Are Proxies A Must?

[hardhat22]

Ok,I'm paranoid as hell.I freaked when OG went down and have just started settling down in the last few months.My question is,is this site secure?
I've read through these security pages till my eyes started bleeding so I thought I would just ask.I'm not trying to make you guys paranoid too,I've just got too much to lose.
I'm afraid of posting on other sites but for some reason have felt safe here.I have few real life friends,and really like alot of these guys here and really enjoy interacting with 'em.
I've just started using a proxy today,but even using the server with the lowest ping time,it takes forever and a day to download a page here.I'm on dial-up.
I understand the long arm of the dea extends into other countries and would feel better knowing where ICs servers are located.Thanks in advance.
Peace

 

[Guest]

It honestly doesn't matter if you use a proxy or not. If they want to log every key stroke you make, they will regardless of a proxy.

I do not use one. I have nothing to hide...my practice is mandated by my religion. I'd rather die than hide. Peep my grow, lol!

 

[d4.]

Using a proxy really won't make a difference. If you were under investigation, like stoned2death said they could just keystroke you with ease. I doubt you are going to be victim to that though.

No site is safe, Big Brother watches everything on the internet! All you have to do is not incriminate yourself.

 

[GMT]

wouldn't know, I've never used one, but I'm still here. The servers are located in the Netherlands, I'm no dial up too, and there are a couple of sites that use 128 bit encryption, but for me they take too long to see each page. I like this site, I'd like to see pics in a bit more detail, the 800x600 is a little restricting on quality at times, but then thats a saving grace on some of my own pics. If you are the type of guy with several rooms full of hundreds of plants, then putting pics up of the whole op may not be a good idea without a proxy, and an escape route, but for my scale, it really isnt worth the manpower to come after me, so work out your own situation and make the choice.

 

[macster]

Unless your a big time commercial grower no law agency has the well with all to track you down for your two light grow, to expensive and the evidence is useless in a court of law, So don't worry about it, I don't

 

[hardhat22]

Thanks for the replies,guys.(poet and didn't know it)I feel all better now...kinda.....
Peace

 

[budvapor]

i agree that in itself this is probably not going to get you busted. at the same time you never know when all of a sudden they have a new data mining program, and you're the lucky winner of the draw! not enough to get you busted, but it could draw unwanted attention. it's pretty easy to protect yourself further, so why not do it? i use JAP, and it's pretty slow, but useable. http://anon.inf.tu-dresden.de/index_en.html.

 

[Guest]

I look at it this way. If the feds walk into your proxy provider and want your info they will get it just as easily as from your isp. Since the connection back from the proxy passes through your isp to you, they can just go there, and most isp's WILL hand over your info without question to be "cooperative".

 

[d4.]

I look at it this way. If the feds walk into your proxy provider and want your info they will get it just as easily as from your isp. Since the connection back from the proxy passes through your isp to you, they can just go there, and most isp's WILL hand over your info without question to be "cooperative".

Sort of makes you wonder who else can easily get your info too .

 

[UmphreyMcgee420]

megaproxy is pretty good.

type it in google and you will find it, it costs money though. you can give it a try for free, you just can log in.

 

[Gadsden]

I use a proxy along with Tor (The Onion Router). I would say you need broadband to use them due to speed issues. Tor uses encryption between various nodes across the 'net so between Tor and Privoxy I feel safe enough. If you use Windows, do a search for Vidalia which is a nice front-end.

 

[Cloud_Strife]

I use a proxy along with Tor (The Onion Router). I would say you need broadband to use them due to speed issues. Tor uses encryption between various nodes across the 'net so between Tor and Privoxy I feel safe enough. If you use Windows, do a search for Vidalia which is a nice front-end.

i thought the same thing...
until i found out that the Tor network was developed by US Navy Intelligence
sadly, safety is an illusion nowadays

 

[Guest]

I've never used a proxy but I've never posted pics either.Reason being what seems safe today may be deadly tomorrow in an ever changing drug war.The dispenseries in Cali were safe last year..People posting pics online are safe this year..

 

[Guest]

People posting pics online have not ever been safe. Some of us just refuse to hide.

 

[Gadsden]

i thought the same thing...
until i found out that the Tor network was developed by US Navy Intelligence
sadly, safety is an illusion nowadays

The Navy turned over the code in 2002 and it has been totally reworked since then. Since the EFF supports it, I'll assume it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

 

[hardhat22]

@ Stoned to death.I hear ya man.I have paranoia issues,but I'm trying to buck up,grow some hair and live the same way.I've lived under a veil of fear for so many years I have to constantly double-check to make sure I'm still living in the the U.S. of A. You know,land of the free....
Peace

 

[Guest]

Amen hardhat. When you know the truth is that most people live a lie it becomes a duty to your own self respect to live the way man was meant to...in tune with nature, with honor, peace and cannabis to keep our eyes open to the evils around us. As a religious user the govt has no case against me for cannabis use anyway. It's mandated by my religion and they'll have to kill me to stop me. I'd take a death sentence for cannabis before a jail sentence. If they wish to continue to witch hunt against people who believe as I do, they can kill me publicly just like the days of old.

 

[budvapor]

the govt does not have the resources to pursue every little grower... yet... so again it's more a question of not drawing unwanted attention. if the govt steps up their efforts, they will start with low-hanging fruit, and that is people who do not use an encrypted proxy because ISPs will gladly comply with wiretapping (even illegal warrant-less requests).

if you use an encrypted proxy, things get more difficult for LEOs. for example, with JAP, i have an encrypted connection to germany. all the ISP can see is i'm connecting to germany. they can easily find out that i'm connecting to a proxy, but they cannot easily find out where i'm going from there.

of course if they really wanted to, they could, but the goal is to make yourself a more difficult target.

alas even with tools like tor and jap you're not as safe as you'd hope. the people behind jap recently were forced by the german govt to install a back door into their system for german authorities to snoop. the sad part is the jap people didn't communicate that to the jap users. afaik the german govt is only looking for people going to one particular site, although i don't know which one, but i doubt it's icmag--probably more to do with building bombs or child pornography.

with tor, there was a story recently about one tor operator who was snooping on its outgoing traffic. the last hop in a proxy chain is not encrypted and can be snooped. in some instances depending on the type of traffic you can figure out who the user is.

so yes, again, there is no 100% safe technology. but you will make it harder for them to notice you, and that means less unwanted attention, which is a good thing.

 

[Rosy Cheeks]

Proxys is a good way to surf anonymously on public computers, no need to clean it afterwards (and there would still be traces left). I have a number of computers at my disposal at work, and that's where I use proxys, not at my personal computer.
Using computers that have no direct connexion to you is a good way to stay anonymous on the net, and to calm your paranoia.

 

[British_Bulldog]

I've got mixed thoughts on proxy use, although I've not researched it enough to know for sure.

My thinking is that if I make a direct connection to icmag (with http), then my ISP could evesdrop on me, but if I use a proxy server, icmag won't know what my true IP is, but both my ISP and the proxy admin will be able to see my posts.

So, that's less secure than just connecting straight to icmag, who are not bothered about me posting about growing anyway, lol

I've made too many incriminating posts online to be too bothered about it anymore, but having recently moved to a new country (with stricter laws than the UK - i.e. Italy), and a new ISP, then I am kinda concerned about what I post, and will only communicate more sensitive information with friends via Hushmail encrypted email.


Peace