Leaving no trace in a digital world

NOTE: I should have this formatted by the end of the day 7/24

Leaving No Trace In A Digital World
Purpose: To learn how to communicate safely, to protect your data and to obfuscate your identity and  browsing history online and on your computer.

Forms of snooping
Physical
 * Privacy screens
 * Not typing passwords or using sensitive sites that may reveal an identity in front of others
 * Physical keyloggers
 * Checking the back of the machine if possible
 * Using another keyboard (Roll-up)
 * On-screen keyboard

DNS/OpenDNS
 * Explanation of Domain Name System
 * How it can be tracked through things like OpenDNS
 * Tor vs. Tor Browser Bundle – DNS leaks

Computer Software
 * Malware or legitimate tracking software
 * Anti-spyware/root-kit/virus
 * Temporary files / Cookies / Browser History
 * Clearing in Windows
 * Universal privacy setting in Ubuntu

Route of Communications
 * Router Logs
 * VPNs – Privoxy/Hamachi/Proxy Switchy
 * Traceroute Example
 * ISP
 * Backbones
 * Government
 * End Site

Neutral Online Identity
 * Emails
 * User names
 * Firewalling real vs. nom-de-guerre
 * Never use “real” connection for alternate identity
 * What you write/release online

PORTABLE TOR
Portable TOR is a program that runs without installation from USB or drive. It comes configured for pretty good anonymity out of the box – https: //www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en -
 * Plugin caveat
 * TBB Firefox vs. regular Firefox

TAILS
TAILS is an amnesiac LiveCD/USB that writes nothing to the hard drive. It contains TOR, Pidgin, encryption tools and more - https://tails.boum.org/index.en.html

SUGGESTED PLUGINS
1. Adblock plus - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/adblock-plus – Blocking ads blocks some tracking

1. Download EasyList and Fanboy's list.

2. Better Privacy - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/betterprivacy –

1. Deletes LSOs (Flash Cookies).

2. Set to delete upon exit.

3. Cookie Monster - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/.../cookie-monster -

1. Check all options but “Block All Cookies” and the ones about the dialog and icon.

4. Flash Block - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/flashblock – Block ads/flash tracking

1. Enable and choose to block Silverlight as well

5. RefControl - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/refcontrol – Changes referrer on website headers

1. Choose “Forge” for sites not listed

6. HTTPS Everywhere - https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere/ - Included in TBB and TAILS.

1. Make sure it is enabled and never turn this off

7. Noscript - https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/noscript – Included in TBB

1. Choose to Forbid Scripts Globally

8. TORButton - https://www.torproject.org/torbutton – Included in TBB and TAILS.

1. Too many features to list ( https://www.torproject.org/torbutton/torbutton-options.html.en )

2. Refer to TBB settings and choose more if wanted (suggested) but do not uncheck anything they've selected there.

9. CAVEAT: Any extraneous applications may be able to track you

EMAIL ENCRYPTION
Thunderbird

1. https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/

GPG

1. http://www.gnupg.org/

Enigmail plugin

1. http://enigmail.mozdev.org/home/index.php.html

MISCELLANEOUS
Pidgin – IM/IRC/Skype – On TAILS with OTR 1. OTR plugin - http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/

2. End to end encryption for chats

3. Pidgin TOR set-up

1. Accounts → Choose account → Proxy Tab → Use “Tor/Privacy (SOCKS5)” → Set host to 127.0.0.1 and port to 9050

Disk Encryption 1. Ubuntu encryption on install - $HOME

2. LUKS - https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Dm-crypt_with_LUKS 1. gdecrypt as GUI

1. http://gdecrypt.pentabarf.de/screenshots.html

3. Truecrypt

1. http://www.truecrypt.org/downloads

2. http://linuxandfriends.com/2010/02/03/how-to-truecrypt-setup-on-ubuntu-linux/

4. Going through customs – outer encryption vs. inner hidden encryption

Erasing Files 1. Why they are not erased

2. secure-delete - http://superuser.com/questions/19326/how-to-wipe-free-disk-space-in-linux/19377#19377

Environment Checks 1. http://ip-check.info/?lang=en

2. http://www.cotse.com/proxycheck2.htm

Steganography

Ixquick.com – search