Axon: A Tor-Based Server-less P2P F2F Chat Network

Axon is a cutting-edge decentralized, serverless peer-to-peer (P2P) mesh network, specifically created for high-latency and unreliable environments. It leverages Tor Hidden Services to establish a private, encrypted network between trusted peers, completely eliminating the need for central servers and the risks associated with phone numbers and metadata leaks.

Key Features

• Tor-Native Architecture: Every node in the Axon network operates as a Hidden Service (v3 .onion). Connections are inherently end-to-end encrypted and anonymous, with automatic NAT-punching to facilitate seamless connectivity.
• Swarm Downloading: Enhance download speeds by aggregating bandwidth from multiple peers. Files can be downloaded simultaneously from several friends, significantly improving transfer speed over Tor.
• Smart Resume Functionality: Designed to handle anticipated network drops, Axon uses persistent state files (.axon_state) that allow file transfers to resume instantly—even after system restarts.
• Efficient Bloom Filter Indexing: Instead of cumbersome file lists, Axon employs bandwidth-efficient probabilistic filters (64KB) to allow searchable libraries with over 100,000 files without congesting the mesh.
• Visual Trust Graph: A dynamic, force-directed topology map provides a clear view of direct neighbors and their known peers, enhancing user interaction and trust in the network.

Quick User Guide

1. Run the Node:
   The Axon application is delivered as a single static binary that manages its own Tor daemon.

   ./axon  
   

   For testing, run a second instance on the same machine.

   ./axon -port 8081  
   

2. Access the Interface:
   Open a web browser and navigate to: http://127.0.0.1:8081

How to Set Up Axon

1. Identity Setup:
   Access the Identity tab, set a display name (e.g., "Ghost"), and copy your unique Onion Address (e.g., pnkt...tqd.onion). This becomes your permanent, sovereign ID.
2. Build Your Mesh:
   Use the Topology tab to add peers by pasting their Onion Addresses. Note that the initial handshake may take 30–60 seconds as Tor establishes connectivity.
3. File Sharing Capabilities:
   • Hosting: Files placed in the ./data/shared folder are indexed and made searchable to peers.
   • Searching: Use the Library tab to search for files by keyword (e.g., "blueprints"). Discovers data in real-time from neighbors' filters.
   • Downloading: Initiate downloads seamlessly through the Swarm Engine, which locates other peers sharing the file and parallelizes transfers.
4. Security Measures:
   • SSRF Protection: Robust input validation safeguards against malicious peers attempting to exploit local network access.
   • Blocking Peers: Utilize the Ban icon in chat to sever connections and ignore future attempts from specific peers.

Technical Overview

Axon employs a custom JSON-over-HTTP protocol that routes exclusively through Tor SOCKS5 proxies.

• Discovery: Using Bloom Filters allows nodes to advertise content availability without compromising file metadata confidentiality.
• Transport Security: Identity and data encryption utilize Ed25519 for signing/authentication and X25519 for end-to-end encrypted chats fortified with Tor's native encryption.
• Storage: SQLite in WAL (Write-Ahead Logging) mode ensures concurrent processing of chat logs and file indexes. Persistent identity keys, state files, and databases are stored in the local ./data_[port]/ directory.

Disclaimer: Axon is currently experimental software. Although it utilizes widely accepted cryptographic methods (Ed25519, SHA-256, AES-GCM), it has not undergone formal auditing. Usage is at one's own risk.