Assange Watch

[UndercoverElephant]

Oh yes, they know how to get stuff off Linux, I'm sure. But Linux, being open source, can be easily attached to other pieces of software specifically designed to evade identification. Another thing about Linux is that is uses a massive encryption system that really is all but impossible to crack without the necessary codes. I know this from having read up about the authorities sending people off to jail for not handing over those encryption codes because the authorities were simply unable to crack them themselves. Furthermore, there are even versions of Linux specifically designed by the hacktivist community to evade the authorities' detection. Though, personally, I would not use them since it seems to me that those are the very ones most likely to be targeted for surveillance and/or attack by the authorities.

Then, there are other versions of Linux used to evade detection by being specifiably designed to be run off a pen drive so that any machine, anywhere in the world, can be quickly turned to temporary, personal and anonymous use.

On a less spooky front, there are yet other flavours of Linux designed to get old machines to keep on trucking long after the likes of Microsoft would have us to throw them out. "Puppy Linux", for example, will make a 10 year old laptop work like it just came out of the box.

And, best of all, it's all free. You can contribute to it, of course, and I have done so via the forums. It seems only fair given how wonderful it is.

Didn't you used to teach IT?

Would explain a lot about the deplorable state of computer skills in the country.

Wow. How many kids do you think he taught, in total??

[Little John]

Oh yes, they know how to get stuff off Linux, I'm sure. But Linux, being open source, can be easily attached to other pieces of software specifically designed to evade identification. Another thing about Linux is that is uses a massive encryption system that really is all but impossible to crack without the necessary codes. I know this from having read up about the authorities sending people off to jail for not handing over those encryption codes because the authorities were simply unable to crack them themselves. Furthermore, there are even versions of Linux specifically designed by the hacktivist community to evade the authorities' detection. Though, personally, I would not use them since it seems to me that those are the very ones most likely to be targeted for surveillance and/or attack by the authorities.

Then, there are other versions of Linux used to evade detection by being specifiably designed to be run off a pen drive so that any machine, anywhere in the world, can be quickly turned to temporary, personal and anonymous use.

On a less spooky front, there are yet other flavours of Linux designed to get old machines to keep on trucking long after the likes of Microsoft would have us to throw them out. "Puppy Linux", for example, will make a 10 year old laptop work like it just came out of the box.

And, best of all, it's all free. You can contribute to it, of course, and I have done so via the forums. It seems only fair given how wonderful it is.

Didn't you used to teach IT?

Would explain a lot about the deplorable state of computer skills in the country.

Linux is an OS and as such is not usefully encrypted and cannot be attached in any meaningful way.

Linux is a Unix clone; no more no less.

Open source software will run on MS as well as Linux. It is just software and will run where ever it is written and compiled for.

Many servers boot from USB drives that contain either VMware or Windows server OS flavours. The technology relies more on the drive than the programming.

Encryption of communications is universal to MS, Apple & *nixes in that you can apply the same standards to all of them.

From a standpoint of out-of-the-box vanilla security I'd go as far to suggest that Windows8 out paces any Linux variant you can install. BitLocker for instance (a W7 technology) using TPM makes recovery impossible without the original private key.

But that isn't really the point. The point is about communications. if you fail to encrypt your emails of obfuscate your browsing habits then they are passing in the clear for anyone to catch. As a lot of servers are in the US that means the USG can and will catch those packets 'just to be safe'.

Worse even than that, we know that eventually all encryption schemes become vulnerable (PPTP based VPNs) so we can expect current schemes to also contain vulnerabilities. We also know that unlike private researchers, Government funded agencies do not advertise their cracking abilities.

Lastly, you have no idea at all who has contributed code to OS projects and many are so large that no one person can fully understand the program. If I was a large Asian super power with limitless resources I'd be all over that.

Oh do get over yourself JSD.

The encryption I am referring to is the "home" folder where one should store all sensitive files. This folder is fully encrypted at OS installation. Each time, the computer is booted, the home folders contents are temporarily unencrypted sufficient for it's contents can be placed in RAM, while the original files on disk then remain encrypted. When log out is activated, the encrypted files are again temporarily unencrypted, updated and then re-encrypted. A new key is randomly generated each time the computer is logged on. The encryption system used is one of the more secure available. The only realistic way in which it can be decrypted is for the user to hand over the necessary login password. Having said all of that, nothing is totally secure and everything is, in principle, crackable. Additionally, there are inherent security) disadvantages in open source OS's. However, these are arguably offset by the inherent advantages. It is simply a matter of keeping security as tight as possible and then deciding on one's own personal risk tolerance.

Additionally, I made specific mention of using an anonymous and mobile pen drive Linux OS for belt and braces protection as well as pointing out that so-called Linux OS's specifically designed for the purpose of evading authorities are not recommended for reasons given.

Regarding encryption of emails, I made no mention either way about that. That is something you have simply thrown out in order to imply I have suggested something I have not.

Finally, as far as out of the box security goes, are you really seriously suggesting to people they should trust MS with their security so far as the authorities are concerned? You have been reading the news over the last few weeks haven't you?

[biffvernon]

Why should anybody ever have any secrets?

(Maybe one's shopping list just before Christmas.)

[emordnilap]

Will this Australian government now protect this Australian from persecution for embarrassing the US government, or continue its embarrassing servility?

More here.

[emordnilap]

Former president supports Snowden

“America does not have a functioning democracy at this point in time,” the German newspaper Die Spiegel quoted the former US president as saying.

Err, Jimmy, that's not news.

[emordnilap]

Good work by Anonymous

Hackers from within the Anonymous collective claim to have broken into a server used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and say they will release the stolen data in what would be one of the highest-profile security breaches since the release of secret NSA documents by Edward Snowden.

[UndercoverElephant]

Former president supports Snowden

“America does not have a functioning democracy at this point in time,” the German newspaper Die Spiegel quoted the former US president as saying.

Err, Jimmy, that's not news.

I'm amazed he is still alive. You'd think he'd have had an "accident" by now.

[emordnilap]

Snowden wins whistleblower award

As a nation "worst-affected by the NSA's extensive espionage activities", Germany has a responsibility to give him refuge, he said.

With his disclosures, Snowden has done a "great service" to Germany and other EU member nations.

Therefore, Germany should give him asylum "out of conviction and gratitude", Jaeckel said.

[JavaScriptDonkey]

Oh do get over yourself JSD.

The encryption I am referring to is the "home" folder where one should store all sensitive files.

.

The home partition can be encrypted that way under Linux and the home folders encrypted identically under Windows.
Under MS though you can opt for whole disk encryption using TPM without needing to load custom modules. MS Security is just easier and therefore more likely to be used. There is also the question of the robustness of the decrypting algorithms...MS spend a lot making sure their encrypted disks can not only be relied on to be secure but can also be relied on to be accessible. Confidentiality, Integrity & Availability - lose anyone of those and something has failed.

Additionally, I made specific mention of using an anonymous and mobile pen drive Linux OS for belt and braces protection as well as pointing out that so-called Linux OS's specifically designed for the purpose of evading authorities are not recommended for reasons given.

You can also run XP and up from a pen drive should you wish. There is little difference.

Regarding encryption of emails, I made no mention either way about that. That is something you have simply thrown out in order to imply I have suggested something I have not.

No, that is something vitally important that you didn't mention. if you disconnect your PC from the Internet then barring home invasion no one is going to know what is on your hdd. But then what's the point? Encryption of communications is key to security particularly as with an OS OS you are never quite sure what other processes might be running....

Throw a netstat -an on a CLI and see how many you can name.

Finally, as far as out of the box security goes, are you really seriously suggesting to people they should trust MS with their security so far as the authorities are concerned? You have been reading the news over the last few weeks haven't you?

Yes, I am very seriously suggesting that. To encode a back door in their security software would inevitably result in MS losing their entire market and all of their zillions of $$$$. We know where MS live and where they can be sued. Try suing zing.chan@mySecureTPM.co.cn and see how far you get.

I don't throw this stuff out idly, I was running RedHat in 95 and then worked through Slackware, Debian and others before Ubuntu arrived. I quit Ubuntu when they introduced Unity and fled to CentOS/RH. I still favour OSS over ALSA
Linux has a hard coded soft spot in my heart but unless you are an expert it is not fundamentally more secure than W7 or W8.

[clv101]

Finally, as far as out of the box security goes, are you really seriously suggesting to people they should trust MS with their security so far as the authorities are concerned? You have been reading the news over the last few weeks haven't you?

Yes, I am very seriously suggesting that. To encode a back door in their security software would inevitably result in MS losing their entire market and all of their zillions of $$$$. We know where MS live and where they can be sued. Try suing zing.chan@mySecureTPM.co.cn and see how far you get.

There was this a couple of weeks ago:

NSA's access to Microsoft's services detailed
Microsoft helped the NSA get around its encryption systems so the agency could more easily spy on users of its services, reports suggest.
...
The documents show that the NSA had access to most of Microsoft's flagship products including Hotmail, Outlook.com, SkyDrive and Skype. In the case of Outlook.com, Microsoft reportedly worked with the NSA to help it get around its own data-scrambling scheme that would have concealed messages from the agency.
...
Microsoft said "legal obligations" forced it to work with the NSA and provide access to its services.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23285642

[emordnilap]

Garry Davis 1921-2013

In 1953, he founded the World Government of World Citizens. The demand for its documents proved so brisk that he established the service authority the next year.

More than half a million world passports have been issued, though there are no statistics on the number of people who have successfully crossed borders with them. Half a dozen countries - Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Mauritania, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia - have formally recognised the passport.

In old age, Davis was far from idle. Last year, he had a world passport delivered to Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, who has been holed up in the Ecuadorean embassy in London.

Just weeks before he died, Davis had a world passport sent, via Russian authorities, to Edward Snowden, the fugitive former national security contractor accused of violating espionage laws, whose US passport was revoked in June. Snowden was not available for comment.

[emordnilap]

Have you read his new book em? I'm part way through it- just finished the political collapse chapter, in it he says some very prescient things about governments spying on their populaces.

If you've read it what did you make of it? I am getting a lot from it, he's really fleshed out his previous arguments and thinking. I agree too with your analysis that stages one and two are overlapping and ongoing and in the last two years we've seen the worldwide start of stage three.

To help readers new to this thread, we're talking here about Dmitry Orlov's book The Five Stages of Collapse.

Here's a comprehensive review of it. You almost don't need to buy the book!

When the author says, "If you look at the Signs of Collapse in the table above, it is not hard to conclude that the first three stages — Financial, Commercial, and Political Collapse — are already upon us, and we just haven’t recognized them yet." I agree completely.

Climate change may well be the finger that pushes the dominoes.

[biffvernon]

Garry Davis 1921-2013

A fine man. Why was his death not mainstream and the world in mourning at his passing?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Davis

[emordnilap]

The fact is that Google, Facebook, Yahoo, DODGY TAX AVOIDERS, Apple and Microsoft are all integral components of the US cyber-surveillance system. Nothing, but nothing, that is stored in their "cloud" services can be guaranteed to be safe from surveillance or from illicit downloading by employees of the consultancies employed by the NSA.

That means that if you're thinking of outsourcing your troublesome IT operations to, say, Google or Microsoft, then think again.

More here.

[emordnilap]

Edward Snowden has been granted a year's asylum in Russia.

With his newly-awarded legal status in Russia, Snowden cannot be handed over to the US authorities, even if Washington files an official request. He can now be transported to the United States only if he agrees to go voluntarily.

Snowden departed at around 15.30 Moscow time (11.30 GMT), airport sources said. His departure came some 30 minutes before his new refugee status was officially announced.

More here.

There's a drone with your name on it, Eddie baby.