Double Life: General tips and tricks not covered in other Double Life threads.

[magicfingersny]

Good tip WC. Thanks. I'll add that to my new info list. Thanks to you too Wolf!
I guess there is a trade off or downside to everything
Magic

[Waterclone]

Create a completely separate identity for your hobbying. Your alter ego should have his/her own name, electronic mail address, phone number, birthday. (Some agencies ask for your birthday to use as your "client code")

Never, ever, share your real identity with anyone in the hobby.

[Waterclone]

Unless you manage your company's network, never, ever visit any hobby related site from work. Even if they don't monitor your activity, you can bet they have logs that can be searched if need be.

[wolf5958]

Unless you manage your company's network, never, ever visit any hobby related site from work. Even if they don't monitor your activity, you can bet they have logs that can be searched if need be.

I'll differ with you here. If you access the internet directly thru cable or a T3 and such than there is no record except with the ISP the same as if from home. If your company uses a proxy server than your network admin can keep and have logs of your network and internet use. Always always always remove your cookies and browser history at the end of the session and never ever allow windows to save your passwords. There is clean sweep software that will clean you history and cookies for you it just means you have to memorize all the site addys you use..

[Waterclone]

I'll differ with you here. If you access the internet directly thru cable or a T3 and such than there is no record except with the ISP the same as if from home. If your company uses a proxy server than your network admin can keep and have logs of your network and internet use. Always always always remove your cookies and browser history at the end of the session and never ever allow windows to save your passwords. There is clean sweep software that will clean you history and cookies for you it just means you have to memorize all the site addys you use..

I guess it depends on how you define "access the internet directly" but if you work for a company, trust me, your traffic is probably going through a firewall which is keeping logs.

Proxy server, not necessary.

Unless you are the one who maintains and controls the company's internet access, don't take the chance. Just because you think no one is watching doesn't make it so.

[Monk]

Well that may work for ***** but there is a ton of free and shareware software out there that will hide and block your IP address. It can be found on many free download sites. There are reviews of some of them from places like PC mag and some others. The draw back to blocking you IP is some websites will no longer allow you access so it may not be the best answer.

Can you be a little more specific? Also, is there any IP blocking software for the Mac?

[Monk]

BTW, this is a great thread.

[seeker6591]

thx jwills

[Waterclone]

Can you be a little more specific? Also, is there any IP blocking software for the Mac?

There are proxy servers that you can use on the net that you can route your traffic through to hide your IP address.

Check out proxy.org (I just googled them. I can't personally vouch for them.)

As a tech geek, I have an account on a local ISP that offers unix access. I establish an ssh tunnel to them from my office and route all my traffic through that tunnel. From then on, work has no logs of my activity and the rest of the world sees that ISP's address, and no my office.

[Waterclone]

Seeker;

Just make an fake name and address so if you are every asked again, you can use it repeatly....

Also, I've gotten t-mobile and at&t pay as you go phones using the same fake address.. they really don't care, it's just a form they have to fill out when they activate the phone.


That didn't occur to me. I do need to give my alter ego an address too, I suppose.

My pre-pay is t-mobile. How do you like AT&T?

[wolf5958]

Can you be a little more specific? Also, is there any IP blocking software for the Mac?

If you want do a search on download dot com they have software for both PC and mac some you have to pay for and some is free.

[wolf5958]

I guess it depends on how you define "access the internet directly" but if you work for a company, trust me, your traffic is probably going through a firewall which is keeping logs.

Proxy server, not necessary.

Unless you are the one who maintains and controls the company's internet access, don't take the chance. Just because you think no one is watching doesn't make it so.

I am also a techie, I access the net thru a lightpath direct line the router is in my office I also go out thur a VPN on my other system which is monitored so only work on that one. I have worked in offices where we connected just through the routers to our ISP and no logs of the traffic was kept. The fire walls if on the ISP side can have logs but most ISP's don't track the places you go. When you access the net thru the Co severs than the user logs can keep track of you either thru firewall access or server use access. I do internet security and make it impossible for anyone to access anything but work related sites and research sites. Well I do have a way around it for myself.

[Waterclone]

More on hiding your connection...

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/08/usb-dongle-brea.html

[biohazard]

Create a completely separate identity for your hobbying. Your alter ego should have his/her own name, electronic mail address, phone number, birthday. (Some agencies ask for your birthday to use as your "client code")

Never, ever, share your real identity with anyone in the hobby.

Oopps!

[wolf5958]

Oopps!

Funny man you are .............. I guess we are all in trouble...............

[puffin]

For the truly paranoid:
http://www.torproject.org/
http://www.scroogle.org/
http://www.mailinator.com/
http://www.listible.com/list/disposable-email-services

[10538]

Never, ever, share your real identity with anyone in the hobby.
Do you mean from providers, or do you include fellow mongers? What do you do about agencies that require a real name and work number?

Also, see this thread, where the consensus seemed to have been that I was too paranoid about having a provider learn my identity: http://www.utopiaguide.com/forums/showthread.php?t=33839

[Waterclone]

I mean from anyone. Providers especially, but other mongers too. Unless you become such good friends with another monger that you are introducing them into your normal life circle, there is no reason to not maintain your identity. Why make someone else have to remember which name to use at a party. Keep it simple. 1 identity for all hobby related stuff.

I don't use agencies that require verifiable personal info. If references aren't good enough for them, then I move on. Of course, that's easy for me to say. I don't use agencies in general. But I have been to at least 3 incall agencies (1 massage only, 1 massage + extras and 1 completely full service) that did not require my personal info.

[fortydog]

Waterclone, what do you think about rolling to a new ***** address/phone number every once in a while? Is it more trouble than its worth?

[Bandaid]

Maintain separate user accounts on all your computers with separate logins, and logoff every time you're not using the machine. transfer all you preferences and sensitive logs on a flash drive (there is software to do this) in a protected area of the drive. If you download porn torrents, download all of it to an external drive which you unplug from the computer. Use Firefox and clear the cache.

[Waterclone]

Waterclone, what do you think about rolling to a new ***** address/phone number every once in a while? Is it more trouble than its worth?

I don't bother. It's probably not a bad idea. Especially if someone is actively suspicious of you and you need to cover your tracks better then most. But for me, I have not had any problems with my long lived alter ego.

[Samuking]

Bandaid;

Another problem appears when you have to fill in the username. For example, in yahoo, when you go to enter the username and type one letter, it will fill it in. You will also have to clear forms also...

I know the SanDisk has a USB drive with software which allows you to install software like Firefox on it and it may not have these types of problems.

Then again, I have a Mac, so I use Safari web browser with the Private Browsing enabled....

:)

[Waterclone]

Other ways to avoid browser memory difficulties.

1. Use 2 different browsers. Safari or IE for normal activities and Firefox for hobby ones. That way you never have anything untoward in your history on the "clean" browser. Of course a portable version of firefox on a usb drive is the safest way to do this.

2. Use the multi user features of your OS. On a Mac, create an additional user account called test. Most tech support folks advocate having a clean, unused account anyway. It's good for seeing if a problem is system wide, or preference related. Anyway, log into that separate account for all hobby activities and then log out when done.

[OrangeAid]

1. Use 2 different browsers. Safari or IE for normal activities and Firefox for hobby ones.

This has the added advantage of preserving a "clean" browser history in Safari/IE, which looks a little less suspicious than a browser history that is constantly being cleared. XP users can also adjust their start menu properties to prevent frequently used programs from appearing in the start menu, so your use of Firefox will not be apparent to other users on the same machine.

[thevenerablebede]

Both of Waterclone's suggestions are spot on. I use Firefox exclusively for hobby related research.

[Hyabby]

Of course, different browsers ... different users ... all of this is relevant if and only if ...

you use a computer to which you and only you have exclusive access. Exclusive access is the ultimate control.

[Thorn]

Here is a place to put general info on tools, tips and tricks on how to successfully lead a double life in benefit of this "thing of ours".

[Thorn]

When going to liaisons where it is even remotely possible that someone might be checking license plates [other than LE who can trace it back through the rental company] I rent a car to use for the day rather than use my own.

[Thorn]

In general I will not see providers who use motels with outside parking lot access to the rooms. It is too easy to monitor who is coming and going from a distance. LE loves using these venues for stings.

I much prefer,if I am going to see a provider using a hotel, or set up a liaison with a provider, a business class hotel that has lots of foot traffic in the lobby. It makes it unlikely anyone will take particular notice of a non-guest coming up to a room.

[magicfingersny]

You can also get a prepaid credit card with no personal information attached to it, if you are doing a "date that includes dinner or you want to take your provider shopping and you don't want to carry cash. Treat it ike cash though because if you ost it it won't be replaced!
http://www.paidbycash.com/pbc/home.jsp?merchantId=560

[Thorn]

Of course, different browsers ... different users ... all of this is relevant if and only if ...

you use a computer to which you and only you have exclusive access. Exclusive access is the ultimate control.


Absolutely.

Barring exclusive access to a system, exclusive access to the tools used is the next best thing.

For guys and gals who must surf at work what I recommend is either a personal laptop with tunneling software linked via encrypted tunnel to wi-fi or wired internet or a boot-able USB key-drive with tunneling software, a personal browser, and evidence/cleaner eradicator software.

You boot to the key-drive, if possible, use the encrypted tunneling software and personal browser and favorites on the key-drive, clean up using the cleaning software, leave no traces.

I.T. will be able to tell someone is on the internet at that node, but not what they are seeing. Even a packet sniffer will tell them nothing more than there is encrypted traffic going in and out through specific ports.

Now if the company has a written policy about encrypted traffic on their network... then you obviously can't use their network even in this manner. Most companies don't bother checking for encrypted traffic though [even though they should because it is a GREAT way to leak info and other acts of corporate espionage].

[Thorn]

Great tips so far.

Thank you to everyone contributing.

[10538]

I really like Privacy View. What it does is allow you to have completely separate iteration of IE within PV with its own bookmarks and history that is invisible when PV isn't running, plus encripted file space and a handy database for retrieving pictures. If you add Private Proxy, (which I don't use) you'll be compeltely invisible. You can find it here: http://www.privacyview.com/

[magicfingersny]

You can also get a prepaid credit card with no personal information attached to it, if you are doing a "date that includes dinner or you want to take your provider shopping and you don't want to carry cash. Treat it ike cash though because if you ost it it won't be replaced!
http://www.paidbycash.com/pbc/home.jsp?merchantId=560

I just read the terms & conditions. There are a lot of fees attached. It is NOT a good deal!

[stevefor2005]

Question for a techie:

If I go to Google, search for a website, say, www.utopiaguide.com, and go there, can IT tell where I've gone? (When I do this, I've noticed that Google is the only URL Address that shows on the 'history list'. Also, someone else told me that they weren't able to access AOL at work, but could do so by going through Google.)

[wolf5958]

Google searches are stored on the google servers this is stored by IP access that is how it remembers your searches. To test this out do a google search from home and than the same search from work you will not see the history unless you use the same machine. This can be bad if you carry a laptop because of inbeded info in the windows OS google can see the laptop no matter the location. Just remember everyone windows XP and down keeps hidden history files that you can not get rid of without a third party software. It is how microsoft is able to track IE use and bug fixes. Bill Gates is still watching.....

[mr. f]

Does anyone else worry about EZ pass statements causing a problem. For example, why were you crossing the Holland Tunnel at 12:30AM on a Thursday night? I have been careless with this, just wondered if others worry about it.

[Waterclone]

The short answer is, Yes, IT can tell where you have gone. Information like that is stored in the firewall logs. It has nothing to do with your history list.

[magicfingersny]

When going to liaisons where it is even remotely possible that someone might be checking license plates [other than LE who can trace it back through the rental company] I rent a car to use for the day rather than use my own.
Thanks for some great suggestions throughout this thread Thorn and all the others who contributed!
Re the rental car, aren't you creating some kind of trail because you need to show ID to get the rental, at least any time I have rented. I imagine if someone really wanted to put in the effort with technology being what it is, a rental could be traced back to you with just a bit more difficulty than your personal vehicle.
Even using a car service or limo or even a taxithere is going to be a trail from the log the driver keeps
I was out in California in January & made a right on Red. No one stopped me, but about a month later I got a ticket in the mail from their redflex camera system. They got my info from the car rental company who charged me extra for providing the info. I know this is a law enforcement issue so it ws given priority, but with Internet technology & a few dollars can't you basically find out anything about anybody?
I believe one of the advantages of having a rental is that if you get caught in some kind of illegal activiity a rental car is released, rather than your personal vehicle which is impounded.

[OrangeAid]

Does anyone else worry about EZ pass statements causing a problem. For example, why were you crossing the Holland Tunnel at 12:30AM on a Thursday night? I have been careless with this, just wondered if others worry about it.

I tend to use alibis that are consistent with bridge and tunnel usage, but if that's a problem you can either a) choose to receive electronic statements instead of paper and have them sent to an ****** account only you will see, or b) stick your EZ Pass inside one of those metallic envelopes and go through the cash lane.

[nycoder]

Question for a techie:

If I go to Google, search for a website, say, www.utopiaguide.com, and go there, can IT tell where I've gone? (When I do this, I've noticed that Google is the only URL Address that shows on the 'history list'. Also, someone else told me that they weren't able to access AOL at work, but could do so by going through Google.)

Yes, absolutely. Your IT department is able to see everything you do online, and quite possibly everything you do on your PC offline. Not every company does this kind of surveillance but some do!

-nycoder

[Thorn]

... but with Internet technology & a few dollars can't you basically find out anything about anybody?


The issue isn't whether information exists, but how easy is it to access.

The problem with all these networks being connected now-days is all this info that use to exist a little bit over here, a little bit over there, are not able to be "mined" and cross collated into a single data picture of an individual.

It is absolutely shocking what one can obtain as far as information if one knows how to look.

[nycoder]

It is absolutely shocking what one can obtain as far as information if one knows how to look.

Indeed. If you're in the mood for a scare, check this out:

http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2162061/aol-user-identified-search

AOL released some anonymous search logs for research purposes and it turned out to be possible to trace individual search histories back to the people responsible!

I use Tor to work-around problems like this, but I'm not deluding myself. If someone was sufficiently motivated they could certainly trace it all back to me. Nothing we do online is completely anonymous.

-nycoder

[RuffToy]

...Nothing we do online is completely anonymous...

Not only that but consider this:
- EZ pass has sensors all over the place not just toll booths which are used to monitor traffic flow. Your movements are being stored on some server somewhere.
- Security cameras & facial recognition software are watching more places than we realize.
- Cell phone conversations are captured in the name of National Security and dialogs are scanned thru software to catch potential security threats.
- Satellite cameras can read the writing on a pack of cigarettes.

OTOH there is so much data being captured there's too much to look at. However if necessary it's stored for future retrieval.

So, bottom line, if you think no one is watching......think again.


As far as "this thing of ours" my best advice is to keep your fucking mouth shut. Never discuss your hobby with anyone. Not even your asshole buddy. The tiniest hole in the hull of a ship can potentially sink it!

[biohazard]

Not only that but consider this:
- EZ pass has sensors all over the place not just toll booths which are used to monitor traffic flow. Your movements are being stored on some server somewhere.
- Security cameras & facial recognition software are watching more places than we realize.
- Cell phone conversations are captured in the name of National Security and dialogs are scanned thru software to catch potential security threats.
- Satellite cameras can read the writing on a pack of cigarettes.

OTOH there is so much data being captured there's too much to look at. However if necessary it's stored for future retrieval.

So, bottom line, if you think no one is watching......think again.


As far as "this thing of ours" my best advice is to keep your fucking mouth shut. Never discuss your hobby with anyone. Not even your asshole buddy. The tiniest hole in the hull of a ship can potentially sink it!

i wonder how many time they caught me getting head going through the E-Z pass lane!

[Axe]

I always thought this was the way to lead a double life.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUdrJ6RPeA&NR=1

[Thorn]

I always thought this was the way to lead a double life.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlUdrJ6RPeA&NR=1

One of me all time favs. :)

[Boywonder2]

very funny clip

[popeye363]

Damn thing nearly cost me big time... the price of a guilty conscience.

I get a letter in the mail, from E-Zpass, notifying me that I was recorded speeding (40 mph) through an E-Zpass toll lane. Stupidly, I showed it to my wife, saying something like "look what they can do with this technology." She takes the letter, turns to me and asks what I was doing on the Throgs Neck Bridge last Saturday. I of course have no answer. This fans the embers of her suspicions big time.

Some time later in the evening, I re-read the letter, and noticed the time of the alleged offense: 5:30 a.m. on this Saturday morning. I point out to my wife that I've been in bed next to her on every morning at 5:30 a.m., but she's not buying it.

Finally, the light bulb goes on, and the truth comes out. My daughter has an E-Zpass tag which naturally is billed to my account. On the Saturday morning in question, she joined some friends on a hiking trip upstate, which required an early departure. But wait, wife says, you didn't drive your own car. Daughter owns up to the fact that she used her (my) E-Zpass to pay for the tolls on this ride.

Meanwhile, my conscience has cost me five years of my life.

[Thorn]

Thank you Popeye for the telling of a incident that I am sure gives us all pause to think a bit.

[Axe]

It's fascinating to see that EZ-Pass is clearly a failure, but it's promoters either dont want to admit it, or it's become another boondoggle that nobody wants to do away with. It's a failure because when you're racked-up bumper-to-bumper at a toll plaza, take note of how few are using it! It doesnt relieve traffic at all AND few use it. Time to get rid of it, which of course means it will be with us forever no matter how many consumers flip it the middle finger. Fucking DOT!

[10538]

It's fascinating to see that EZ-Pass is clearly a failure, but it's promoters either dont want to admit it, or it's become another boondoggle that nobody wants to do away with. It's a failure because when you're racked-up bumper-to-bumper at a toll plaza, take note of how few are using it! It doesnt relieve traffic at all AND few use it. Time to get rid of it, which of course means it will be with us forever no matter how many consumers flip it the middle finger. Fucking DOT!
I guess it depends on which toll plaza you go to. For me, at the midtown tunnel, it is a godsend, and seems to get a lot of use from other drivers. And, FYI, there is a move afoot to make EZ-Pass work with NYC parking meters. That would be another godsend.

[Waterclone]

I love the EZPass. I am one of the people who zips through the tolls. I don't think that it's not being used, as you assert. I think that the speed it affords mean that even with people using it, there aren't lines at the tolls for the EZPass users.

[billyS]

It's a failure because when you're racked-up bumper-to-bumper at a toll plaza, take note of how few are using it!
I think you are wrong on this. I guess since I have one and never sit in traffic at the tolls, this doesn't bother me and don't think of it as a failure, rather the people sitting in the traffic as the failures for not getting one.

It doesnt relieve traffic at all AND few use it. Time to get rid of it, which of course means it will be with us forever no matter how many consumers flip it the middle finger. Fucking DOT!
That is really backwards thinking. So because people aren't smart enough to get one then it is the Easypass that is the failure?

[jwills500]

I think the biggest reason people don't use EZ pass, is they are afraid of big brother watching. I have people telling me that all the time. Hell I use it ,my wife uses it, I get the statements online and only I have the pass word to retrieve it. You guys are too paranoid. LE doesn't have the resources or the desire to hunt down us mongers. Most of the cops and civilians I know have babes on the side anyhow. They usually set up a sting in response to a complaint from neighbors, business or other individual who frown on such activity. If course, its easy for me. My home is in the middle of PA, I don't monger at home or anywhere near home. In NYC, that's a whole nother issue.

[Bandaid]

It seems to me that at least half of the cars I see have an EZ Pass on the window, and I bet most of them don't realize how they can be watched, or, like me, don't care.

jwills is right. All of the things that can be done are done when there's a serious crime, but unless you're wealthy and your wife is really after you with pro help, not that much effort is going to go into it. And as far as the cops are concerned, don't forget these are misdemeanors.

[magicfingersny]

I think many here would worry less about Big Brother accessing the information than they would about significant other accessing it. Especially if they are a joint accunt holder on whatever account your ez pass charges are charged against, which is usually a credit card.

[Bandaid]

If I had an SO I'd have separate accounts, and the cover story is fairly easy: I need a separate account because of reimbursable tolls for work. Otherwise, I'd use the cash lane when discretion is necessary. As stated before, with online delivery of the statements. Also, you can go to their storefront in College Point and charge up with cash.

EZ Pass saves a lot of time. It only looks like people aren't using it because they, and I, just zip through the tolls.

[Thorn]

It's fascinating to see that EZ-Pass is clearly a failure, but it's promoters either dont want to admit it, or it's become another boondoggle that nobody wants to do away with. It's a failure because when you're racked-up bumper-to-bumper at a toll plaza, take note of how few are using it! It doesnt relieve traffic at all AND few use it. Time to get rid of it, which of course means it will be with us forever no matter how many consumers flip it the middle finger. Fucking DOT!

I'm on the road quite a bit and I find it saves me a lot of time. Especially the few sites that have the sweeping style readers that can check the EzPass unit at highway speeds.

I do have a special sleeve I can pop the unit in if I decided I don't want to be tracked and at those times I pay cash.

[biohazard]

I'm on the road quite a bit and I find it saves me a lot of time. Especially the few sites that have the sweeping style readers that can check the EzPass unit at highway speeds.

I do have a special sleeve I can pop the unit in if I decided I don't want to be tracked and at those times I pay cash.

i agree with Thorn and Billy it shaved 45 minutes off a trip! Just keep the bag handy and put it in when you don't want to be tracked

[wolf5958]

E-Z pass is a great time saver and unless you are really that worried about an So tracking your every move it is the best time saver when traveling in the tri state area. If your So is watching that close you have bigger problems than just an ez pass bill.

[Waterclone]

Never, ever, share your real identity with anyone in the hobby.

Something is seriously wrong with me.

For some reason, I have this very strong urge to "facebook friend" this one girl. I don't know why. She doesn't know my real name though I know hers. I just have this crazy desire to do it.

I am not, but I can't for the life of me think why I would want to do such a thing.

[OrangeAid]

I am not, but I can't for the life of me think why I would want to do such a thing.

Maybe because it gives you a glimpse inside her "real" life?

I once created a Facebook account under an alias just to accept a friend request from a girl.

[Gmac]

If your traveling the toll roads and dont want to be tracked pay cash. It costs more and you spend more time traveling but you dont need to worry about the EZ pass statement.

[Slinky Bender]

I just don't get facebook. I have a myspace profile and a facbook profile which are almost identical. i have over 10,000 views and about 400 friends on myspace, and prettymcuh zero on facebook.

[fumpton]

part of the problem with Facebook is they don't let you view someone's profile unless you're friends with that person.

[Waterclone]

MySpace is so 2002. :-)

I never like MySpace. It always looked clunky and seemed like a poor substitute for having your own web page.

Facebook makes the social networking aspect much easier. People can tag you in a photo and you get notified and that photo becomes a part of your profile, if you want.

I just find it much easier to keep up with everyone on it.

[franca]

part of the problem with Facebook is they don't let you view someone's profile unless you're friends with that person.

That is completely up to the individual's preference. Some users set their preferences so anybody can view their profile. Others, so that their networks, friends of friends, or only their friends can view their profile.

[franca]

MySpace is good for keeping up with bands and your friends' blogs.

[Slinky Bender]

ok, so can someone point me to a decent primer on successfully working facebook? because as i said, I just don't get it.

[Left_the_scene]

Some firewalls can monitor and log all traffic transparently. At my last day job I had the firewall set up to send a syslog message that was logged to a sql database of each and every URL visited using the company internet connection (Dual T1's). Of course the damn log was something like 32 gigs after 6 months.

No proxy was involved. No way to tell from the internet settings on the desktop PC's that we did this.

No technical reason an ISP could not do this as well, but they would have no incentive. Costs money, and they have no legit use for it.

I'll differ with you here. If you access the internet directly thru cable or a T3 and such than there is no record except with the ISP the same as if from home. If your company uses a proxy server than your network admin can keep and have logs of your network and internet use. Always always always remove your cookies and browser history at the end of the session and never ever allow windows to save your passwords. There is clean sweep software that will clean you history and cookies for you it just means you have to memorize all the site addys you use..

[Left_the_scene]

For guys and gals who must surf at work what I recommend is either a personal laptop with tunneling software linked via encrypted tunnel to wi-fi or wired internet or a boot-able USB key-drive with tunneling software, a personal browser, and evidence/cleaner eradicator software.


There are of course ways this sort of thing can be defeated.
Firewalls can be set to block tunelling (most types - socks, http proxy, GRE/RAS tunnels. ssh, l2tp, ipsec, etc.)

Higher end firewalls can redirect all HTTP traffic to a login in page first for authentication before passing traffic. Or some can even pull user cr****tials straight out of IE on that redirect page and authenticate them against the domain (or ldap, or radius...). Unless a good user ID and password are supplied, no traffic passes. So unless you know someone else's ID (whom you don't mind getting nailed for your activities), it still lays a trail back to you. How's it look when a strange MAC address tries to open an encrypted tunnel after giving the firewall your cr****tials?

I nailed a guy doing exactly that in fact. One of the nails in his coffin when he was let go (that, and running a side business out of his office, using company resources, vehicles and employees on the company clock)

Better way is if you can finagle an analog modem at your desk...Slow, but then they can't trace what you are doing.

[mcduck]

This isn't a job-related issue, but I would like to keep my websurfing on the downlow:

I rent a workspace in a building full of artist's studios. The landlord provides free WiFi service. So it isn't an employer and there's no life-or-death reason I have to worry about the landlord knowing what I look at online. But I'm friendly with him & his wife and there's an embarrassment factor involved.

So with Wi-Fi, how much do I have to worry about them knowing exactly what I'm logging into, and can I subscribe to some sort of proxy service that will make this a non-issue?

Thanks for any info.

[Thorn]

This isn't a job-related issue, but I would like to keep my websurfing on the downlow:

I rent a workspace in a building full of artist's studios. The landlord provides free WiFi service. So it isn't an employer and there's no life-or-death reason I have to worry about the landlord knowing what I look at online. But I'm friendly with him & his wife and there's an embarrassment factor involved.

So with Wi-Fi, how much do I have to worry about them knowing exactly what I'm logging into, and can I subscribe to some sort of proxy service that will make this a non-issue?

Thanks for any info.

Depends on how they have their wi-fi set up. If server logs are involved than the sites you visit are logged.

A "web tunnel" fixes that. That is software that opens an encrypted pathway through a network in which only the encryption server is logged. Even if a packet sniffer is online nothing you move though that tunnel is going to get detected.

Anonymizing via websites that perform that service will work as well, logging only the anonymizing site.

[puffin]

http://www.torproject.org/
Store files here, and choose a good password:
http://www.truecrypt.org/

[Thorn]

http://www.torproject.org/
Store files here, and choose a good password:
http://www.truecrypt.org/

I actually like the portable "OperaTor" browser which fits easily on a USB key, with enough room to put a full evidence eliminator [I like 'Evidence Eliminator"] to clean up after yourself and some other software to remain safe. Like a personal down and dirty word processor and room for its data files created. Even a small Unix boot-up kernal.

So you can boot from the key, run your stuff, and leave without anyone even knowing you were one the system to begin with.

I have one on my key ring at all times. Its only 8/G but its gold-plated. :)

Link for mobile "OperaTor: http://deviant-art.org/deviant-art-browser-portable-operator.html

[justme]

Tor can be slooooow. And it only does what it does. It should only be seen as one part of a total security strategy.

I stopped using it because it is so heavily associated with a few kinds of traffic that I had no desire to be associated with.

[mcduck]

Thanks, gentlemen, for these suggestions.

I haven't been able to get Tor to work on my computer. I'm a hopeless fucktard when it comes to anything involving networks, but I'll keep working at it.

In the meantime, I don't really require a major security lockdown; like I said it's not a workplace, I'm not married, and I'm not looking at anything really beyond the pale. I doubt my landlord really even gives a shit what we look at, I just don't need my clicks on juicytits.com staring him in the face.

So for those limited purposes, can I just use an anonymizing website like www.freetoview.net or www.letmeby.com and will that be enough to keep juicytits.com from showing up on his logs if he even keeps them? Remember this is Wi-Fi, and yes, as I said, I am hopeless about this stuff so please forgive my naivete.

[Thorn]

Tor can be slooooow. And it only does what it does. It should only be seen as one part of a total security strategy.

I stopped using it because it is so heavily associated with a few kinds of traffic that I had no desire to be associated with.

????

I didn't know Tor had any associations with particular traffic [does that apply to OperaTor as well?], and even if that is so it only means anything if the logs at the other end are showing the web browser you are using. If one is also using a web tunnel, as I suggested, the browser would be invisible to the logging system's software.

[Thorn]

Thanks, gentlemen, for these suggestions.

I haven't been able to get Tor to work on my computer. I'm a hopeless fucktard when it comes to anything involving networks, but I'll keep working at it.

That is why I suggested OperaTor to you. The install puts Opera on your system with the Tor client built in and preconfigured for it. You don't have to do anything. Its perfect for people who don't know how to set up proxy servers, etc.

[justme]

????

I didn't know Tor had any associations with particular traffic [does that apply to OperaTor as well?],

OperaTor, I believe, is simply a web browser that has been configured to work well with Tor. Tor, as I am sure you're aware, is simply an implementation of onion routing. The idea is basically to bump your data around the world with as much anonymity between the nodes as possible. There is no encryption in the first and final stages, I believe.

Tor also supports so called hidden services. These are web sites, irc channels, etc. that are invisible to users of the Internet not running Tor. They are distinguished by the spoofed top level domain .onion. A large percentage of the traffic on these hidden sites is linked to illegal activity.

When I got my new computer I was determined to be more secure, simply for the principle of it. I tried turning off cookies and java and the rest. It turns out that the web is more or less useless when you disable these. I had heard about Tor from privacy advocate sites and I thought that it might be a solution so I got it all running. Shortly thereafter, a friend noticed the icon on my computer and gave me some serious shit for having it loaded.