📚 Cypherpunk School Resources

Everything you need to support your learning: installation guides, command references, foundational reading, and advanced topics.

🪪 Identity & Verification

ResourceDescription
Decentralized Identity (DID)Verify our cryptographic identity - we practice what we preach

🛠 Essential Tool Installation

Core Encryption Tools (Weeks 1-5)

GnuPG (GPG) - Public Key Cryptography

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install gnupg

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S gnupg

# macOS
brew install gnupg

age - Modern File Encryption

# Using Go
go install filippo.io/age/cmd/...@latest

# From GitHub releases
https://github.com/FiloSottile/age/releases

gocryptfs - Encrypted Filesystems

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install gocryptfs

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S gocryptfs

# From source
https://github.com/rfjakob/gocryptfs

Networking & Anonymity (Weeks 6-7)

Tor - Anonymous Networking

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install tor

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S tor

# macOS
brew install tor

WireGuard - Modern VPN

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install wireguard

# Arch Linux
sudo pacman -S wireguard-tools

SSH - Secure Shell

# Usually pre-installed on Linux/macOS
# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt install openssh-client openssh-server

# Generate keys
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "[email protected]"

📖 Quick Reference Cards

GPG Command Cheat Sheet

# Generate new keypair
gpg --full-generate-key

# List keys
gpg --list-keys
gpg --list-secret-keys

# Export public key
gpg --armor --export [email protected] > pubkey.asc

# Import public key
gpg --import pubkey.asc

# Encrypt file
gpg --encrypt --recipient [email protected] file.txt

# Decrypt file
gpg --decrypt file.txt.gpg > file.txt

# Sign file
gpg --sign file.txt

# Verify signature
gpg --verify file.txt.sig

age Command Cheat Sheet

# Generate new keypair
age-keygen -o key.txt

# Encrypt with public key
age -r age1ql3z7hjy54pw3hyww5ayyfg7zqgvc7w3j2elw8zmrj2kg5sfn9aqmcac8p file.txt > file.txt.age

# Decrypt with private key
age --decrypt -i key.txt file.txt.age > file.txt

# Encrypt with passphrase
age --passphrase file.txt > file.txt.age

# Encrypt to multiple recipients
age -r recipient1_pubkey -r recipient2_pubkey file.txt > file.txt.age

SSH Command Cheat Sheet

# Connect to remote host
ssh user@hostname

# Copy files to remote (scp)
scp file.txt user@hostname:/remote/path/

# Copy files to remote (rsync)
rsync -avz file.txt user@hostname:/remote/path/

# Port forwarding (local)
ssh -L 8080:localhost:80 user@hostname

# Port forwarding (remote)
ssh -R 8080:localhost:80 user@hostname

# SOCKS proxy
ssh -D 1080 user@hostname

# Copy SSH key to remote
ssh-copy-id user@hostname

📜 Foundational Documents

Essential reading hosted locally for permanence. These documents shaped the cypherpunk movement and modern cryptographic systems.

DocumentLocal CopyIPFSOriginal Source
A Cypherpunk’s Manifesto (1993)HTMLQmU3BNNexKbAfMXpeJniTTYBRC9GCUNzyXkD73cK53u3vxactivism.net
Bitcoin Whitepaper (2008)PDFQmRA3NWM82ZGynMbYzAgYTSXCVM14Wx1RZ8fKP42G6gjgjbitcoin.org
CryptoNote Whitepaper (2013)PDFQmWGqFvNh9ia3LAnvdsztkMELLrQUm7ArgAbJavYx9EsKjMonero Research Lab

Verify Bitcoin whitepaper integrity:

sha256sum bitcoin-whitepaper.pdf
# Should output: b1674191a88ec5cdd733e4240a81803105dc412d6c6708d53ab94fc248f4f553

📚 Foundational Reading

Required Reading (Start Here)

The Cypherpunk Manifesto (1993)

Why Privacy Matters

Beginner-Friendly:

Intermediate:

Advanced:

🌐 Community & Discussion

Cypherpunk Communities

Forums & Discussion:

Learning Platforms:

News & Blogs:

Cypherpunk School Community

Feedback & Questions:

🔐 Hardware Security

YubiKey

Nitrokey

SoloKeys

Hardware Recommendations

🎓 Advanced Topics

Post-Quantum Cryptography

Articles:

Tools:

Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Learning Resources:

Tools:

Self-Sovereign Identity

Articles:

Tools:

Metadata-Resistant Messaging

Nym Mixnet:

🧭 How to Use These Resources

For Week 1-3 Students:

For Week 4-8 Students:

For Week 9+ Students:

This resource list grows with the course. Suggest additions via GitHub Issues or email.