The Game Has Changed: Revisiting proxy distribution and game theory
Authors: Hassan Fares (University of Minnesota), Omkar Fulsundar (University of Minnesota), Nicholas Hopper (University of Minnesota)
Year: 2026
Issue: 1
Pages: 14–22
Abstract: In 2019, Nasr et al. introduced a game-theoretic framework for evaluating censorship-resilient proxy distribution schemes. In light of recent trends in proxy-based circumvention tools, and developments and revelations about Internet censor capabilities, we revisit this framework. Specifically, we implement simulations that model ephemeral, browser- or mobile-based proxies with NAT restrictions as used in Lantern, Psiphon and Snowflake, and also model censors that use traffic analysis to inform proxy enumeration schemes. We show that “optimal” proxy distribution strategies that do not incorporate these advances are far from optimal, while the simple strategies used by ephmeral tools perform very well. Our results suggest there is a need for future research to better model the objective functions of proxy distribution strategies and censors.
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