 
+[connecting to freenode via Tor](https://freenode.net/news/tor-online).
 
 Do consider, however, just how much you need to hide your IP address; it's
 disclosed routinely during normal Internet usage - for instance, every website
@@ -58,6 +77,13 @@ you visit will necessarily see your IP address, unless you are using a VPN or
 Tor.  Many, many users happily use IRC for decades, never hiding their IP
 address, and do not have any problems.
 
+To re-iterate, the primary purpose of cloaks is to show your project affiliation,
+or lack thereof.  Hiding your IP is not their primary purpose, and they cannot
+be fully relied upon to do that.
+
+Also, even when you are cloaked, you will see your own IP if you /whois
+yourself.
+
 Requesting a cloak
 ==================
 Once you've read and understood the above, if you would like an unaffiliated