Class DefinitionParser


  • class DefinitionParser
    extends Object
    Utility class for parsing filter definitions
    Since:
    0.9.40
    • Constructor Detail

      • DefinitionParser

        DefinitionParser()
    • Method Detail

      • parse

        static FilterDefinition parse​(String[] definition)
                               throws InvalidDefinitionException

        Processes an array of String objects containing the human-readable definition of the filter.

        The definition of a filter is a list of Strings. Each line can represent one of these items:

        • definition of a default threshold to apply to any remote destinations not listed in this file or any of the referenced files
        • definition of a threshold to apply to a specific remote destination
        • definition of a threshold to apply to remote destinations listed in a file
        • definition of a threshold that if breached will cause the offending remote destination to be recorded in a specified file

        The order of the definitions matters. The first threshold for a given destination (whether explicit or listed in a file) overrides any future thresholds for the same destination, whether explicit or listed in a file.

        Thresholds:

        A threshold is defined by the number of connection attempts a remote destination is permitted to perform over a specified number of seconds before a "breach" occurs. For example the following threshold definition "15/5" means that the same remote destination is allowed to make 14 connection attempts over a 5 second period, If it makes one more attempt within the same period, the threshold will be breached.

        The threshold format can be one of the following:

        • Numeric definition of number of connections over number seconds - "15/5", "30/60", and so on. Note that if the number of connections is 1 (as for example in "1/1") the first connection attempt will result in a breach.
        • The word "allow". This threshold is never breached, i.e. infinite number of connection attempts is permitted.
        • The word "deny". This threshold is always breached, i.e. no connection attempts will be allowed.
        The default threshold applies to any remote destinations that are not explicitly listed in the definition or in any of the referenced files. To set a default threshold use the keyword "default". The following are examples of default thresholds:
         15/5 default
         allow default
         deny default
         
        Explicit thresholds are applied to a remote destination listed in the definition itself. Examples:
         15/5 explicit asdfasdfasdf.b32.i2p
         allow explicit fdsafdsafdsa.b32.i2p
         deny explicit qwerqwerqwer.b32.i2p
         
        For convenience it is possible to maintain a list of destinations in a file and define a threshold for all of them in bulk. Examples:
         15/5 file /path/throttled_destinations.txt
         deny file /path/forbidden_destinations.txt
         allow file /path/unlimited_destinations.txt
         
        Recorders keep track of connection attempts made by a remote destination, and if that breaches a certain threshold, that destination gets recorded in a given file. Examples:
         30/5 record /path/aggressive.txt
         60/5 record /path/very_aggressive.txt
         

        It is possible to use a recorder to record aggressive destinations to a given file, and then use that same file to throttle them. For example, the following snippet will define a filter that initially allows all connection attempts, but if any single destination exceeds 30 attempts per 5 seconds it gets throttled down to 15 attempts per 5 seconds:

         # by default there are no limits
         allow default
         # but record overly aggressive destinations
         30/5 record /path/throttled.txt
         # and any that end up in that file will get throttled in the future
         15/5 file /path/throttled.txt
         

        It is possible to use a recorder in one tunnel that writes to a file that throttles another tunnel. It is possible to reuse the same file with destinations in multiple tunnels. And of course, it is possible to edit these files by hand.

        Here is an example filter definition that applies some throttling by default, no throttling for destinations in the file "friends.txt", forbids any connections from destinations in the file "enemies.txt" and records any aggressive behavior in a file called "suspicious.txt":

         15/5 default
         allow file /path/friends.txt
         deny file /path/enemies.txt
         60/5 record /path/suspicious.txt
         
        Returns:
        a FilterDefinition POJO representation for internal use
        Throws:
        InvalidDefinitionException - if the definition is malformed