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Anonymous Remailers It's embarrassing when your mom finds out that you are sending mail to someone you have met while perusing the alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.furry Usenet group. Perhaps even more disconcerting, would be finding out that the company for which you work does not approve of the political beliefs you express in your personal email. Well, you can avoid all the hassle of trying to explain, by using an anonymous remailer and not getting caught in the first place. Web:
Computer Security Any computer that is connected to the outside world can never be completely secure. However, computers and networks can be made secure enough to keep problems to a minimum. For example, as problems within an operating system become known, there will usually be a patch (program modification) issued to fix the problem. There are many known security problems with all of the popular operating systems, and most of these problems have patches that you can download and apply to your system. In general, the best thing you can do to make sure your system is dependable is to have proper backups, and -- very important -- make sure you can restore your backups. Web:
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Computer Vulnerability Testing If you use DSL or cable to connect to the Internet, you are actually on a large network. This network is shared by other people using your ISP (Internet service provider), and it may be accessible to the world at large. In particular, hackers (bad guys) with certain software tools may be able to go through your ISP's network and penetrate your computer. Are you safe? You can use the free testing facility at this Web site to check for vulnerabilities. Web: Cookies (on the Web) To access the Web, you use a program called a "browser". (The two most popular browsers are Netscape and Internet Explorer.) Your browser contacts computers around the Net and requests information on your behalf. When that information arrives, your browser displays it on your screen. The computers that send the information are called "Web servers". Your browser has a facility built into it that allows Web servers to store data -- called "cookies" -- on your computer for later retrieval. What you may not realize is that cookies are sent to your browser behind the scenes, and, right now, your personal computer is probably storing all kinds of information. This information -- the cookies -- accumulates as you visit more and more Web sites, and is used for a variety of purposes, one of which is to track your movements on the Web. People are concerned about cookies as they can be used in ways that infringe on your personal privacy. These resources will help you learn about cookies and what you can do about them. Web:
Electronic Privacy Information Center The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is a public interest research center based in Washington, D.C. EPIC concerns itself with all types of privacy issues: Internet privacy, medical records, proposals for national ID cards, and so on. The EPIC Web site houses a large collection of privacy-related information and resources on many different topics. If you care at all about these issues, take a few minutes to look around. Web: Email Privacy If you use email at work, I guarantee that your company can read your mail if they want to. Even if you delete messages, they are often retrievable (say, from a backup). My advice is to think very carefully before you write something in an email message that you would not want to become public. You are probably okay if you use your own personal Internet account, but if you use the Net at work, be discreet. Want to find out more? Start here. Web:
Fingerprinting and Biometrics Biometrics are techniques that can be used to automatically recognize a person based upon distinguishing traits. One reliable biometric is fingerprinting. Your fingerprints are unique, and every time you touch something you leave a mark that can be used to identify you. In the movies, fingerprints are always used to trap the bad guys, but in real life many people see fingerprinting as an invasion of privacy. It is convenient for government agencies to have a lot of fingerprints on file, but how thrilled are you about them having yours? The loss of freedom will not stop at forced fingerprinting. Biometric systems have been developed that are far more sophisticated. These guys are deadly serious, and what you read here should scare you. Web:
Firewalls A firewall is a barrier between you and the Internet. The purpose of a firewall is to keep your computer or network safe by restricting the flow of data according to specific criteria. A firewall can be a program that runs on your home computer (a personal firewall), or a special hardware device that sits between an entire network and the outside world. As you might imagine, firewalls can be complex and difficult to set up. Do you need a firewall? If you are running a network or some type of server (such as your own Web server), yes, you do need a firewall. Otherwise, it is not necessary, so don't let people scare you. (For a no-nonsense discussion of such matters, see my book Harley Hahn's Internet Insecurity.) Web:
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Hacked Web Pages Every now and then, hackers will break into a Web server and change around one or more Web pages. These sites archive the hacked pages, so that people like you and I can see the hacker's work and marvel at their skill, ingenuity and obvious lack of anything better to do with their life. If you are a network administrator, visit these pages whenever you need inspiration to work overtime keeping your network safe. Web:
Hacking A hacker is a person who learns the details of a complicated system and then exploits that knowledge to extend the capabilities of the system. On the Internet, the hackers you hear about the most are computer hackers: smart, enthusiastic people who understand and exploit computers, programming and networks. These hackers communicate and work in what we might loosely refer to as the "digital underground". Most of what they do is legal, although sometimes it is not. Join the digital underground and you will find not only hackers, but crackers (people who break system security) and phreaks (people who crack communications networks, especially phone systems). You will also find lots of warez (shared commercial software). To be a real hacker requires a lot of time, skill and experience, as well as an understanding of the hacking sub-culture, which can be summarized as, "If you have to ask, you aren't going to understand the answer." Web:
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Identity Theft Identity theft refers to someone using your name and identification number to cause trouble or break the law. The problem is you get blamed for the trouble, and it can take a long time to rectify. For example, someone might use your name, date of birth and (in the U.S.) social security number to open a credit card account. The person then uses the card and doesn't pay the bills, which then goes on your credit rating. Most identity theft originates when someone gets information by stealing your purse, wallet or mail (sometimes by forging your name on a change-of-address form), searching your trash, obtaining a credit report fraudulently, or buying information (such as credit card numbers from a clerk in a store). Here are a few simple techniques you can use to protect yourself: (1) Guard your credit card and identification numbers. (2) Do not carry any more cards than you need, and never leave your wallet or purse alone, even locked in the trunk of your car. (3) Monitor your credit card bills regularly. If a statement doesn't show up on time, find out why. If you are a victim of identify theft, don't wait to do something: there is information on the Net than can help you right now. Web:
Information Warfare Since antiquity, the goal of the military has been to kill, maim and destroy. In the twenty-first century, things have changed. The military is still trained to kill, maim and destroy, but now they also try to damage the enemy's information infrastructure. This new activity is called information warfare: the practice of infiltrating and compromising other people's computer systems while protecting our own. Information warfare is real and is being actively developed by governments (in both military and civilian branches) and within private companies and organizations. Web:
Privacy Resources Privacy is everyone's business: you, and you, and you there hiding behind your Macintosh thinking I won't notice you. Once the big boys (AOL, Microsoft, AT&T, and so on) get into the "free software" act, it won't be long until you find that somewhere along the line, your personal interests were sold out for a handful of magic stock options and advertising revenues. I feel strongly that it is up to all of us to protect our privacy. The best way to start is by understanding the issues, and these sites are a good place to begin. Remember, once "they" control your browser, you will be able to run all over the Net, but you won't be able to hide. Web:
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse This is a great Web site. It contains a lot of useful information about privacy, your rights, and what you can do to protect them. I have personally found a lot of interesting and useful help here. One caveat: The information is designed for the United States, particularly California. However, don't let that discourage you. These people do a good job and much of the information is helpful to anyone. Web: Privacy Talk and General Discussion What better place to discuss privacy and security issues than out in the open on Usenet, where thousands of people you don't even know can read your every word? These discussion groups cover technical issues as well as cultural, political and social topics relating to privacy and security (such as the ill-conceived Clipper chip). Usenet:
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Privacy Tips The more information can be processed by computers, the more your privacy becomes important. These Web sites contain some good resources to help you get the privacy you want. Find a wealth of tips and information regarding email, voice mail, Social Security numbers, cordless phones, the Net, computers, and much more. Web:
Spamming Spamming refers to sending unsolicited and inappropriate messages -- usually advertisements -- over the Internet. Spam is sent to both Usenet discussion groups, where it can be a major annoyance, and to personal email addresses, where it shows up as junk mail. Spamming is a big problem, and the people who do it are inconsiderate jerks. Check out these resources to help you understand the problem, and to find out what you can do to fight it and to safeguard your electronic privacy. Here is one big hint. When you configure your browser to access the Usenet news system, you will have to specify your email address. Whenever you post a message to a Usenet group, your browser will insert your address into the "header" of the message. This makes it easy for people who read your message to email you a personal reply. Whatever you do, do not specify your real email address -- use a fake one. If your real email address ever shows up in the header of a Usenet message, it will be picked up by automated programs used by spammers, and, within hours, your address will be on mailing lists all over the world. Once this happens, you will receive ever-increasing amounts of junk mail, and there will be nothing you can do to stop it short of changing your address. If you want people to be able to reply to your Usenet postings, you can always put your real email address in the body (text) of your message. Hint for nerds: Use root@localhost as your fake address. Web:
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Spyware Spyware refers to programs that run on your computer, without your knowledge, and secretly use your Internet connection. Typically, spyware will send information about your computer and your activities to companies that will use it for marketing purposes. Some spyware will even make changes in your system. How does spyware get on your system? It is attached to many different freeware and shareware programs. When you install such a program, the spyware is installed as well (without telling you). In many cases, when you uninstall the original program, the spyware still stays on your system! If you think about it, you can see that, in many ways, a spyware is like a virus, and it makes sense to talk about a program (that you download) as being "infected". How do you detect spyware? Easy. Just use one of these free anti-spyware programs. Web:
Using the Web Anonymously Did you ever ask yourself, how can the browser companies (Microsoft, AOL [Netscape]) afford to develop browsers and give them away for free? Browser companies design software to please their customers, and you are not a customer. The customers are the companies that actually pay for software, such as Web server programs. So it should come as no surprise when I tell you that browsers are designed to pass information about you and your computer system to any Web server that asks for it. Think about it, each time you connect to a Web server, your browser may be passing private information to that server. (In other words, you only think you got your browser for free.) To circumvent this system, you can route all your browser requests through another computer (sometimes called a proxy server) that will maintain your privacy. A proxy server that offers this service will send your requests to the destination Web site, accept whatever data comes back and pass it on to you. You use the Web in the regular way. Sometimes there is a short delay, but no private information is passed to other computers and, for the most part, your actions are hidden from the world at large. Web:
Virus Hoaxes A computer virus is a small program designed to insert itself into a file containing another program. When the second program runs, the virus becomes active, possibly causing a problem. A computer virus, of course, can be trouble. However, there are relatively few real viruses around. Unfortunately, there are many people who spread unfounded rumors about viruses, especially the so-called email viruses. Don't be fooled. The next time you get one of these virus warnings, please refrain from sending it along to your friends. Instead, use these resources to find out what's real and what's a hoax. (They are almost all hoaxes.) Web:
Viruses (Computer) Computer viruses are small programs written by malevolent programmers in order to cause trouble. A virus attaches itself to an existing program. When you run the program, the virus becomes activated and performs some sort of action (which might cause damage to your files or other programs). Anti-virus software is written to detect and eliminate viruses that may have found their way onto your system. Most people have no need for such software, if they follow simple precautions. The most important precaution is never open an email attachment if you don't recognize what type of file it is. However, anti-virus programs are important if you maintain a computer network, or if you work in an environment in which people share computers or bring in floppy disks that have been used in other computers. Web:
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