[liberationtech] Looking for iOS VPN service

[Nathan of Guardian]

We've been working recently to bring more Tor technology to iOS.  As
part of this, working with Mike Tigas, the developer of Onion Browser,
we have made available the Tor Pluggable Transport technology as an iOS
library: https://github.com/mtigas/iObfs/

This means you can build in Obfs4 or Meek transports directly into your
iOS app, easily proxying TCP/IP traffic through these hard to block and
detect protocols. In particular, Meek allows you to proxy data through
the cloud providers at Google, Amazon or Microsoft Azure, requiring any
network censor to block access to those entire platforms.

We also offer this same library on Android, where it is known as PLUTO:
https://github.com/guardianproject/pluto

Viet Tan recently built this capability into their election app for
Vietnam, where it successfully stopped the network censors from being
able to block access. More information on that here:
http://www.viettan.org/Voting-app-for-political.html

Setting up your own Meek bridge is quite easy:
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/wiki/doc/meek#Howtorunameek-serverbridge
https://gitweb.torproject.org/pluggable-transports/meek.git/tree/appengine/README
https://gitweb.torproject.org/pluggable-transports/meek.git/tree/meek-server/README

We're happy and able to assist anyone interesting in building this
technology directly into their apps, to provide a seamless, easy
solution for your users.
 
Best,
  Nathan
  Guardian Project

On Tue, Nov 8, 2016, at 04:19 AM, Nariman Gharib wrote:
> Hi Libtech,
> 
> As the Head of Online Development at Manoto TV, I am writing to require
> assistance from
>  a company who
> ​can ​
> provide us with secure VPN service for users inside Iran.
> 
> Manoto is the leading Iranian Live Satellite TV channel based in London,
> with far more viewership than any of our competitors. Many big brands
> have
> selected our TV channel as a primary media partner to deliver
> its advertising message to regional businesses. Manoto TV is the premier
> business media in the region viewed by over 25 million people.
> 
> ​Manoto TV has always been a target for Iranian government, from
> satellite
> Jamming to DDoS and Phishing attacks.
> ​L
> ast year we launched the equivalent show to the UK's X-factor, called
> 'Stage
> <https://www.manototv.com/videos/80257/vid8135>'.  Throughout the show,
> audience were able to engage and vote, using the provided phone number,
> as
> well as the android app and the website. However, due to
> governmental restrictions, all numbers were blocked by the Iranian
> government, an hour after it was announced, leaving the audience with the
> website and the mentioned android app to vote from. Despite all
> restrictions, the cooperation of the VPN services, 'Lantern',
> (GetLantern.org)
> allowed
>  people inside Iran to be able to easily access our website. As a result,
> we also implemented Lantern into our android application.
> To test the beta version of our new app please see the link bellow:
> 
>  ​
> https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mtn.manoto.beta
> ​
> 
> 
> This worked in the favor of both parties, since millions of current
> users joint lantern due to the Manoto's advertising at the time.
> 
> 
> S
> ​tage will start from 10th of Jan 2017 and we are currently seeking a VPN
> service for iOS platform to allow our audience to access our iOS app and
> bypass the internet censorship. Please note, this would be generating a
> lot
> of traffic towards your services from this particular region.
> 
> ​My suggestions:
> 1- We can create a popup window in our iOS app in order to promote other
> iOS Applications. Users can therefore access the app directly from app
> store.
> 2- We can implement your VPN service within the app by using your API.
> 3- Manoto will promote your app and in return you can provide us with
> exclusive promotional codes (e.g 12 months free membership) allowing our
> audience to use it without any issues.
> 
> Should you require more information about the above mentioned points,
> please do not hesitate to contact myself directly.
> 
> *useful links: *
> 
>    - https://www.ft.com/content/b7bb7a08-a198-11e2-bae1-00144feabdc0
>    Primetime
>    battle for Iran’s airwaves The Islamic regime in Tehran could
>    intensify a
>    crackdown on satellite dishes
>    - http://freemuse.org/archives/11708 Iran: Singer banned from tv and
>    festival
>    -
>    http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-iran-tv-idUKBRE83H0QX20120418
> London
>    TV channel dips a toe into Iran culture war
>    - http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/03/how-iranian-spies-tried-
>    to-entrap-me-in-a-pret-a-manger/
>    <http://foreignpolicy.com/2016/02/03/how-iranian-spies-tried-to-entrap-me-in-a-pret-a-manger/>
>  Iranian
>    Spies Tried to Entrap Me in a Pret A Manger
>    - https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/08/telegram-the-
>    instant-messaging-app-freeing-up-iranians-conversations
>    <https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/08/telegram-the-instant-messaging-app-freeing-up-iranians-conversations>
>     Telegram: the instant messaging app freeing up Iranians'
>     conversations
>    - http://observers.france24.com/en/20121220-iran-dismantle-sat
>    ellite-dishes-tv-tehran Iran’s war on satellite dishes: “We just buy
>    new
>    ones the next day"
> 
> 
> -- 
> PGP: 0xa53963936999cbb6
> @NarimanGharib <https://twitter.com/narimangharib>
> -- 
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-- 
  Nathan of Guardian
  nathan at guardianproject.info