The Tor Project the release of the utility , which allows for secure and anonymous file sharing and enables the organization of a public service for file exchange. The project code is written in Python and is licensed under GPLv3. Packages for Ubuntu, Fedora, Windows, and macOS.
OnionShare starts a web server on the local system that operates as a Tor hidden service, making it accessible to other users. An unpredictable onion address is generated for server access, which serves as the entry point for file sharing (for example, "http://ash4…pajf2b.onion/slug", where slug is two random words for enhanced security). To upload or send files to other users, simply open this address in Tor Browser. Unlike sending files via email or through services like Google Drive, DropBox, and WeTransfer, the OnionShare system is self-contained, requiring no interaction with external servers, allowing direct file transfer from one’s computer without intermediaries.
Other participants in file sharing do not need to install OnionShare; a regular Tor Browser and one instance of OnionShare on one of the users is sufficient. The confidentiality of the transfer is ensured by securely transmitting the address, for example, using end-to-end encryption mode in a messenger. After the transfer is completed, the address is immediately deleted, meaning that the file cannot be sent again in normal mode (a separate public mode is required). A graphical interface is provided on the user's system server for managing uploaded and downloaded files, as well as for monitoring data transfer.
In the new release, in addition to tabs for opening shared access and receiving files, a website publishing feature has been added. This capability allows OnionShare to act as a simple web server for serving static pages. The user just needs to drag the necessary files into the OnionShare window and click the 'Start sharing' button. After that, any Tor Browser users will be able to access the hosted information like a regular website, using the URL with the onion address.
If the index.html file is present in the root, its content will be displayed; if not, a list of files and directories will be shown. To restrict access to information, OnionShare supports login access to the page using a username and password via the standard HTTP Basic authentication method. The OnionShare interface also includes the ability to view visit history, allowing users to see which pages were requested and when.
By default, a temporary onion address is generated for the site, which remains active as long as OnionShare is running. To preserve the address between restarts, there is an option in the settings to generate permanent onion addresses. The location and IP address of the user’s system running OnionShare are hidden using Tor's hidden services technology, which enables the rapid creation of sites that cannot be censored or trace the owner.
Notable changes in the new release also include the addition of directory navigation in the file-sharing mode—the user can grant access not just to individual files but to a hierarchy of directories, and other users will be able to view the contents and download files if the settings do not include the option to block access after the first download.
Source: opennet.ru
