How safe is our info?

Just make sure you give a big HELLO and wave to the NSA each time you fire up your computer lol.....In all seriousness i reckon somewhere someone keeps a log of all our info maybe just my paranoid mind but still food for thought.
 
roachieuk said:
Just make sure you give a big HELLO and wave to the NSA each time you fire up your computer lol.....In all seriousness i reckon somewhere someone keeps a log of all our info maybe just my paranoid mind but still food for thought.
Click to expand...

You would think it'd get to the point where they have SO much data it starts to become meaningless. What do they do with it all? In a way the more they get the better for us, the safest place to hide a grain of sand is on a beach, no?

Edit: By "they" I mean the NSA, not the crooks!
 
I assume you were not aware that places like Russia had a global monopoly on collecting personal data? It's the 'modus operandi' of the local 'mafia'.

They don't sell it on the open market but trade it between sympathetic groups globally.

--> NSA! Edward Snowden is innocent! Lol
 
Maybe a guide to how to stay relatively anonymous online might be good?

And I mean during your everyday usage not just for special occasions ;)
 
wiz569 said:
Maybe a guide to how to stay relatively anonymous online might be good?

And I mean during your everyday usage not just for special occasions ;)
Click to expand...

Follow the DW model and you're halfway there already M8. I tend to sign up for things online under an alias and post very little personal information. If you need much more than that you're probably a shyster and know already ;)
 
Him Her said:
Follow the DW model and you're halfway there already M8. I tend to sign up for things online under an alias and post very little personal information. If you need much more than that you're probably a shyster and know already ;)
Click to expand...

I understand,as do most of us regarding aliases etc,but what about the day to day stuff i.e. cookies,google tracking, if you use google drive or microsoft One drive,all of these services collect data as you use them,

I suppose basically what i am asking is,

Can you safely and with minimum hassle use all internet related services without your personal data being collected and stored without your knowledge,but still be relatively user friendly to navigate :)
 
Maybe! While nothing will provide 100% anonymity, depending on what you want to do there are a few simple things that would help.

1. Have a disposable e-mail address (Yahoo, Google etc), sign up to stuff with that.
2. Set your browser to delete cookies on shutdown and turn tracking off.

Note that cookies are required for some sites to work properly but they generally hold little of interest.

3. You could use a web proxy so your ISP sees the proxy connection but not the target web site.
4. Use HTTPS as the traffic is then encrypted.
5. Secure e-mail contents by attaching the personal part as a password-protected file or use PGP.

PGP is 'Pretty Good Privacy' but the recipient needs to be using it too.

I'll add to this shortly!
 
Him Her said:
Maybe! While nothing will provide 100% anonymity, depending on what you want to do there are a few simple things that would help.

1. Have a disposable e-mail address (Yahoo, Google etc), sign up to stuff with that. Do that already,but using google or yahoo = tracking?
2. Set your browser to delete cookies on shutdown and turn tracking off. Check

Note that cookies are required for some sites to work properly but they generally hold little of interest. Check

3. You could use a web proxy so your ISP sees the proxy connection but not the target web site. I use VPN when needed
4. Use HTTPS as the traffic is then encrypted. Use were available
5. Secure e-mail contents by attaching the personal part as a password-protected file or use PGP. Can you elaborate

PGP is 'Pretty Good Privacy' but the recipient needs to be using it too.

I'll add to this shortly!
Click to expand...

Cheers m8 ;)
 
All the mainstream search engines track you and deliver ads based on your search profile. If this is a problem try a search engine such as duckduckgo.

Where a proxy uses HTTPS it's almost as good as VPN. In each case the ISP knows where you're connecting but not what you're looking at.

Many documents (like Word) can be saved with a password so only who knows the password can open them. Zip files have the same feature. So, you could send an email with the sensitive bits in an attached Word or Zip file. The email just says "Those details you requested are attached". The recipient saves the attachment and opens using their password. PGP needs the sender and recipient to exchange security details and the whole email gets encrypted.
 
Him Her said:
All the mainstream search engines track you and deliver ads based on your search profile. If this is a problem try a search engine such as duckduckgo.

Where a proxy uses HTTPS it's almost as good as VPN. In each case the ISP knows where you're connecting but not what you're looking at.

Many documents (like Word) can be saved with a password so only who knows the password can open them. Zip files have the same feature. So, you could send an email with the sensitive bits in an attached Word or Zip file. The email just says "Those details you requested are attached". The recipient saves the attachment and opens using their password. PGP needs the sender and recipient to exchange security details and the whole email gets encrypted.
Click to expand...

I'm using Startpage as my search engine at the moment :)

Understand the rest now about the email,it was just the way it was worded ;)
 
Wouldn't it be easier to just use the tor network?

Ive read a few things on it as long as you just use it as a browser then i assume you wouldn't be under any spotlight it has its up and down sides.Ive often thought about going into the "darkside" so to speak but it can be a bit scary as there is things lurking in there what i wouldn't wanna be seeing if you get me.
 
roachieuk said:
Wouldn't it be easier to just use the tor network?

Ive read a few things on it as long as you just use it as a browser then i assume you wouldn't be under any spotlight it has its up and down sides.Ive often thought about going into the "darkside" so to speak but it can be a bit scary as there is things lurking in there what i wouldn't wanna be seeing if you get me.
Click to expand...

Sure, you could just set up a Tor browser become anonymous and secure except...

It's relatively slow because traffic passes through more relays to preserve the anonymity; although it's now run 'not for profit', it was designed for the US Navy so NSA will understand it well. You could draw attention to yourself just by using it. Finally, although it's secure, anonymity is harder to achieve as Tor is prone to 'man in the middle' attacks.

Think of it like this. Tor is a series of sophisticated routers effectively and they have to know how to route back to you. The Tor network relies on volunteers to provide bandwidth. Let's say the NSA offers some strategically placed servers. They'll all know where you are. All it takes is a decent browser exploit and they're in, you're neither anonymous nor secure anymore.

So, if you use Tor, then use a separate browser with limited capabilities (turn off flash, asp, java etc) and lock it down tight against exploits.
 
Him Her said:
Sure, you could just set up a Tor browser become anonymous and secure except...

It's relatively slow because traffic passes through more relays to preserve the anonymity; although it's now run 'not for profit', it was designed for the US Navy so NSA will understand it well. You could draw attention to yourself just by using it. Finally, although it's secure, anonymity is harder to achieve as Tor is prone to 'man in the middle' attacks.

Think of it like this. Tor is a series of sophisticated routers effectively and they have to know how to route back to you. The Tor network relies on volunteers to provide bandwidth. Let's say the NSA offers some strategically placed servers. They'll all know where you are. All it takes is a decent browser exploit and they're in, you're neither anonymous nor secure anymore.

So, if you use Tor, then use a separate browser with limited capabilities (turn off flash, asp, java etc) and lock it down tight against exploits.
Click to expand...

Does the 'Epic' browser work in a similar way? It is noticeably slower, esp. on my flaky internet connection.
 
I've never used it but the spec. suggests the Epic browser is hardened to maintain anonymity and security. You wouldn't be on the Tor network but then you probably don't want to get to the Silk Road etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

skinz
A look at how we have impacted our world over the last 30 years "Explore the World"
Replies
0
Views
1K
skinz
skinz
skinz
A Bully Finds a Pulpit on the Web
Replies
2
Views
1K
jase
J
hamba
    • Like
Forty years of the internet: how the world changed for ever
Replies
16
Views
3K
fireblade
F
safire
GTA IV Full Cheat Codes List & More...!!!
Replies
6
Views
15K
madnlooney
madnlooney
janobi
RROD Possible insider answers?
Replies
1
Views
681
digidude
digidude
Back
Top