working online more anonymously

I'm interested in learning more about working online more anonymously.

So what I was wondering is this... if you log into a VPN and then do any online work using the Tor browser will that keep you reasonably safe in terms of your ISP tracking your activities? And or anyone else tracking your activities?

Or is there a better way to be able to work from home online that so that all your work/traffic/activities are private and encrypted?

a reply to: bigpatato

My understanding is using a secure VPN along with Tor browser is recommended. TOR on its own can potentially be tracked. There may be additional security measures you can take, but I know this is the bare minimum recommended for accessing deep/dark web

a reply to: bigpatato

WINDOWS STORE!!!!!!

a reply to: nomad4chr1st

TOR is sufficient

a reply to: bigpatato

Remember that if you're using TOR, you're essentially using the governments own network. Dspending on why you want to be anonymous, and your skill level, it might not be your best option.

a reply to: bigpatato

I doubt working autonomously is even possible in today's world.


In the last year or so the Australian govt has let ASIO its equivalent of the FBI CIA etc all rolled into one, burgle the computers of potential bad people so they could see what they had on their computers.

Of course, it goes without saying that if they can burgle the bad blokes computers, they can burgle anyone's computer.

How can they tell whether your a good bloke or not unless they burgle your computer to find out?

In addition, we now know that all electronic transmissions into and out of the US are stored on that great big computer in one of the Dakotas in the US.

This kind of invasion and surveillance of communication between people is only ever going to increase not decrease. I think that fight was lost a few years ago.

I reckon you would be well advised if it were suggested to you that should forget about electronic privacy.

originally posted by: tikbalang
TOR is sufficient

Source?

The US government basically owns and funds TOR. They were even identified as having been able to circumvent the TOR network to identify users (or admitted it?...I forgot now). I have also read about potential conflicts of interest within TOR via individuals that they have hired and where those individuals worked prior to TOR (or afterwards).

In general, TOR may be a good additional precaution, but I wouldn't put all my trust in *just* TOR. I would suggest using TAILS as an OS, a VPN (not located based within a "Fourteen Eyes" country), possibly also TOR. Also good is to use internet away from your home or work. TAILS is probably only necessary if you're doing especially sensitive stuff, however.

TAILS - tails.boum.org
VPN comparison - thatoneprivacysite.net

TOR "security" - www.networkworld .com
TOR "security" (2) - motherboard.vice.com
TOR "security" (3) - www.dailydot.com

Another consideration: security.stackexchange.com

Anyway, there's lots off things you can do to help. But, be especially weary of TOR. People who think TOR is all you need either are uneducated on the matter (or perhaps intentionally misleading you).

a reply to: SomethingLingual

Those who i want to keep private from, TOR is sufficient.. The government will if they are interested or if i am of interest figure out regardless of my VPN, TOR,.. If i want to keep myself hidden, its a linux based system and some computers skills with it..

And since i aint doing illegal things, or doing anything against the states interest i am fine..

A VPN server based in one of the "Fourteen Eyes" countries is significantly easier for any of those 14 countries to simply waltz into the company and demand server logs. There are countries who are adamantly opposed to this and except for resorting to illegal tricks, they will resist. I didn't say it was impossible, but the point is that this will certainly help in terms of privacy.

The point about TOR is that it's basically *not* sufficient for anonymity. At least, not by itself. There's supposedly already malware on the servers so that the FBI can sneak in and catch kiddy porn activities. It's pretty silly to think or assume that this means that they can't (or won't) look at other traffic going through those servers.

Also, I hate to break it to you...but TAILS *is* a Linux-based system. It's bootable from a USB drive, so you can use it only when you need to do "anonymous things".

The OP asks about increasing anonymity. The responses here are meant to aid in how to do so. Regardless of doing legal or illegal things. Your activities are your activities and if you feel they are or are not illegal...well, great for you. But that's off-topic to the OP.

One additional thing I forgot to include in my previous post. You can also use temporary/disposable email services or use PGP encryption for your emails. The problem with the former is that it gets deleted pretty quickly. The problem with the latter is that you need to create your public/private encryption key and have the other person do the same and then also share your public keys with each other. Basically, this is fairly tedious and needs to be done for each new email recipient. If you only have a small number of people and you don't care about privacy as much for most of your other emails, then this is recommended. (This, of course, is only helpful for emails and will not help with anonymity in other general internet-related activities).