Freegate

FreeGate is a software utility that enables Chinese,Iranian and Tunisian surfers to view websites banned by their government (see Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China). Developer Dynamic Internet Technology (DIT) estimates Freegate has 200,000 users.

The maintainer and CEO of DIT is Bill Xia Fact|date=October 2007.

How freegate works

The software takes advantage of a range of proxy servers assigned to changeable internet addresses, which allows users in China, Iran, Tunisia and Myanmar access to sites banned by the Chinese, Iranian and Myanmar governments. The program exploits open proxies, which allow users to penetrate firewalls used to block web sites.

Trojan Horse reports

The Financial Times, citing a member of staff at Symantec in China, reported that Norton AntiVirus identified Freegate as a trojan horse. There were initial fears that the reports may be a ploy by the Chinese authorities to encourage removal of the software from computers,John Leyden, [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/14/symantec_targets_freegate/ Symantec labels China censor-busting software as Trojan] , The Register, September 14 2004] but it was soon delisted as a threat. Symantec explained that its detection was based on the software operating similarly to various Trojan horses, based on the use of open proxies to penetrate firewalls used to block web sites, but that it had modified its detection to exclude Freegate.John Leyden, [http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/16/symantec_relabels_freegate/ Freegate is not Trojan horse, says Symantec] , The Register, September 16 2004] However, Spyware Guide lists it as a Trojan. [ [http://www.spywareguide.com/product_show.php?id=1641 Freegate] , Spyware Guide, retrieved 2007-10-08 (Researchers note:- These may be two separate programs)]

Since late September 2007, users in China trying to download the Skype software are redirected to the Tom.com site from which a modified Chinese version can be downloaded. Activists in China are warning about the possibility that TOM's versions have or will have more trojan capability. DIT believes that Skype has been pressured by the Chinese authorities to apply censorship measures, which are targeted at curbing the popularity of Freegate in China. [ [http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/09/24/2962449.htm Dynamic Internet Technology Inc. Alleges Skype Redirects Users in China to Censorware Version - Ten Days After Users Are Able To Download Freegate Software Through Skype] , TMCnet, September 24, 2007]

References

External links

* [http://www.dit-inc.us/ Dynamic Internet Technology Inc - Main site discussion]
* [http://www.cnet.com.au/downloads/0,239030384,10415392s,00.htm Freegate 5.4 cnet download]
* [http://downloads.zdnet.com/download.aspx?docid=211184 Freegate 6.33 zdnet download]
* [http://p2pnet.net/story/2467 Google China censors news]

ee also

*Golden Shield Project