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 TheHobbit
Pot Head Pixie
Registered: 09/04/02
Posts: 863
Loc: the Oily Way...
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 Any recommendations for maintaining security? 
#1018603 - 11/03/02 01:47 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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I was just wondering if anyone, being particularly computer savy, could recommend the best precautions to take for ensuring as much security on your computer as possible? I'd like to think that shrooms are pretty low on the priority list for Big Brother, but of course the devil finds work fir idle hands, and I'm sure there's some of those in government jobs.
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JimBoB
sucky sucky 10dollar
Registered: 08/23/02
Posts: 187
Loc: England.
Last seen: 18 years, 4 months
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: TheHobbit]
#1018663 - 11/03/02 02:07 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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Some sort of Virus scanner - to stop trojans and virus's
A firewall - stop hackers and other people accessing things they shouldnt on ur PC
www.zonealarm.com has a nice free firewall.
Thats about as much as a normal joe can do without being a network expert.
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TheHobbit
Pot Head Pixie
Registered: 09/04/02
Posts: 863
Loc: the Oily Way...
Last seen: 21 years, 5 months
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: JimBoB]
#1018790 - 11/03/02 02:51 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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Thanks!!! It really does suck to think that Big Brother can access your computer at all. I have a regular dial up connection, which a programmer friend told me is actually best for security reasons, something to do with me dialing up with a unique number each time, or something to that effect (I'm not real computer savy). Thanks again.
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bowling-name
sleuth
Registered: 09/24/02
Posts: 282
Loc: Mirror in the Sky
Last seen: 11 years, 1 month
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: TheHobbit]
#1025899 - 11/05/02 09:18 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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Another way to ensure security when online is to use an anonymous proxy. One of many lists can be found here.
If you want to keep things on your hard-drive secure (as well as incoming and outgoing e-mails), also check out PGP encryption.
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fredthetree
Stranger
Registered: 09/29/02
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Loc: Canada
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: TheHobbit]
#1060785 - 11/17/02 07:47 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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if you're doing soemthing illegal over the internet, use AOL. AOL does not, and will not give out information on IP addresses, because they don't keep track of them. so although AOL does suck, it is pretty much the most anonymous ISP you can get.
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bowling-name
sleuth
Registered: 09/24/02
Posts: 282
Loc: Mirror in the Sky
Last seen: 11 years, 1 month
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 Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: fredthetree]
#1061746 - 11/18/02 03:54 AM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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AOL does not, and will not give out information on IP addresses
Um,
America Online said Thursday that it had received a court order regarding the Melissa virus from a Federal law enforcement agency, but declined to specify the information sought by the court order. "Our policy is to cooperate when presented with a formal request," said Wendy Goldberg, an AOL spokeswoman.-- source
The FBI is scouring e-mail accounts for clues as to who might have been behind the terror attacks on New York City and Washington DC. Two major US internet service providers have already confirmed they are co-operating with the investigation. But privacy advocates are concerned the authorities may stampede over digital civil liberties in their zeal to catch the attackers and prevent possible future terrorist strikes. The FBI has shied from providing details about its investigation, nor whether its controversial Carnivore e-mail monitoring program is involved. The two ISPs concerned, AOL and EarthLink, confirmed they were assisting authorities with information from their user and connection logs. "Following the tragic events on Tuesday we did co-operate with federal investigators and provided them with information that we hope is relevant and helpful to their ongoing criminal investigation," said an AOL spokesman. -- source
New York class action attorneys are accusing America Online Inc.'s Netscape subsidiary of eavesdropping on consumers who download software through its network.--source
America Online (AOL) may have violated its own policy and perhaps the law when it allegedly revealed the identity of a member to a Navy investigator. The United States Navy is recommending that a U.S. sailor be discharged for "Homosexual Conduct Admittance" because he typed the word "gay" on his member profile under "Marital Status."-- source
AOL may be the most used ISP in America - but it is also one of the most abused services. AOL's free messenging service, AOL Instant Messenger or simply "AIM", has been around since 1996. AIM may be a popular service, yet it is also a service that is definitely on the weak side of security, and contains quite a few vulnerabilities. Exploits have been popping up since the day AIM came out, and as Robbie later points out - AOL doesn't care; unless it could hurt their company financially.-- source
Even if they do not have Carnivore hooked up to their servers, it is probable that they are forced to work with law enforcement by more nefarious means:
A recent federal case in Brooklyn, New York, reportedly heard testimony from AOL representatives that it had a firm privacy policy of never disclosing private communications without a court order, but that the legal department regularly reported to law enforcement agencies instances of what it believed to be illegal activity by AOL customers. The way it works is that there are informants in various AOL forums who complain to AOL about objectionable activity, then AOL is obliged to investigate and perhaps report to the law enforcement its findings. AOL can honestly state it does not monitor is users, but must investigate customer complaints. Some, maybe all, of the informants are self-appointed vigilantes or law enforcement agents posing as AOL customers. Law enforcement agents can honestly state they are not illegally surveilling without court order, merely complaining to AOL about objectionable behavior as customers. What is not clear is whether the objectionable acitivity was instigated and promoted by the informants and undercover feds. That is the procedure allegedly followed by Exodus some months back, and may indicate a widespead complicity among ISPs' legal and customer service departments and law enforcement to get around the ECPA. -- source
If you are conducting illegal activity, it is not wise to surf from the place where you are conducting said activity. While it may not be necessary to take extreme measures (booby traps, false identities, mail drops, storage of all computer material on cd-r [no harddrive] so evidence can be destroyed in the microwave in seconds), it would be foolish to entrust corporations such as AOL with your privacy. This is especially true with the recent passage of the PATRIOT act, as well as the creation of John Poindexter's "Total Information Awareness" plan which is to be implemented as part of the new Homeland Security Department.
The knowledge to protect/hide yourself is readily available.
Edited by bowling-name (11/18/02 03:56 AM)
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 Lana
Head Banana
Registered: 10/27/99
Posts: 3,109
Loc: www.MycoSupply.com
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: TheHobbit]
#1061866 - 11/18/02 07:47 AM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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AOL is as bad as Microsoft.
If you want, read a post entitled "Series on Protecting Your Privacy Online" Its long but very good. At the time of me writing this no one has even viewed the post???? Too bad too becuase its a good one.
Lana
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Myco Supply - Distributors of Mycological Products
http://www.MycoSupply.com
The Premiere Source for Mushroom Growing Supplies.
Visit us online or call us toll free
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Mojo_Risin
Man
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: Lana]
#1062347 - 11/18/02 11:29 AM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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Lana, i tried to view your post "Series on Protecting Your Privacy Online" but nothing would come up. Maybe there is some kind of error.
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Fear attracts energy that can expose one to be coerced. Learn to overcome fear and develop enlightenment.
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BuzzDoctor
Runs withscissors
Registered: 08/10/99
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: TheHobbit]
#1064119 - 11/18/02 08:52 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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There is no one hard and fast rule to keep your computer (and yourself) secure from prying eyes. All the above information is crucial ... but you should educate yourself on the flaws and vulnerabilities of various operating systems as well. I've been super-paranoid before, not without reason either. I used PGPDisk as an encrypted folder on my harddrive and defragged and did free-space wipes often. Just deleting files, or even formatting a hard drive isn't enough. Magnetic traces of data can be re-constructed by professionals and is completely admissable in court. And even if you have a totally encrypted file with password protection that can only be retrieved by a complicated pass-phrase that only you know ... if an unsuspecting keystroke-logger had been installed on your computer then they'll know what it is.
So my advice is to understand the workings of hard drives and operating systems, keep up-to-date on security flaws and don't do anything illegal 
Good luck.
Buzz
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Is the glass half-full or half-empty? I say it is both.
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Lana
Head Banana
Registered: 10/27/99
Posts: 3,109
Loc: www.MycoSupply.com
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: BuzzDoctor]
#1065596 - 11/19/02 08:16 AM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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BuzzDoctor,
Very well said. Information that your RAM holds can even be reconstructed.
A friend often tells me that he most secure computer is a stand alone computer. In other words, a computer that isn't connected to a network of any kind, especially the internet.
If you're keep grow logs, pics, buildings plans, etc, go to www.pricewatch.com - buy a cheap machine and keep it as a stand alone. Its something that I've been wanting to do for a long time myself. Also, if you get another machine you can install a new OS (i.e. Linux) and get comfortable with it.
Oh, Anno was a doll and fixed my post - http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=Security&Number=1050765&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
Lana
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Myco Supply - Distributors of Mycological Products
http://www.MycoSupply.com
The Premiere Source for Mushroom Growing Supplies.
Visit us online or call us toll free
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BuzzDoctor
Runs withscissors
Registered: 08/10/99
Posts: 948
Loc: Atlantis
Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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Re: Any recommendations for maintaining security? [Re: Lana]
#1067663 - 11/19/02 08:38 PM (22 years, 4 months ago) |
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I had a stand-alone that I only used for playing with viruses ... had quite a collection of rare and mutant creations but I mistakenly swapped hard drives and Norton damn Norton ran as scheduled and killed most of the entire civilization.
Kinda like The Sims that keep trying to escape ...
Pricewatch is AWESOME - but check out www.pcinfinity.net - I buy systems there and double their price with no complaints. But for my shroomery friends, check it out!
Buzz
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Is the glass half-full or half-empty? I say it is both.
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