How secure is your digital?

[AmaxB]

The internet and surveillance

Most people believe they have anonymity when surfing the net - you don't unless you create it.

When online I do nothing I shouldn't do, but what I do is my business.
I have a strong dislike for big brother, corporations, or the crook ease dropping. Because of this I use two hard drives one with Linux (my cruse drive) and another with Windows (my work drive). So if I don't care what others might see I use windows. If I am going into the dangerous web I use Linux Mint and keep nothing sensitive on the drives.
I make a disc image of both drives Should I become infected or hacked I can put them back as they were at the time the image was made in about 20 minutes. You can't really do this with windows recovery or a manufactures back to factory state.


I have been interested in the DeepNet and the Tor Project for some time off and on but never realy got serious about it until a few days ago. In the past I installed the Tor browser but saw no real difference other than it was slow. But that was because I did not know how to search the Deep Web and Engines like Google don't really index it. If you install Tor for anonymous surfing of the web do a search for the hidden wiki using the Tor network from the start page, a good place to start - have a look at it.

The DeepNet is bigger than the common Internet
Tor is a Browser that can be used to access the Internet as well as the DeepNet while providing anonymity.

While your at it have a look at the video below it will open your eyes.

For information about or to download Tor visit torproject.org

The Video
BBC Horizon 2014-2015 Episode 4: Inside the Dark Web
Published on Sep 3, 2014
Twenty-five years after the world wide web was created, it is now caught in the greatest controversy of its existence: surveillance.

With many concerned that governments and corporations can monitor our every move, Horizon meets the hackers and scientists whose technology is fighting back. It is a controversial technology, and some law enforcement officers believe it is leading to 'risk-free crime' on the 'dark web' - a place where almost anything can be bought, from guns and drugs to credit card details.

Featuring interviews with the inventor of the world wide web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, and the co-founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, Horizon delves inside the 'dark web'.

Features contributions from: Alex Hawkinson, Joss Wright, Tim Berners-Lee, Julia Angwin, Julian Assange, Jacob Appelbaum, Bruce Schneier, David Chaum, Paul Syverson, Jon Iadonisi, Thomas Olofsson, Peter Todd, Troels Oerting, Eugene Kaspersky, Steve Crocker and Rick Lamb.

Covers: Internet of Things, Privacy, Encryption, Wikileaks (incl. Edward Snowden), Tor, Bitcoin, Silk Road

 

[leverhead]

Law enforcement is having a good cry over Apple and others removing themselves from the encryption loop, they really should be whining to the NSA for hash marks on the diaper. I think Snowden deserves a medal and a monument for exposing the voyeurs that couldn't sell law and order. Now they're trying to sell safety in a dangerous world. I would prefer the freedom to have my privacy and to make my own decisions about safety. That's old fashioned and not likely to return anytime soon.

The Deepnet is interesting, but anonymity is going to be an ongoing battle.

 

[Bex]

I always find this discussion interesting. Since its inception, the phone company has been able to track everyone that you call or who calls you, as well as listen in to your phone conversations. When you actually had to ring up the operator to get connected, it was not terribly unusual for someone to listen to your entire conversation. All credit cards can track every purchase you make. Banks can track your deposits and withdrawals. No one seems to care about this. But internet tracking has become some kind of issue. Just like the phone company, your internet provider can trace every single thing you do on the internet. While this is done automatically, does someone actually sit down and analyze it? Has anyone ever analyzed how I use my phone in the 50 years that I've been using it?? Most internet tracking is done solely for marketing purposes, which, as indicated above, some people find convenient. Other than that, personally, I don't think I'm important enough for anyone to waste their time paying attention to what I do. A response might be that this is a matter of 'principle', but it as seen with the phone company, etc., it has been a practice for decades.
I have also been using Linux for years - is it more 'private' than Windows or Mac? Not that I can see - the minute you get on the internet, it makes little difference what operating system you are using. Frankly, if someone finds you important enough to analyze, they are going to be able to do it, regardless of whatever protections you put in place.

Edit: Another thought - those of you that have cell phones, which I assume most of us do - do you turn off the GPS? Have your data turned off? Just by carrying a cell phone with you, people who are interested know where you (or your phone) is.....at all times.