advice on end to end encryption pls.

[wilbur]

ok, so I read Tor doesn't prevent spying at either end (transmission and/or reception).

does anyone know how this issue can be resolved?

thanks!

 

[bigsby]

Well no, TOR can not prevent someone from installing a root kit on your box or on the server. Once a request reaches the destination (either send/receive) it has to be unencrypted for you or the server to read so if your box is compromised then TOR was a waste of time.

You can't control the server but that is not really your biggest concern. You can control your box though. Make sure it is clean and make sure you practice good security protocol.

Using sophisticated IP analysis on both ends (i.e. they'd have to be sniffing your box and the destination server, icmag in this case) TOR can be compromised but from what I understand it's a lot of work. They really have to want to do it and they have to know what destination to watch.

I'm interested in the subject. I only TOR when I go to any of these sites. I can deal with the speed bump, it's a small price to pay. I use the Tor bundle - proxy agent + the Tor browser. The browser you use for every day surfing is full of holes plus the Tor browser is stripped down so it runs faster. I'll follow the discussion and add what I can.

 

[wilbur]

thanks for that Bigsby. looks like there won't be much of a discussion tho'.

one thing, I 'm using a satellite network so I have no 'box', just wires to a transponder (is it?) and dish on the roof. the way I see things any tampering with my pc must be done at the server.

so thinking about the situation I can't control what my server does or is obliged by authority to do.

now, Tor encrypts also, does it not? does that mean information is encrypted WITHIN my pc before it goes to server?

thanks ...

 

[bigsby]

Well just because you're connecting via satellite doesn't mean your immune. You are still online so you can still be seen and found. Open up a SSH server on port 22 and see how long it takes before you are being bombarded with brute force attacks. Ten minutes tops. It's insane. Further, all it takes is for you to download a piece of malware and they are on your PC. That can happen randomly or you can be targeted whereby a blackhat tries to trick you into installing their root kit. Once a root kit is installed they can access it any time your PC is connected to the internet, satellite or not.

Tor offers the best solution as far as I can tell. Here is how it works. You install the client/proxy on your machine. Any requests that go out through the proxy are encrypted. Think of Tor as a series of connect encrypted tunnels that pass through a series of relays. Your proxy connects to the Tor network and passes on your request. Each server or relay knows only the identity of the machine that it received it from and that it will pass it to but no further. The request makes at least three hops thereby hiding the originators identity. The last hop to the destination server is in the clear, in other words not encrypted. Because the relays only know 1 hop back or forward the source can not be traced. Again, if they know you and they know where you are going and if they really want to, they can figure it out. But it takes some crazy computing time to get it done.

On the server side it doesn't really matter what happens. They can't trace your ID through the Tor network anyway. All they get is a meaningless IP that leads nowhere.

Hope that makes sense. If you do use Tor use the "bundle" which includes a browser. It is optimized so faster and more importantly, all holes are sealed.

 

[wilbur]

I haven't got much time this morning to fully absorb what you say ... will do so later, BUT ...

I wonder if you could comment on the following? I have heard that unusual changes in yr home page may signify someone outside has accessed yr pc.

the other day I went online and my signal dropped out just like a mobile signal will. this is not entirely unusual. however when I reconnected, my home page (google) was arranged differently. instead of the buttons being arranged horizontally across the top of the page they were arranged drop-down box style on the left of the page.

I immediately closed down and when I restarted the page was arranged as per usual.

and this morning when I clicked to access my gmail acct I was let straight into my acct instead of having to supply user name and pword!

can you comment on this? sinister or glitch? THANKS!

 

[bigsby]

I'm not sure about the rearranged google page bit. I don't see why one would lead to the other. If someone accesses your PC they don't want to do something to tip you off like say, rearrange your home page. As for the email, that is not unusual at all. If you check, "keep me logged in" it will stay that way for weeks.

If you feel your machine has been compromised here are the steps to take.

1. disconnect internet
2. shut down
3. get good payed version of virus software
4. run complete scan
5. keep full backups on a different machine and preferably in a different location

Best is to practice safe habits. Always make sure OS software is up to date. Never download from back ally sites. Only reputable sites. Best is to get a piece of software that allows you to monitor in/out traffic. On mac there is something called Little Snitch. It tells me when ever a program tries to communicate externally and what it is sending. There must be something similar for PC. This way, if there is backend activity I am alerted immediately.

 

[Headbandf1]

ROTFLMAO -- Google's homepage change its design i guess we've all been hacked.


Shit changes from time to time roll with it

 

[wilbur]

THANKS BIGSBY!

 

[GP73LPC]

i've also thought about using TOR, with everything on a little USB card...