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<span class=toggle-dark><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentcolor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="feather feather-moon"><path d="M21 12.79A9 9 0 1111.21 3 7 7 0 0021 12.79z"/></svg></span><span class=toggle-light><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentcolor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="feather feather-sun"><circle cx="12" cy="12" r="5"/><line x1="12" y1="1" x2="12" y2="3"/><line x1="12" y1="21" x2="12" y2="23"/><line x1="4.22" y1="4.22" x2="5.64" y2="5.64"/><line x1="18.36" y1="18.36" x2="19.78" y2="19.78"/><line x1="1" y1="12" x2="3" y2="12"/><line x1="21" y1="12" x2="23" y2="12"/><line x1="4.22" y1="19.78" x2="5.64" y2="18.36"/><line x1="18.36" y1="5.64" x2="19.78" y2="4.22"/></svg></span></button><ul class="navbar-nav social-nav order-3 order-md-5"><li class=nav-item><a class=nav-link href=https://github.com/mCaptcha><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="20" height="20" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentcolor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="feather feather-github"><path d="M9 19c-5 1.5-5-2.5-7-3m14 6v-3.87a3.37 3.37.0 00-.94-2.61c3.14-.35 6.44-1.54 6.44-7A5.44 5.44.0 0020 4.77 5.07 5.07.0 0019.91 1S18.73.65 16 2.48a13.38 13.38.0 00-7 0C6.27.65 5.09 1 5.09 1A5.07 5.07.0 005 4.77 5.44 5.44.0 003.5 8.55c0 5.42 3.3 6.61 6.44 7A3.37 3.37.0 009 18.13V22"/></svg><span class="ms-2 visually-hidden">GitHub</span></a></li></ul><div class="collapse navbar-collapse order-4 order-md-1"><ul class="navbar-nav main-nav me-auto order-5 order-md-2"><li class=nav-item><a class=nav-link href=/about/>About</a></li><li class="nav-item active"><a class=nav-link href=/blog/>Blog</a></li><li class=nav-item><a class=nav-link href=/community/>Community</a></li><li class=nav-item><a class=nav-link href=/contact/>Contact</a></li><li class=nav-item><a class=nav-link href=/docs/prologue/introduction/>Docs</a></li></ul><div class="break order-6 d-md-none"></div><form class="navbar-form flex-grow-1 order-7 order-md-3"><input id=userinput class="form-control is-search" type=search placeholder="Search docs..." aria-label="Search docs..." autocomplete=off><div id=suggestions class="shadow bg-white rounded"></div></form></div></div></header><div class="wrap container" role=document><div class=content><div class="row flex-xl-nowrap"><nav class="docs-toc d-none d-xl-block col-xl-3" aria-label="Secondary navigation"><div class=page-links><h3>On this page</h3><nav id=TableOfContents><ul><li><a href=#python-bindings-to-mcaptcha-powhttpsgithubcommcaptchapow_sha256>Python bindings to <a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/pow_sha256/>mCaptcha PoW</a></a></li><li><a href=#measuring-ddos-protection-effectiveness>Measuring DDoS protection effectiveness</a></li><li><a href=#refactor>Refactor</a></li><li><a href=#mcapthca-is-now-on-the-fediverse>mCapthca is now on the Fediverse</a></li><li><a href=#generic-hosting>Generic hosting</a></li></ul></nav></div></nav><main class="docs-content col-lg-11 col-xl-9 mx-xl-auto"><article><div class=blog-header><h1>May, 2022: Monthly Report</h1><p><small>Posted June 10, 2022 by <a class="stretched-link position-relative" href=/contributors/aravinth-manivannan/>Aravinth Manivannan</a> ‐ <strong>4 min read</strong></small><p><p><small>Last Edited June 14, 2022</small><p></div><p class=lead>We are mCaptcha. We build kickass CAPTCHA systems that give (DDoS) attackers a run for their money. And we do all of this without tracking your users. Oh and did I mention our UX is great?</p><p>Hello and welcome to the May 2022 edition of the monthly report!</p><p>mCaptcha, for a while was showing all the signs of a dead project:
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no commits on the repositories and no monthly updates. But the project
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is far from dead!</p><h2 id=python-bindings-to-mcaptcha-powhttpsgithubcommcaptchapow_sha256>Python bindings to <a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/pow_sha256/>mCaptcha PoW</a></h2><p><a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/pow_py>pow_py</a> contains bindings to
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<a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/pow_sha256>pow_sha256</a>, the
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<a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proof_of_work>proof-of-work</a> library
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that mCaptcha uses. For the uninitiated, the bindings allow for python
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programs to automatically solve mCaptcha.</p><p>So if you are writing a script to do some chore on your favourite
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website that is protected by mCaptcha, you can now solve the mCaptcha
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automatically from within the program.</p><p>Here’s an example:</p><div class=highlight><pre class=chroma><code class=language-python data-lang=python><span class=kn>import</span> <span class=nn>os</span>
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<span class=kn>import</span> <span class=nn>mcaptcha_pow_py</span>
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<span class=kn>import</span> <span class=nn>requests</span>
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<span class=c1># get the sitekey that is used in the mCaptcha protected form</span>
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<span class=n>SITEKEY</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>os</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>getenv</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=s2>"MCAPTCHA_CAPTCHA_SITEKEY"</span><span class=p>)</span>
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<span class=c1># the hostname of the mCaptcha instance that the form is using</span>
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<span class=n>MCAPTCHA_HOST</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>os</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>getenv</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=s2>"MCAPTCHA_CAPTCHA_HOST"</span><span class=p>)</span>
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<span class=n>GET_CONFIG_ROUTE</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>f</span><span class=s2>"{MCAPTCHA_HOST}/api/v1/pow/config"</span>
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<span class=n>VERIFY_POW_ROUTE</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>f</span><span class=s2>"{MCAPTCHA_HOST}/api/v1/pow/verify"</span>
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<span class=k>def</span> <span class=nf>solve_captcha</span><span class=p>():</span>
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<span class=c1># get challenge configuration</span>
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<span class=n>key</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=p>{</span><span class=s2>"key"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=n>sitekey</span><span class=p>}</span>
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<span class=n>challenge_config</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>requests</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>post</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>GET_CONFIG_ROUTE</span><span class=p>,</span> <span class=n>json</span><span class=o>=</span><span class=n>key</span><span class=p>)</span>
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<span class=n>challenge_config</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>challenge_config</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>json</span><span class=p>()</span>
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<span class=c1># extract configuration data</span>
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<span class=n>config</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>mcaptcha_pow_py</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>PoWConfig</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>challenge_config</span><span class=p>[</span><span class=s2>"salt"</span><span class=p>])</span>
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<span class=n>pow_string</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>challenge_config</span><span class=p>[</span><span class=s2>"string"</span><span class=p>]</span>
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<span class=n>pow_difficulty_factor</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>challenge_config</span><span class=p>[</span><span class=s2>"difficulty_factor"</span><span class=p>]</span>
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<span class=c1># generate work</span>
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<span class=n>work</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>config</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>work</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>pow_string</span><span class=p>,</span> <span class=n>pow_difficulty_factor</span><span class=p>)</span>
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<span class=c1># verify PoW</span>
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<span class=n>proof</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=p>{</span>
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<span class=s2>"key"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=n>SITEKEY</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=s2>"nonce"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=n>work</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>nonce</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=s2>"result"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=n>work</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>result</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=s2>"string"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=n>challenge_config</span><span class=p>[</span><span class=s2>"string"</span><span class=p>],</span>
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<span class=p>}</span>
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<span class=n>resp</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>requests</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>post</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=n>VERIFY_POW_ROUTE</span><span class=p>,</span> <span class=n>json</span><span class=o>=</span><span class=n>proof</span><span class=p>)</span>
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<span class=n>resp</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>resp</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>json</span><span class=p>()</span>
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<span class=c1># extract verification token</span>
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<span class=n>token</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>resp</span><span class=p>[</span><span class=s2>"token"</span><span class=p>]</span>
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<span class=k>return</span> <span class=n>token</span>
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<span class=n>token</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>solve_captcha</span><span class=p>()</span>
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<span class=n>data</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=p>{</span>
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<span class=s2>"username"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=s2>"me"</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=s2>"password"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=s2>"superlongpassword"</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=s2>"confirm_password"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=s2>"superlongpassword"</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=s2>"mcaptcha__token"</span><span class=p>:</span> <span class=n>token</span><span class=p>,</span>
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<span class=p>}</span>
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<span class=n>response</span> <span class=o>=</span> <span class=n>requests</span><span class=o>.</span><span class=n>post</span><span class=p>(</span><span class=s2>"/mCaptcha-protected-form"</span><span class=p>,</span> <span class=n>data</span><span class=o>=</span><span class=n>data</span><span class=p>)</span>
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</code></pre></div><p>This could be missed for building DDoS bots(more on that
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<a href=#measuring-ddos-protection-effectiveness>here</a>) but this could also be
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used to make CAPTCHA solving automated within screen readers and other
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accessibility devices!</p><h2 id=measuring-ddos-protection-effectiveness>Measuring DDoS protection effectiveness</h2><p>Proof-of-work has historically been a good method to achieve rate
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limiting but how much attack can it, specifically mCaptcha’s
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implementation, withstand when compared to an unprotected endpoint? To
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find out, we used the recently created Python bindings to the mCaptcha
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PoW library, the excellent load testing tool,
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<a href=https://locust.io>locust</a> and wrote
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<a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/dos>mCaptcha/dos</a>!</p><p><a href=https://vitap.ac.in>VIT AP</a> kindly permitted me, @realaravinth, to use their network
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security lab for setting up a isolated, contained testing environment to
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mount a DDoS attack on a <a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/dos/tree/master/rust-server/demo-server>test
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server</a>
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instance.</p><p>The initial topology consisted of one mCaptcha instance, one DDoS demo
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server, one locust node running in leader configuration and six locust
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nodes running in follower configuration. I was authorised to use the
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netsec lab for three days, which unfortunately wasn’t enough to go
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finish running the experiment. <a href=https://sibichakkaravarthy.github.io/>Dr. Sibi Chakkaravarthy
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Sethuraman</a> has kindly offered to
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arrange authorisation to use the netsec lab once again in July 2022,
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during which I hope to finish running the experiment</p><p>Special thanks to <a href=http://ackr8.com/>ackr-8</a> and
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<a href=https://github.com/alan2000alex>alan2000alex</a> for help with setting up
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infrastructure of the experiment.</p><h2 id=refactor>Refactor</h2><p>mCaptcha underwent a major refactor during the month of May: We re-wrote
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and cleaned up all database-related stuff for higher flexibility
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flexibility and generally good architecture. This refactor lays the
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foundation for implementing support for alternate database software
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programs(we currently support PostgreSQL only).</p><h2 id=mcapthca-is-now-on-the-fediverse>mCapthca is now on the Fediverse</h2><p>We recently joined the Fediverse on a
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<a href=https://docs.gotosocial.org/>GoToSocial</a> instance run by
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@realaravinth. We’ll soon be deleting our Twitter account in favour of
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the Fediverse account.</p><p><strong>Fediverse account:</strong>
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<a href=https://gts.batsense.net/@mcaptcha>@mCapthca@batsense.net</a></p><h2 id=generic-hosting>Generic hosting</h2><p>I, @realaravinth, have been busy with <a href=https://forgeflux.org>ForgeFlux</a>
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and <a href=https://hostea.org>Hostea</a> — both of which are <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forge_(software)>software
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forge</a> related and so
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when usable, will mostly improve the Free Software ecosystem. Hostea is
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a project that aims to create a libre software development ecosystem and
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provide managed hosting for the same. The project is <a href=https://forum.hostea.org/t/a-guide-to-hostea-governance/57>built by a
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horizontal community</a>, which allows for multiple service providers who
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adhere to the Hostea policies to operate
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under the Hostea umbrella — essentially allowing for the creation of
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smaller, highly localised cooperatives.</p><p>Cooperatives are interesting, and we believe that mCapthca, too, can
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benefit from such an architecture as it will prevent any one party from
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single-handedly sabotaging the project. The experience gained from
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Hostea will be reused in providing managed hosting for mCapthca.</p><p>By the end of this year, mCapthca will reorganise into a horizontal
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community and adopt <a href=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_transparency#Radical_corporate_transparency>radical transparency</a> to improve trust and
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reliability of the project</p><blockquote><p>P.S: I, realaravinth, would do it sooner but I’m a little busy right
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now, so if someone is interested to help out do reach out and so that
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we could do it sooner!</p></blockquote><p>In context of mCapthca, radical transparency will include all decisions
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publicly made, funding and expenses publicly documented, and all
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collaborations, too, publicly documented. This of course doesn’t imply
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that private, personally identifiable information(addresses and phone
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numbers, for instance) will be publicly disclosed. Such information will
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be redacted and published.</p></article><div class="docs-navigation d-flex justify-content-between"><a class=ms-auto href=/blog/decenber-2021-monthly-report/><div class="card my-1"><div class="card-body py-2">Decenber, 2021: Monthly Report →</div></div></a></div><p class=edit-page><a href=https://github.com/mCaptcha/website/blob/master/content/blog/05-22-monthly-report/index.md><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="16" height="16" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="none" stroke="currentcolor" stroke-width="2" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" class="feather feather-edit-2"><path d="M17 3a2.828 2.828.0 114 4L7.5 20.5 2 22l1.5-5.5L17 3z"/></svg>Edit this page on GitHub</a></p></main></div></div></div><footer class="footer text-muted"><div class=container><div class=row><div class="col-lg-8 order-last order-lg-first"><ul class=list-inline><li class=list-inline-item>Powered by <a href=https://gohugo.io/>Hugo</a>, and <a href=https://getdoks.org/>Doks</a></li></ul></div><div class="col-lg-8 order-first order-lg-last text-lg-end"><ul class=list-inline><li class=list-inline-item><a href=/about/>About</a></li><li class=list-inline-item><a href=/donate>Donate</a></li><li class=list-inline-item><a href=/privacy-policy/>Privacy</a></li><li class=list-inline-item><a href=/security>Security</a></li><li class=list-inline-item><a href=https://stats.uptimerobot.com/GK7VLFJnBl>Status</a></li><li class=list-inline-item><a href=/thanks>Thanks</a></li></ul></div></div></div></footer><script src=/main.min.db67f0caa6a5788b691b9509981d6e5943f4b8d829170a674f468d4b23671ce4017c47a0a22116a8fc2f2de556c8b48f1afecd86707066f2f022c5dd83e8ea3c.js integrity="sha512-22fwyqaleItpG5UJmB1uWUP0uNgpFwpnT0aNSyNnHOQBfEegoiEWqPwvLeVWyLSPGv7NhnBwZvLwIsXdg+jqPA==" crossorigin=anonymous defer></script><script src=/index.min.14d90a1bf5eef7d2b17902afe7b9ef7f8050a0619390568503a8254f864e31029e63bec047cd6efd6d23a2470d3458899332e923065cef88508028b49ab0b873.js integrity="sha512-FNkKG/Xu99KxeQKv57nvf4BQoGGTkFaFA6glT4ZOMQKeY77AR81u/W0jokcNNFiJkzLpIwZc74hQgCi0mrC4cw==" crossorigin=anonymous defer></script></body></html> |