Advanced Computer Security: How to Remove and Sever the Trail of Evidence

[ak-51]

There is a bootable disc called Darik's Boot and Nuke that will securely wipe selected hard discs. It has the option to wipe over with all zeros, random numbers, wipe multiple times randomly, etc. etc.

You should still practice pre-emptive data security, but in a critical moment you might want to just hose your whole system. Besides drilling holes through the platters or otherwise physically destroying them, this would be the only way I would feel that the data has securely been erased.

I try to keep my system clean, but if I knew that in x number of minutes the FBI was going to kick down my door and search my computer I would be wiping it pronto.

I should really just be using TrueCrypt's whole-disc (including OS) encryption function.

 

[qdavid]

Just a cotton pickin' minute here. "There must be millions of them a day coming to this site". Don't you just wish that were true Gypsy?

Currently Active Users: 602 (274 members and 328 guests) | Members: 133,299 Threads: 135,838 Posts: 3,287,335

Millions could be true, but I kind of doubt it. But then again, just visiting here would be a very different number. I just don't think it would be that different. But anythings possible, I 'spose.

 

[Crake]

Does IC log the directory the files were uploaded from?

IC can log the originating directory of the files if they wish. Whether or not they do I can't really say, but I'd say it's pretty unlikely.

Also, is posting from a different IP enough to keep myself safe or is there some way to track which computer is logging in no matter which IP?

That's a pretty tough question to answer. There's a significant level of protection you gain from using a proxy for your HTTP traffic. If you're using something like Tor, you can do a traceroute on your traffic and sometimes notice your connection bouncing through different countries before leaving the Tor cloud and hitting the outside world. You're putting some trust in Tor hosts to leave your IP anonymous by not logging it and the requests it's making. I haven't read much into the level of encryption Tor uses, but it may be possible for ISPs to glean enough from the packet traffic going into a Tor machine and the traffic going out of it to determine that your IP is the one requesting information from, say, IC's site. At that point law enforcement may be capable of recording some evidence against you.

I'd say the safest way to conduct business anonymously on the internet would be to find an internet cafe, rent an apartment within reach of the wifi, repeat the wifi with a strong enough signal that a directional antenna could pick it up a mile away and then bounce that signal through a proxy outside of the country. That way you'd not only make it difficult to physically trace the location of the traffic, but also further obfuscate it by introducing international laws.

When lurking, your IP is logged but there must be millions of them a day coming to this site, how likely is it that that info will be found?

Well, we don't really know the extent to which law enforcement would act. Your IP may be logged here, then IC may be forced to concede their IP logs because of a search warrant. Law enforcement may then decide with this log of IPs that they wish to know who owns each of them, which may be public knowledge. At that point, it may be enough that they ask your ISP to relinquish more information about your IP. Since your ISP may wish to play nice, they may decide to just give law enforcement all of your traffic logs they have stored. And so on.

The big issue here is that you're dealing with unknowns. We don't really know what happens to our IP after it's out there. Should you have anything to hide, it's better safe than sorry.


Cheers,
Crake

 

[Crake]

There is a bootable disc called Darik's Boot and Nuke that will securely wipe selected hard discs. It has the option to wipe over with all zeros, random numbers, wipe multiple times randomly, etc. etc.

You should still practice pre-emptive data security, but in a critical moment you might want to just hose your whole system. Besides drilling holes through the platters or otherwise physically destroying them, this would be the only way I would feel that the data has securely been erased.

I try to keep my system clean, but if I knew that in x number of minutes the FBI was going to kick down my door and search my computer I would be wiping it pronto.

I should really just be using TrueCrypt's whole-disc (including OS) encryption function.

Great idea, ak-51. An "oh-shit" disk like that may be nice to have on hand. I'll add it to the list.

 

[Crake]

Just wanted to add a reference to spurr's post on a security vulnerability with Tor to this thread. For more info, check out his post here.

 

[REZDOG]

The Easiest Anawer:

1) A Linux netbook you pay cash for, running Tor with bootlegged wi-fi.

 

[peterpot]

What is "bootlegged Wifi"?

 

[SB7]

"wifi" you steal from someone else.

Ie you use an open wifi near you or you break the password ( WEP ) and use a wifi near you.

That way if you're doing anything "bad" they go after the wifi owner or exit node (Tor)

 

[Crake]

The Easiest Anawer:

1) A Linux netbook you pay cash for, running Tor with bootlegged wi-fi.

I agree REZDOG, that's pretty safe. Though with signal reflectors, it's still possible to get a pretty fine-grain location on the wifi bootlegger. I assume you know what I mean, but I'll explain: make the source antenna directional, turn it towards every direction and watch for the offender to join and drop from the network.

The safest way, as I said in post #103, would be to put a repeater at this location and bounce the signal elsewhere.

It would require some seriously, seriously we're-going-to-kill-your-entire-family-if-we-find-you-illegal shit to warrant going to that extreme though.

 

[REZDOG]

Hiya Crake!
I wasn't talking about pirating a "primary source" wifi (like a neighbors) I was speaking more of a "hit and run" approach-say,from an automobile.
Shit,Starbucks and alla' those shithole's wifi is free now,I believe.
Starfucks + TOR = Secure as ya need to be,imVho.
I mean,bro,what we're getting in to here,now,is real "Jason Bourne-esque" shit,and WAYYY too over the top if this is simply about posting at IC Mag. Methinks we both know this.
I have an exceptional netbook that I run Win7 Home Premium on,with 2GIGs of good RAM. It boots in under 10 seconds.
I run only Firefox with all it's glorious "security" measures
enabled,TOR when I feel the need,and CCleaner auto-cleans daily,set to Gutman-35.
I also never load any compromising pictures on the HD,if I have to store herb photos I have a 32GIG SD card stuffed in the slot for that sorta' thing.
(Usually making a folder "admin" and "hidden" on an SD card partition will fool most any simple visual one-over by LEO any way.)
If anyone has a LEO "deep forensics" team ass-DEEP into your computer,you're probably fucked on many more levels than what's on your HD already.



Cheers!

 

[soulfly22583]

If anyone has a LEO "deep forensics" team ass-DEEP into your computer,you're probably fucked on many more levels than what's on your HD already.
Cheers!

A truer statement cannot be said - if they go deep they are looking for the icing on the cake

 

[Crake]

A truer statement cannot be said - if they go deep they are looking for the icing on the cake

Maybe it's the difference between jail time and a fine.