= Procedure for figuring out what to do if you can't reach SR. =1. Ensure you have the most up to date copy of Tor. 2. That was the easy part. After you download this copy, ensure that it is *really* the right thing by validating it. Governments have setup fake copies of the Tor Project website before now and attempted various types of MITM (man in the middle) attacks to deliver a 'special' version of the Tor software to your desktop. This is not a drill, this is not even thatdifficult to achieve, so pay attention, this may sound like esoteric geek bullshit, but it is not, this is a real world situation.There is a way to cryptographically know whether you received the correct file from the developers. Note: if the developers have guns to their heads, this advicestops working, since they could be compelled to sign off that the file is correct even though it is a fake. But if the developers are honest, then this advice works.And believe me, it would take nothing less than a gun to the head to make the Tor project do this, that's a subject worthy of a entire post really, but I must digress and get back on topic: 2.1 Go to https://www.torproject.org/ 2.2. Download the copy appropriate for your operating system as in step 1.0 2.3 Download the sig. This looks like this for the most recent copy of the Mac TBB for example:     https://www.torproject.org/dist/torbrowser/tor-browser-2.2.39-1_en-US.exe.asc-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.17 (Darwin)iQEcBAABAgAGBQJQUFBCAAoJEEFvBhBj/uZZJwoIAJtXhkLg3tu+gmJ4/QCUceDFwr+bS2pzM8iK1EpN5f4W/A5qNFWL7IPqhmbNP1BIAPIbS845vZ+8P0FSc7AMUwiS4PJW65OanVEEYTvCJMrxGYhoQSaMA/O/7QJbB5vuTZiuCtbMcPcXl9F74NQ6gMKNczt+2RCtBbyBdwFg2ALNM9LSXSmR2x1jlbJ59Onr6c/t7QhcxGfY+cZCUrSfbuNmajgSUTgv6XuutJgW0UvuCEeEQ3Ll+aGmvGklFSGzsmZhI2H9ouK3u/Yv8Ev3dzPPG6cbk5IhbIC4qOvEvur2q4FiF3QgXlXPXZnBjLk4qXnV8xy8S3PpWhaVklpJpJc==kHMr-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----This will change for every single version of the TBB software that is released, so ensure you go to the website to obtain the correct .asc file.  2.4 Put the .asc file in the same folder as the Tor Browser Bundle .exe file you just downloaded. Good good.  2.5 Import Erinn Clarke's public key. She signs off on the TBB packages. See here to confirm this: https://www.torproject.org/docs/verifying-signatures.html.enHere it is: http://pgp.mit.edu:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=0x416F061063FEE659 Go there because if you follow the Tor Project's advice you would be extracting Erinn's public key over clearnet to your real IP address, something I'm not a big fan of doing.My way you can obtain the correct public key via Tor completely anonymously.Double check that the PGP public key mentioned at the Tor Project website (key ID: 63FEE659) has the same key ID as the link I just gave you. You could do thatby searching for "erinn@torproject.org" at the MIT PGP key servers at http://pgp.mit.edu . I mean, don't just take my word for it!  2.6 Save Erinn's marvelous (designation: longcat) public key to a text file. Then import that into your GPG software.  2.7 If you choose to sign Erinn's public key, then you should be doing this locally. If you don't know what this means, then don't do it at all. Essentially if you don't sign a public key locally you wind up sending your signature over clearnet to the key servers, which was probably not your intention since it means the key servers would have your real IP address. You can torify GPG easily, but that's a discussion for another day.  2.8 Now you are almost ready. Open up the command line or terminal on your machine. If you don't know how to do this, google it, it's not difficult.  2.9. The syntax for validating that the Tor software is what the developers wanted you to download is this:        gpg.exe --verify textfile.asc software.exe  2.10 You will need to navigate using the cd command to your PGP software's install directory until you find gpg.exe (Time for you to study a small command line tutorial online maybe, you will need to understand what commands like 'cd', 'dir' are about if you're on Windows, and 'cd' and 'ls' if you're on Linux, also you'll need to know where the GPG software is located on your OS, GPG is usually included on Linux by default and can be run anywhere, but Windows users will need to go looking for the correct install directory to achieve the same thing).  2.11 You are now in the appropriate install directory where gpg is located (assuming windows OS here). Then, after typing in gpg.exe --verify, you will need to type in the directory address to textfile.asc (e.g. tor-browser-2.2.39-1_en-US.exe.asc) and also to software.exe (e.g. tor-browser-2.2.39-1_en-US.exe). Remember it is backslashes for windows, forward slashes for linux when you're typing in a directory path.      Time saving note: When you're in the right directory you can press 'tab' until the command line fill feature presents you with the correct file, this is much easier than typing or even copy pasting.  2.12 For a new computer user, this ^ sounds like a serious pain in the butt. I recommend, instead of giving up out of frustration, you simply copy the .asc and .exe files into the directory that gpg.exe is living in. Then type in the syntax I mentioned earlier gpg.exe --verify textfile.asc software.exe and you should get this:Code: [Select]gpg: armor header: Version: GnuPG/MacGPG2 v2.0.17 (Darwin)gpg: Signature made 09/12/12 10:05:06 GMT Daylight Time using RSA key ID 63FEE659gpg: Good signature from "Erinn Clark <erinn@torproject.org>"gpg:        aka "Erinn Clark <erinn@debian.org>"gpg:        aka "Erinn Clark <erinn@double-helix.org>"gpg: WARNING: Using untrusted key!gpg: binary signature, digest algorithm SHA1See the part where it says: "Good signature"? That's all you need to know. If it's a bad signature, then either you screwed up the validation procedure or the government/somebody is trying to play tricks. Good to know. Also, if you did it, move the .asc and .exe files back out of the GPG directory into somewhere more appropriate!Ok, now you are absolutely sure you have (or don't have) the Tor Project software, so that's definitely a step in the right direction.3. Is it down for just you? Go to one of these hidden services                       http://warweedoeg6lfyoz.onion/updown/http://zw3crggtadila2sg.onion/downornot/Copy paste in SR's url etcThese will allow you to figure out if another node on the network can reach SR.4. Go to the forums. Is everybody bitchin' ? Communicate to the other darknet citizens about life and stuff, maybe they know things that can help you. In particular the otter people and the association of aquatic mammals e.g. your favorite platypus (:http://genome.wustl.edu/images/uploads/Genomes/PlatypusSm.jpgWhat a badass! Anyway...5. These are SR's backup URLs if SR becomes under attack:silkroadiplkjo7t.onionbpbpoqbqdodbqbqb.onionpddqoboqqqqqbqdq.onion6. You should obtain as many public keys as possible on this site in case the forums go offline. That way you can communicate via Tormail to most people on here.7. Obviously there are other schemes for keeping the network together. But if you find yourself at a loose end at every turn, hang around the appropriate places e.g. certain image boards, certain types of websites, and via the grapevine you'll obtain information.