Untracked search engine

https://www.torproject.org/

A friend fresh out of mil. intel. and he uses this, got rid of his smart phone and is going off grid and digging a hole to hide in...gee I wonder what he knows...(not really). He's actually confirming a lot of "paranoid" thinking we've been having for at least the last 10 years.

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Okie, first of all it's not a search engine.  Tor is a darknet (dark network).  It is more about anonymity than privacy.

There are many darknets and the popular ones, in no particular order are:
* Tor
* I2P
* Freenet

There is a new one that is becoming very popular called: Project MeshNet (current implementation is called CJDNS).

There were other attempts but mostly did not take off and disappeared.

All of it relies on sharing your bandwidth with others in the network, so unless you can handle that much, you'll probably find it slow if not very snail.

I2P and Freenet are both closed-darknets.  Meaning, they do not provide a gateway back to the regular Internet.  Although there are a few users who does provide such but again, these two networks weren't built for that in mind.

So if you want to total anonymity with privacy, I2P and Freenet is the way because there is a far less leak on all fronts (or ends).

Tor on the other hand was built with anonymity as the top priority.  Thus it was built to allow "exit nodes".  These exit nodes allows the Tor network to access the outside world.  This is also the reason why you may find it slow too, if your connect at that moment was thrown into an exit node with a slow connection.

Additionally, Tor is easily plagued with torrent downloads.  If people use torrent while their connection is channeled to Tor, the whole network gets affected - resulting to more slowness.  However, a few years ago they implemented a new feature for exit nodes to block torrents.  But that is not "perfect" especially since torrents can ride almost any ports.

MeshNet I haven't used and I find it very hard to implement, so until then I have no experience to share.  But they're poised in taking Tor, I2P, and Freenet by storm.

Now, which is better?  That depends on your objective.  Tor is very useful if you are aiming for anonymity because you can still access the regular Internet while within the Tor network.

But then again, you can just subscribe to an anonymity/privacy centric VPN like Riseup.net and Autistici.org to name two, or use OpenNIC DNS which adds yet another layer.

Or use I2P (my preferred over FreeNet), which is good for very private communication.  It's like joining the darknet of some intelligence agency - you can access the network and communicate with each other, but not use it to access the public Internet.

At the end of the day, anonymity and privacy relies greatly on your settings and practices, especially when it comes to using Tor, VPN, and altDNS like OpenNIC.  Always flash your cookies, sessions, don't use your real email, turn-off browser tracking, and so on and so forth.  Both mobile and desktop.

If you fail in one, the whole anonymity and privacy effort you did falls into dust.  Example.  If you use Facebook, and you logged-in to FB via Tor, VPN, or OpenNIC, then you just let FB know another set of IPs that you use.  Which will add to your data or profiling.  Which makes using Tor, VPN, or an altDNS like OpenNIC useless as far as anonymity and privacy is concerned.

So instead of using FB, you should delete your FB and use Friendica, a decentralized, distributed, privacy-centric social network software.  Instead of Twitter, use pump.io, a decentralized, distributed, privacy-centric microblogging software.  Then make sure the sites you visit are SSL enabled too, especially if it requires logging-in.

You get the idea

Yes, it is a hassle and requires a change of mindset.  Disappearing from the grid - at least in cyberspace - doesn't start with using Tor, I2P, Freenet, MeshNet, VPNs, altDNS, it starts and ends in our minds and practices.  Everything else is just a tool, another layer.

And we haven't considered our offline practices like having a social security number, voting every election, your passport, bank records, …

The question now: Is it worth all the hassle?

Hah, I've used it years ago and recently as a year ago.... YOU ARE STILL BEING WATCHED BY NSA AND WHOEVER ELSE!
Just makes harder for "little people to watch little people" that's all.

Nothing you use is safe except for tin cans with string or mirrors.

They can capture all the data no matter..

Have you all seen the latest? Garbage bins with wi-fi that can be used to track smart phones... smart phones even in off mode can show your location!

Yes the thing has a battery so something is bound to be on or in sleep mode.

You need to toss all of it near the end. Do not even rely on GPS as no one has checked them! Get a compass.

Look at Gematria... Computer=666

I'll wager a guess that using an 'untracked' search engine only makes you more interesting to 'them'.

Did you notice when the signature panel on your new debit/credit card suddenly shrunk by 60%?

Turn OFF JavaScript in your Browser and also Cookies (cookies until you need to log into forum)

JavaScript has a hole / backdoor and the cookies allow them to see where you go too easily... oh but just for statistical info for ads. B>S

An average hacker can obtain a program for hacking your wi-fi or router to gain access to your communication over the net and another program to sniff packets... collect in other words the information you send.

You should be using the strongest password protection and firewall available on all equipment.
While it still is not enough for NSA and Gluv it can prevent most hackers from getting info.

Also erase history in browser,
Get a good doc shredder to that goes farther than over writting!
Use it to clean all unused space and trash (after emptying trash, creates unused space containing remnants of docs not yet overwritten, can be recovered.)

If you are worried, there are programs to encrypt email and separate it into chunks which can be reassembled at the recieving end... a code is necessary for both parties and it may or may not protect totally in regard to Gluv but ... who knows for sure... and as quetobserver said
"only makes you more interesting to 'them'.

For those interested in trying something new..
Tails the first listed has a live system with TOR which runs from live CD, does not use your system... start from CD and you have annonymity. (for the most part).
Some of the rest may not be LIVE so you need to read.. some have hacker tools to sniff packets, and more/worse, don't get into trouble! Most are listed at distrowatch.com
I have used Tails before, I use a new system on average of 1 per 2 weeks. I currently run 3 systems on an older Mac, Debian Linux (back up machine) not hackable exept for JavaScript.
Laptop for web Debian Linux Testing (cutting edge kernel and apps) stripped down. Also GhostBSD on this machine for security. Backpack Mac Laptop, MacOS.. unit strickly for grab and run, has radiation info, gardening, mil docs, bible information files for all... set up to run from external batteries and solar, IS not used on internet!
Anyway maybe one of u will find the following interesting to try. Go ahead, break away from WinDoze.
Just treat these like Win or Mac... u will be fine.

TOR on a CD self contained system ready to go
burn and run live from cd
https://tails.boum.org/

Hack and penetration:
its own software repositories, always being updated to the latest stable version of the most used and best known ethical hacking tools.
http://www.backbox.org/

Yes in this version I've added an interesting tool for AoE (ATA over Ethernet) !!! So, now we are able to mount over ethernet a block device and, obviously, we can use like our tank or we can acquire, it if we need. Most of you would like to have a password recovery tool so now we have ophCrack and for the joy of all a good hardware detection tool (HDT) startable directly from the boot menu.
http://www.forlex.it/


http://www.matriux.com/
a powerful bunch of more than 300 open source and free tools that can be used for various purposes including, but not limited to, penetration testing, ethical hacking, system and network administration, cyber forensics investigations, security testing, vulnerability analysis, and much more

http://www.kali.org/
From the creators of BackTrack comes Kali Linux, the most advanced and versatile penetration testing distribution ever created. BackTrack has grown far beyond its humble roots as a live CD and has now become a full-fledged operating system. With all this buzz, you might be asking yourself: - What's new ?

Want the most encrypted method and not hackable?

Send via snail mail to the other party a paper with holes cut to overlay your text to be revealed.

Maybe you could send a digital encrypted spread sheet to show where to cut the holes?

Then you could use the word... for your text?

But don't use anything digital cause it can be hacked.

And then the question... is it worth it. Maybe if you belonged to some group, but who wants attention like that? I already have 4 points on the list.

FYI. Someone once told me the devil had to ramp up his spying creativity since nobody goes to confession anymore.

"The NY Times has a good piece on the Mail Isolation Control and Tracking program, which was put into place following the post-9/11 anthrax mailings. It quite literally scans every envelope, post card, and piece of junk mail — some 160 billion pieces of mail a year. These scanners probably know more about the mail you receive than you do."

http://consumerist.com/2013/07/03/forget-the-nsas-hi-tech-snooping-the-usps-has-been-scanning-our-mail-for-years/

If you are into a business then you must be aware of the game of internet marketing that can certainly help you with the brand’s growth. I also have been making use of the best methods in the marketing industry and getting huge benefits. The services from the SMM and seo company Los Angeles are helping me in the best way possible.

the above post needs to be removed

Did one better, Mike . . . . exercised the 'ol ban button. Obvious spammer. Spammers only get one go here then their gone. Ban button is rusty. Been years and years since I had to use it.