Technology
CRC’s mission includes the development and distribution of technology designed to bypass government filters and other censorship mechanisms. It is a multi-step process:
Development and Testing. CRC engineers develop a system, usually embodied by a software program, which will counter a particular censorship mechanism. The program must then be tested in the relevant censorship environment. The development of Haystack involved hundreds of hours of research, coding, and testing.
Planning and Infrastructure. CRC engineers create the physical infrastructure required to implement the system. In order be effective, a program like Haystack requires specially-built computers, servers, routers, and a number of other necessities, including bandwidth to support users and buildings to store and protect the equipment. The CRC must also maintain and update these physical components as more people use the system.
Deployment and Distribution. Getting a program like Haystack into a country like Iran is no small task. CRC is working on a number of technical solutions to the distribution problem, including electronic distribution and distribution through USB keys, encrypted music or photo files, and SIM cards.
