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
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