This is a Steemit PSA that if you're a DeepOnion holder you'll need to update your wallet! An issue was discovered in the old wallet, and this upgrade is required to fix it. You'll need to update your wallet before block 460,000 or you will experience issues connecting to the DeepOnion network. Please see this thread for instructions on updating your wallet. There's something else that comes with this update though! Stealth addresses!
With this upgrade the DeepOnion team is introducing the highly anticipated Stealth Address function! If you look in the wallet options you'll see there's already a little box there denoting the presence of stealth addresses. However, you won't be able to actually start using them until the block confirms as noted previously. However, if you'd like to test out these features beforehand you can use the test nodes to do so.
What is a stealth address, and how do you use it?
When you create a stealth address for the first time you'll notice that it is a little longer than a normal address, but what makes it stealthy? Essentially, you can send and receive coins to a single address while still being hidden. A stealth address will break up your transactions into several different wallets. While this helps to hide where the transaction originally came from, and it makes it much more difficult for anyone to track your spending. This is a big step in increasing the privacy of DeepOnion, and a highly anticipated stop on their roadmap.
If you'd like to create a stealth address in your DeepOnion wallet simply go to the receive coins page, and then click on "new address". Make sure you check "stealth address" on the screen that pops up, and then click okay. If you'd like a payment to be "mixed" using the stealth feature make sure that you send coins using the correct address or you if you are receiving coins that the person sending to you has the stealth address instead of your regular address.
How Else Does DeepOnion Protect My Privacy?
DeepOnion connects through the TOR network automatically. This gives you the benefit of the network's privacy without having to actually learn how to use anything. By utilizing TOR DeepOnion sends your information through encrypted bundles which it then routes this information through various servers in the network to obscure where it has come from. Many individuals use the TOR network everyday to protect their identities, financial information, and their privacy. This can include people who are blocked from certain content by their ISP or even their home countries or people who need to communicate safely such as journalists.
In addition to TOR network integration DeepOnion also uses OBFS4. This layer is meant to obscure the fact that you are using TOR at all. In some cases your country or ISP may detect the usage of TOR, and then try to ban you completely so you can't protect yourself. DeepOnion counters this by using this protocol to further protect you from intruders who would steal your private information or those who would try to keep you from protecting yourself.
What's Next For DeepOnion?
DeepOnion isn't done progressing privacy in the world of cryptocurrency. Also on the roadmap are DeepSend and Zero Knowledge Protocol. These new protocols will take further steps to mask your transactions from prying eyes. I'm excited to see how they implement these to further increase the security of their network.