Privacy & Security
We recommend that you educate yourself on good digital security practices and learn to anonymize yourself as much as possible when using digital means of communication. Putting good digital security into a daily practice will help to keep you and our friends safe.
Ways you could be identified
Computers have several main ways of identifying themselves; IP addresses, MAC addresses, and useragents are a few common ways.
IP address
Every computer is asigned an IP address when connected to the internet. Using https/ssl encryption is a good start to safe browsing (a popular web browser add-on, HTTPS Everywhere forces https/ssl encryption if a web server supports it), but that only attempts to encrypt your web traffic. This means that when you go to a site that keeps logs, you will leave a fingerprint that identifies the internet connection you are using which could be easily used to identify your computer.
Solution
You should know that most free web proxies are doing very little to ensure your anonymity. They often keep logs and cooperate with the pigs. For better security consider using the latest version of TOR Browser. You could alternatively use a live boot usb like Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System) to boot from a usb that will force all traffic through the TOR network. When you are done, Tails will wipe the ram and check to make sure no data was saved to the actual computer, leaving no trace behind.
MAC address
A MAC address (Media Access Control Adress) is 12 digits long and uniquely identifies a computer connected to the Internet. The address encodes the manufacturer’s registered identification number. This means that if the network you are using is keeping logs, someone may be able to determine roughly what type of computer was in use at what time. If you are posting or viewing sensitive information you should be aware that you are leaving this type of identifying data behind.
Solution
You can find programs to change your MAC address pretty easily. It’s important to remember that every time a computer reboots it restores its permanent MAC address by default.
Some mac address switching software:
Mac Changer – Linux/GNU
Macshift – Windows XP
SMAC – Windows
Tails (spoofs MAC address upon boot) – Tails
Useragent
A user agent is a string of code that websites use to determine how to display content. This code contains information such as your web browser, web browser version, and operating system. Websites will send a request that your computer will happily answer with this info.
Solution
User Agent Switcher is an add-on for Firefox which allows you to choose from several preloaded user agents to effectively send real-looking false information. If you want to see what your user agent is try whatsmyuseragent.
Additional Reading
Riseup has a lot of information on their site, including several tutorials on pgp encryption, password security, as well as other things.
A short pamphlet on “anonymously” using the internet and how to secure your information.
Anonymous Browsing:
Tor Project
Tails (The Amnesic Incognito Live System)
Anonymouse.org