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Merge branch 'develop' of github.com:Safing/portmaster into develop
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dhaavi committed Feb 21, 2023
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Expand Up @@ -34,6 +34,52 @@ With great defaults your privacy improves without any effort. And if you want to
   
[![Techlore](https://safing.io/assets/img//external/techlore.png)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8cTRhGtmcM)

# Technical Introduction

Portmaster is a privacy suite for your desktop OS.

### Base Technology

- Portmaster integrates into network stack using nfqueue on Linux and a kernel driver (WFP) on Windows.
- Packets are intercepted at the raw packet level - every packet is seen and can be stopped.
- Ownership of connections are (currently) found via `/proc` on Linux and the IP Helper API (`iphlpapi.dll`) on Windows.
- Most settings can be defined per app, which can be matched in different ways.
- Support for special processes with weird or concealed paths/actors:
- Snap, AppImage and Script support on Linux
- Windows Store apps and svchost.exe system services support on Windows
- Everything is 100% local on your device. (except the SPN, naturally)
- Updates are fully signed and downloaded automatically.
- Intelligence data (block lists, geoip) is downloaded and applied automatically.
- The Portmaster Core Service runs as a system service, the UI elements (App, Notifier) run in user context.
- 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

### Feature: Privacy Filter

- Define allowed network scopes: Localhost, LAN, Internet, P2P, Inbound.
- Easy rules based on Internet entities: Domain, IP, Country and more.
- Filter Lists block common malware, ad, tracker domains etc.

### Feature: Secure DNS

- Portmaster intercepts "astray" DNS queries and reroutes them to itself for seamless integration.
- DNS queries are resolved by the default or configured DoT/DoH resolvers.
- Full support for split horizon and horizon validation to defend against rebinding attacks.

### Feature: Safing Privacy Network (SPN)

- A Privacy Network aimed at use cases "between" VPN and Tor.
- Uses onion encryption over multiple hops just like Tor.
- Routes are chosen to cover most distance within the network to increase privacy.
- Exits are chosen near the destination server. This automatically geo-unblocks in many cases.
- Exclude apps and domains/entities from using SPN.
- Change routing algorithm and focus per app.
- Nodes are hosted by Safing (company behind Portmaster) and the community.
- Speeds are pretty decent (>100MBit/s).

#### Further Readings:

- [Portmaster Architecture Overview](https://docs.safing.io/portmaster/architecture/overview)
- [SPN Whitepaper](https://safing.io/files/whitepaper/Gate17.pdf)

## Documentation

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