Mixmaster anonymous remailer explained

Mixmaster
Author:	Lance Cottrell
Developer:	Len Sassaman and Peter Palfrader
Latest Release Version:	3.0
Latest Release Date:	March 3, 2008
Genre:	Anonymous remailer
Website:	http://mixmaster.sourceforge.net/

Mixmaster is a Type II anonymous remailer which sends messages in fixed-size packets and reorders them, preventing anyone watching the messages go in and out of remailers from tracing them. It is an implementation of a David Chaum's mix network.^[1]

History

Mixmaster was originally written by Lance Cottrell, and was maintained by Len Sassaman. Peter Palfrader is the current maintainer. Current Mixmaster software can be compiled to handle Cypherpunk messages as well; they are needed as reply blocks for nym servers.

Support for Mixmaster was removed from the Neomutt fork of the Mutt mail client in 2024 because the project did not seem active anymore.^[2]

See also

• Anonymity
  • Anonymous P2P
  • Anonymous remailer
    • Cypherpunk anonymous remailer (Type I)
    • Mixminion (Type III)
  • Onion routing
    • Tor (network)
  • Pseudonymous remailer (a.k.a. nym servers)
    • Penet remailer
• Data privacy
• Traffic analysis

References

1. Mixmaster Protocol Version 2 . draft-sassaman-mixmaster-03 . Moeller . Ulf . Cottrell . Lance . Palfrader . Peter . Sassaman . Len.
2. https://github.com/neomutt/neomutt/commit/b0e085e142dfc60eeaf661373f3930aa3cc4b83d

Further reading

• Email Security, Bruce Schneier
• Computer Privacy Handbook, Andre Bacard

External links

• Mixmaster homepage
• Official Mixmaster Remailer FAQ
• Remailer FAQ
• Remailer Vulnerabilities
• A/I: PARANOIA REMAILER HOWTO
• Feraga.com: Howto use a Type II Anonymous Remailer (link not active 12 May 2010)