Lantern (software)

Original author(s)Adam Fisk[1]
Stable release
7.8.1[2] Edit this on Wikidata / 29 February 2024; 8 months ago (29 February 2024)
Repository
Written inGo
Operating systemLinux, OS X, Windows, Android
TypeInternet censorship circumvention
LicenseApache License 2.0[3]
Websitelantern.io

Lantern is a free[a] internet censorship circumvention tool that operates in some of the most extreme censorship environments, such as China, Iran, and Russia.[5] It uses wide variety of protocols and techniques that obfuscate network traffic and/or co-mingle traffic with protocols censors are reluctant to block. It also uses domain fronting.[6] It is not an anonymity tool like Tor.[1]

Lantern was developed and is maintained by Brave New Software Project, a 501c3 nonprofit organization. Brave New Software was founded in 2010 and “is dedicated to keeping the internet open and decentralized through user-focused open tools that solve practical problems in how the internet works for people."

Early versions of Lantern allowed users in countries having free internet access to share their internet connection with those who are in countries where the network is partly blocked.[7] Network connections will be dispersed between multiple computers running Lantern so it will not put undue stress on a single connection or computer.[8]

Lantern's CEO and lead developer is Adam Fisk, is a former lead engineer of LimeWire and LittleShoot.[9]

  1. ^ a b Guthrie Weissman, Cale (October 22, 2013). "Here's an anti-Internet censorship program for activists by activists". Pando. Archived from the original on 4 Jun 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  2. ^ "Release 7.8.1". 29 February 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  3. ^ "LICENSE". GitHub. 27 August 2015. Retrieved 27 August 2015.
  4. ^ "getLantern/Lantern". github.com. Retrieved 24 Aug 2020.
  5. ^ "Meet the Secretive US Company Building an 'Unbreakable' Internet Inside Russia". 24 March 2022.
  6. ^ Fifield D, Lan C, Hynes R, Wegmann P, Paxson V (2015-05-15). "Blocking-resistant communication through domain fronting". Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies. 2015 (2). Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies 2015: 46–64. doi:10.1515/popets-2015-0009. S2CID 5626265.
  7. ^ "Anti-firewall tool Lantern infiltrated by Chinese censors". South China Morning Post. 11 December 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  8. ^ McKenzie, Jessica (October 22, 2013). "Could State Department Funded Lantern Be Bigger, Better Tor?". Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  9. ^ "NEXT GENERATION ANTI-CENSORSHIP TOOLS - PANELIST BIOS". techATstate. March 6, 2013. Archived from the original on 29 April 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.


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