Skip to content

Commit dc5dd35

Browse files
committed
Merge branch 'develop' of github.com:Safing/portmaster into develop
2 parents 46ecfd1 + 12170f5 commit dc5dd35

File tree

1 file changed

+46
-0
lines changed

1 file changed

+46
-0
lines changed

README.md

Lines changed: 46 additions & 0 deletions
Original file line numberDiff line numberDiff line change
@@ -34,6 +34,52 @@ With great defaults your privacy improves without any effort. And if you want to
3434
   
3535
[![Techlore](https://safing.io/assets/img//external/techlore.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8cTRhGtmcM)
3636

37+
# Technical Introduction
38+
39+
Portmaster is a privacy suite for your desktop OS.
40+
41+
### Base Technology
42+
43+
- Portmaster integrates into network stack using nfqueue on Linux and a kernel driver (WFP) on Windows.
44+
- Packets are intercepted at the raw packet level - every packet is seen and can be stopped.
45+
- Ownership of connections are (currently) found via `/proc` on Linux and the IP Helper API (`iphlpapi.dll`) on Windows.
46+
- Most settings can be defined per app, which can be matched in different ways.
47+
- Support for special processes with weird or concealed paths/actors:
48+
- Snap, AppImage and Script support on Linux
49+
- Windows Store apps and svchost.exe system services support on Windows
50+
- Everything is 100% local on your device. (except the SPN, naturally)
51+
- Updates are fully signed and downloaded automatically.
52+
- Intelligence data (block lists, geoip) is downloaded and applied automatically.
53+
- The Portmaster Core Service runs as a system service, the UI elements (App, Notifier) run in user context.
54+
- The main UI still uses electron as a wrapper :/ - but this will change in the future. You can also open the UI in the browser
55+
56+
### Feature: Privacy Filter
57+
58+
- Define allowed network scopes: Localhost, LAN, Internet, P2P, Inbound.
59+
- Easy rules based on Internet entities: Domain, IP, Country and more.
60+
- Filter Lists block common malware, ad, tracker domains etc.
61+
62+
### Feature: Secure DNS
63+
64+
- Portmaster intercepts "astray" DNS queries and reroutes them to itself for seamless integration.
65+
- DNS queries are resolved by the default or configured DoT/DoH resolvers.
66+
- Full support for split horizon and horizon validation to defend against rebinding attacks.
67+
68+
### Feature: Safing Privacy Network (SPN)
69+
70+
- A Privacy Network aimed at use cases "between" VPN and Tor.
71+
- Uses onion encryption over multiple hops just like Tor.
72+
- Routes are chosen to cover most distance within the network to increase privacy.
73+
- Exits are chosen near the destination server. This automatically geo-unblocks in many cases.
74+
- Exclude apps and domains/entities from using SPN.
75+
- Change routing algorithm and focus per app.
76+
- Nodes are hosted by Safing (company behind Portmaster) and the community.
77+
- Speeds are pretty decent (>100MBit/s).
78+
79+
#### Further Readings:
80+
81+
- [Portmaster Architecture Overview](https://docs.safing.io/portmaster/architecture/overview)
82+
- [SPN Whitepaper](https://safing.io/files/whitepaper/Gate17.pdf)
3783

3884
## Documentation
3985

0 commit comments

Comments
 (0)