What is Cypherpunk Technology
In its simplest form, Cypherpunk is a subculture of computer scientists and privacy activists that champion the use of cryptography as a means to challenge the status quo concerning online privacy. The name derives from the word crypto, which refers to the practice of encrypting data, or turning it into unintelligible garbage (ciphertext) that can only be read by an encrypting key. Cypherpunk technology emerged in the late 1980s as the Internet was in its infancy, and a growing concern over the potential for online surveillance by governments and corporations was gaining momentum.
A number of people began to explore the potential for using cryptography to protect against these threats, and a loosely-organized group formed at a 1992 meeting led by Sun Microsystems software developer Bob Hughes, Intel employee Tim May and computer scientist John Gilmore. The cypherpunks would communicate on a mail list that was unmoderated, in keeping with their distrust of structures which empower any single source of authority and the belief that the Internet should be a peer-to-peer environment.
Cypherpunks have authored, evangelized and contributed to a variety of projects designed to provide Internet users with security features such as email encryption, digital cash and anonymous web surfing. Their ideas have gone well beyond the technology of cryptography, though. They have also promoted an ethos that favors open-source software and free software. Their activism has included filing lawsuits against government agencies to challenge unconstitutional policies and practices.
One of the most prominent Cypherpunk projects was the development of electronic cash, a virtual currency that can be used anywhere in the world and which is untraceable and virtually impossible to tamper with. Cypherpunks envisioned the currency as being something of a holy grail, because it would allow people to bypass centralized banking systems. It would also permit money competition in the same way that free markets do for products such as cars and computers, while providing a strong deterrent to those with malicious intentions.
The cypherpunks were inspired by a range of literary influences as they pursued their goals. Among their most influential inspirations were stories about the dystopian future, with themes such as tyrannical governments and impending apocalypses. They also looked to the heroics of cyberspace, where a downtrodden hero with outsized powers could do battle against the forces of evil and save the day.
In terms of technical advancements, the cypherpunks were spurred on by the publication in 1976 of the MIT paper by Whitfield Diffie and Martin Hellman that introduced the concept of public-private key encryption. This technology allowed for people to talk privately with each other on the Internet, and it was instrumental in creating a more private and secure Internet. Cypherpunks were also inspired by the work of cryptographer David Chaum, who proposed mix networks and cryptographic digital cash.
