[liberationtech] An Arabic Linux distro that corrects "multiple Tor bugs"

[Susanne Fischer]

Dear all,

a small correction regarding Cyber Arabs: We actually never put the beta
version of Virtus for download on our website. We were planning to do so
but were waiting for the next version and for some people to test it.

We also never made any claim regarding an alleged fixing of TOR bugs on the
Cyber Arabs page - the quote must be from the description Dlshad provided
himself for his software when he posted it on SourceForge.net, (our website
is completely in Arabic).

Best,
Susanne

On 19 April 2012 11:51, Susanne Fischer <susannef at iwpr.net> wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> no further investigation needed who is behind Cyber Arabs, it is an IWPR
> project as we state openly on the website, and yes, we have a Beta version
> of Virtus on our website. It was developed by one of our team members on
> his own initiative, I actually think most of you know him one way or
> another, Dlshad Othman.
>
> So I suggest that any questions regarding Virtus you direct to him.
>
> dlshadco at hotmail.com
>
>
> Best,
> Susanne Fischer
> IWPR Program Manager Middle East
>
> On 19 April 2012 11:40, Frank Corrigan <email at franciscorrigan.com> wrote:
>
>> Does it offer much the same as TAILS?
>> https://tails.boum.org/contribute/how/translate/#index4h1
>>
>> It seems to imply a relationship to the Institute for War and Peace
>> Reporting
>> http://iwpr.net/
>> http://www.cyber-arabs.com/?page_id=2
>>
>> With the domain cyber-arabs.com appearing to be registered by Susanne
>> Fischer:
>> http://www.networksolutions.com/whois-search/cyber-arabs.com
>> http://iwpr.net/people/susanne-fischer
>>
>> Frank
>>
>> ----- Original message -----
>> From: KheOps <kheops at ceops.eu>
>> To: Liberation Technologies <liberationtech at lists.stanford.edu>
>> Subject: [liberationtech] An Arabic Linux distro that corrects "multiple
>> Tor    bugs"
>> Date: Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:36:36 +0200
>>
>> Hello everyone,
>>
>> A Syrian activist came a few hours ago on Telecomix's OpSyria and
>> pointed us to what seems to be a new Linux live distro based on Ubuntu,
>> apparently designed to provide tools to increase anonymity and privacy:
>> http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtuslinux/
>>
>> Among others, its creators state that their distro, Virtus, "uses a
>> modified version of TOR software. The modified version fixes multiple
>> bugs found in the original software by Virtus developers when it was
>> used in Syria."
>>
>> I don't think anybody has reviewed it yet, but it seems the distro is
>> already spreading a bit, which is why I felt useful to post a warning
>> here, espescially towards Jacob who might be interested in having a look
>> at what can be these "bug fixes".
>>
>> Virtus has been designed by what looks like to be a new group called
>> "Cyber Arabs" (http://www.cyber-arabs.com/). They have a Twitter account
>> (@Cyber_Arabs), with which they already promoted the use of OTR, SSH
>> proxies in YouTube videos and linked to several EFF articles regarding
>> RAT malware used in Syria. I tend to think that their intentions are
>> rather good, although their knowledge may appear - for now - a bit
>> clumsy.
>>
>> I'd be glad to get any advice/feedback on this :)
>>
>> Cheers,
>> KheOps
>>
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>
>
>
> --
> Best regards,
> Susanne Fischer
>
> Susanne Fischer
> Middle East Programme Manager
> susannef at iwpr.net
> mobile +961 70 211 219
>
>


-- 
Best regards,
Susanne Fischer

Susanne Fischer
Middle East Programme Manager
susannef at iwpr.net
mobile +961 70 211 219


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