A Technical Whitepaper
Submitted for the DAWN Sidetrack — Cypherpunk Hackathon by Skipp
Arkham is a decentralized Virtual Private Network (dVPN) designed to run on the DAWN Black Box hardware ecosystem. By transforming a distributed network of user-owned devices into a privacy-preserving mesh, Arkham enables individuals to route their internet traffic through peer nodes, effectively cloaking their digital identity without relying on centralized VPN providers. The system employs a hybrid peer discovery mechanism combining mDNS and Kademlia DHT, implements a custom VPN negotiation protocol over libp2p streams, and integrates directly with WireGuard for secure tunnel establishment. This whitepaper details Arkham's architecture, core protocols, and technical implementation, demonstrating how decentralized infrastructure can deliver tangible privacy utility while embodying cypherpunk principles of user sovereignty and cryptographic protection.
The modern internet faces a fundamental crisis of trust. Centralized VPN providers, despite their privacy promises, represent single points of failure and potential surveillance. Users must place complete faith in commercial entities that control their traffic, maintain logs despite claims otherwise, and operate under opaque jurisdictions. This architecture contradicts the foundational cypherpunk principle: privacy through cryptography and decentralization, not through trust in institutions.
The DAWN Black Box represents a paradigm shift, a network of user-owned hardware nodes that can form the substrate for truly decentralized applications. However, hardware alone is insufficient. What's needed are applications that provide immediate, tangible value while advancing the cause of digital sovereignty.
This is where Arkham enters.
Arkham transforms the DAWN network from passive infrastructure into an active privacy shield. Every Black Box becomes both a potential exit node (a "Warden") and an entry point (serving "Seekers"), creating a mesh network where privacy is a collective good, strengthened by every participant. Unlike traditional VPNs where you trust a company, or earlier P2P VPNs plagued by poor incentive structures, Arkham is built on user-owned hardware with a clear path to sustainable tokenomic rewards.
The opportunity is clear: give every Black Box owner a reason to participate, and you create a network that becomes more valuable and resilient with each new node. Arkham is that reason.
Arkham enables users to "Activate The Veil”, a metaphor for routing their internet traffic through another peer on the network, masking their true origin. The system defines two key roles:
This relationship is peer-to-peer, encrypted, and requires no central coordination beyond initial peer discovery. Each connection establishes a WireGuard tunnel, the gold standard in VPN technology ensuring traffic is protected by modern cryptographic protocols.