Created a script to get the connections every time a new node connected. Everything looked normal in the peer list until I saw many nodes from:
100.42.27.* (around 200 peers)
193.142.59.* (around 200 peers)
199.116.84.* (around 100 peers)
209.222.252.* (around 150 peers)
91.198.115.* (around 150 peers)
The 100.42.27., 199.116.84., 209.222.252., and 91.198.115. all belong to “Lionlink Networks”.
These are around 600 nodes that are under that ISP and account for 20-30% of all nodes seen from a 3 day survey span.
This looks suspicious to me and the massive amounts of nodes raises many red flags and does not look natural at all.
If these were malicious, in concept, with the 13 default IN/OUT peers, if all connected are malicious, the innocent one would have no other data to compare it to.
(Edit: Updated Theory: having many nodes has the ability trace transactions and block miners easier based on timing attack)
MRL has recently noticed the same issue and is discussing solutions: https://github.com/monero-project/research-lab/issues/126
This post/thread needs to be way way higher up for everyone to see. Sounds just like all the malicious nodes on the tor network. Everything gets tapped eventually. Hopefully a solution can be found. What is the easiest method to host a tor and XMR node safely? I’ve got a server PC to offer up for good use. Anything possible on a home network or too risky?
https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=OviYhLZ02qg - fullnode over tor guide
also the pinode project is really helpful, not just for raspberry pis, neat package - then select tor only