Haystack (software)
Haystack was a never-completed program intended for network traffic and . It was promoted as a tool to circumvent in . Shortly after the release of the first test version, reviewers concluded the software didn’t live up to promises made about its functionality and security, and would leave its users’ computers more vulnerable.
Contents
History
Haystack was announced in the context of the perceived wave of . There was a great deal of hype surrounding the Haystack project. The ‘s television series featured the software in the context of attempts to bypass network blocking software in Iran. The project was composed of one programmer and a spokesperson. Early on in the project the CRC claims to have received a manual describing Iran’s filtering software, written in , from an Iranian official.
Amidst criticism from technologists, including and , on September 13, 2010, the Washington Post reported that security concerns had led to suspension of testing of Haystack. A message on the front page of the Haystack web site posted the same day confirmed the report, saying “We have halted ongoing testing of Haystack in Iran pending a security review. If you have a copy of the test program, please refrain from using it.” The following day the BBC reported the same news and quoted the CRC as stating that source code to the application would be released.
Shutdown
The resignation of the only programmer on the project, Daniel Colascione, effectively ended development of the Haystack project. The project web site is now defunct.