Basic security information for surfing this website.

[kmk420kali]

It's no secret that millitary government intelligence is extremely trigger-happy paranoid. That means no exceptions when it comes the work-enviroment of the relative I speak of...

You accused me of not providing a well thought out response, but you are using 3rd party questionable info to scare the Members here...that I supposedly disrespected with my answer...but bro, first off...don't be so thin-skinned...I meant no malice, just an observation of what I see as you getting worried about this for nothing-- If they are truly in Intelligence, then misinformation is something they spend many, many hours on perfecting-- They are probably just worried about you, and want to see you not post here-- Because really man, if you listen to this....

Like I stated in the very first post, the reason why you wouldn't hear of these people and thier grow-op's geting busted is pretty obvious. They come back to these forums as undercover informants.

...and believe it, then you are not being realistic-- An ongoing intense investigation like that...complete with former members turned informants...would be very expensive, and very unlikely...as 99.99% of us here, would not give them the info needed to locate, investigate, and prosecute--
I am not trying to disrespect you, or your family bro....I apologize if that was inferred by me--
My mission in coming to this forum, is not to feed paranoia...but to differentiate between things we should worry about, and things that are keeping us scared for no reason-- (I said "We"...maybe shoulda used "I"--)
I am not trying to challenge you, just your information--
My apologies for my choice of words before...but in truth, any other way I would have worded it, would have meant the same thing--
With true respect...Peace--

 

[robbiedublu]

Use an auto login terminal at your work

 

[Marshmello]

peAce

 

[Hydro-Soil]

Why doesn't ICMag.com have an https server?

using Https everything is encrypted.

Heck.. I'd prefer a fullly encrypted server of some kind... more secure than https. 512 or higher encryption would be best


I can dream, can't I?

 

[ninfan77]

https doesn't encrypt your content it secures the session between you and the server... admin access, server techs .. anyone who can access the sql database of this forum can read anything...

Also.. to the guy who said "those who go away for a while and come back could be informants".. LOL @ that. A LOT of people disapear to do a big run, real life, w/e... just because someone goes away for 10 months and comes back doesn't prove anything... you're just making it harder on others, feedin trolls.

 

[I2KanGrow]

Hi All:

While I think the issues all have raised come from valid concerns, I'd like to steer the conversation to a free, practical, and easy-to-set-up proxy service...

I'm FAR from an IP professional, but I consider myself adequate when it comes to getting around a PC. Some anonymizer set-ups frankly baffle me. I've played with TOR (suggested somewhere on these forums) a few times, but never got it to work - VERY confusing - left me in a dazed slumber!

Let me please explain my set-up: I'm sure there's faster/better/more efficient ways to do this... but this works great for me......

I use Mozilla Firefox browser, which has TONS of add-ins that you can install: one such add-in is called SwitchProxy. SwitchProxy makes it simple to turn on/off browsing with/without a proxy server very easily - it also includes a status monitor on the very bottom of the browser window, which tells you whether your browsing w/ a proxy or not. Get the SwitchProxy add-in HERE .

Heres what I'm talking about:


Alright - Now that you can easily switch on and off proxy services, you need a proxy service to switch on and off!

I use a free client called JonDo, sometimes called JAP. When you install it, it comes with several free proxy services on it, they hope to hook you into one of their "premium proxy's", I guess, which are supposedly always up, are faster, yada-yada, but I've been happy with their free services so far. Get JonDo HERE!!

So you install/configure JonDo, which puts an icon on your desktop, then configure SwitchProxy to "see" JonDo... there's fairly clear/easy to understand instructions on both sites showing how... if I can do it, YOU can do it!!

When you want to browse anonymously, open-up JonDo (click the desktop icon) then in the browser use SwitchProxy have the browser utilize JonDo.

Speed is an issue with free proxys, things can be sluggish sometimes. When things are slow, I choose not to log-in to ICMAG, so I can't post, but I can lurk at least. It's easy to click the proxy on and off (SwitchProxy), so I test proxy speed every once in a while, and don't login/post till I get some performance with the proxy on.

Weird shit sometimes happens when the JonDo proxy is running. This is a German company, I guess - the free proxy servers are in Germany at least, so doing Google searches usually results in German search results. Every forum I've used this set-up with, seems to load properly, however, with pictures in the right place, and the page formatted properly - another issue I have with the click-thru proxy websites.

--------

Other things I'm careful about... I don't upload images from my Desktop or My Documents... I upload from a folder that's NOT under My Documents or Desktop, as their folder names can be identifiers sometimes (especially if you have a user profile that uses your name).

I usually clear my history after surfing on ICMAG - it's easy to do in Firefox... and, hey... you never know!

Don't surf ICMAG from work - even if your using a proxy server... assume that your employer is watching you, if your computer on a domain (which most business machines are).

Surf Safely - my ICMAG friends!!!

 

[SubArctic7]

If you really want to make sure you are secure, you need to make sure you have an encrypted session from your computer to some middle man (proxy, vpn, ssh shell, etc) that does not log any connection or session information and from there to the forum you are posting on, or website you are downloading from.

My personal favorite is using the OpenVPN service at Perfect-Privacy . It is not a free service, but well worth it IMO for my needs. I use it for this and any other site that leo or whoever would have any excuse to watch. Not that I think they bother with the little guys, not worth their effort. I also use it for all my torrent downloads. Like this new James Bond movie I just watched tonight that has not been released in the US yet

I don't even bother with cable tv service. Screw that, I get all the shows I want to watch, commercial free, when I want them. Not on their schedule with their annoying adds. Like the Battlestar Galactica series that I'm addicted to. Especially when it was aired in the UK a year before being shown in the US.

There was a previous post mentioning use of the TOR network. Thats another good one for web surfing, but not so good for torrent downloads.

Safe surfing. Peace.

 

[Homegrow3r]

Lots of ISP's signed up to carnivore post 911

Here's what carnivore is all about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore_(FBI)
If you don't want to click on the link then google "carnivore sniffer".

The military guy was right, data mining is going on all the time, they can monitor what they want at an ISP level etc, they don't bother with most of it, it's too much data.

If they want to get you then even the proxy might not save you but it's a good start.

I work in computer security myself and have an idea of what I'm talking about.

If you want to find out information about an IP this is how you do it. ( this is an example, I've not checked if they're using a dynamic provider, but I suspect not.)
Take www.icmag.com, ping it, you get 217.195.115.146
Run that IP through a simple RIPE lookup and you get the following information, you get this:
inetnum: 217.195.115.0 - 217.195.115.255
netname: PPSE-RB
org: ORG-PPW1-RIPE
descr: Parc Productions System Engineering
country: NL
admin-c: OH284-RIPE
tech-c: JR2176-RIPE
status: ASSIGNED PA
mnt-by: mnt-jappe
source: RIPE Filtered
organisation: ORG-PPW1-RIPE
org-name: Parc Productions Webdesign
org-type: LIR
remarks: ---------------------------------------
remarks: In case of abuse issues please contact
remarks: [email protected]

remarks: --------------------------------------
address: Parc Productions Webdesign
Olaf van der Hoorn
appe Reuling
Waalsteeg 4-6
1011 ER Amsterdam
Netherlands
phone: 31204892456
fax-no: 31204892458
e-mail: [email protected]

The same can be done on any of your IP addresses, they then know the ISP you are with, then LEO just asks your provider who was logged on at the time associated with your IP and it's traceable through your paid account, back to you.

Easy enough really.

 

[SubArctic7]

Lots of ISP's signed up to carnivore post 911
The military guy was right, data mining is going on all the time, they can monitor what they want at an ISP level etc, they don't bother with most of it, it's too much data.

If they want to get you then even the proxy might not save you but it's a good start.

To true. And don't forget all traffic that goes over the AT&T backbone (ie all traffic going through the US) is split and streamed to NSA computers. Key there is "if they want to get you". Which is why you want to make it cost them more than it is worth to try and get you. Which is why I use the service I use. All users of the servers use the same IP and no loggers installed on the servers. Along with a ton of other security features to long to list, check out their fact page if you are interested http://www.perfect-privacy.com/faq.html

A simple free proxy on the other hand... Well, hope it's good enough and leo are lazy enough and you are small fry enough and it's in another country thats not friendly enough But I think the TOR network is fairly secure and it is free, but low bandwidth (ie web surfing, no serious downloading.) I only have second hand knowledge of the TOR network from looking at info on it a couple years ago.

 

[billy_big_bud!]

OH and if you still got your panties in a wad, heres a bullet proof solution. Go get yourself a laptop with a wireless card for $400 from a local store and pay cash.

Every day go to McDonalds, Starbucks etc for lunch and get your ICMag fix on. so at the end of the day would this not be truly the safest and most anonymous way to surf icmag and or the internet in general? with a laptop that is completely random, a wireless card and or a piggybacked signal or an internet hotspot and there is pretty much no way for them to track you. or am i i mistaken?

 

[Homegrow3r]

OH and if you still got your panties in a wad, heres a bullet proof solution. Go get yourself a laptop with a wireless card for $400 from a local store and pay cash.

Every day go to McDonalds, Starbucks etc for lunch and get your ICMag fix on. so at the end of the day would this not be truly the safest and most anonymous way to surf icmag and or the internet in general? with a laptop that is completely random, a wireless card and or a piggybacked signal or an internet hotspot and there is pretty much no way for them to track you. or am i i mistaken?

If they really want to get you....not really. Your network card has a hardware identifier called a mac address, the starbucks has an identifier too, the starbucks has a video camera....it's all just a case of resources and will on the part of LEO, there is really no such thing as anonymity on the web.
There's a guy in scandinavia who chases down viruses and where they originally come from, they have found a number of hackers sending out viruses. Time and resources/will is all it takes like I said. Safety in numbers is what keeps most of us safe and the fact that there are much bigger fish on here to fry for most of us in any case.

 

[billy_big_bud!]

what if you went to an apartment or a housing complex? i know there are many open signals around here? if there was no cameras and you didnt go to the same place twice you would theoretically be safe, no?

 

[avgjoe]

Homegrow3r or any1 else-

something i have been curious about. obviously it is easy enough to look up data on someone and then subpoena the ISP once you have their IP address. But they still have to have the IP address of someone who is going into and out of IC plus be able to link that IP to particular posts being made once we are in the door of IC...

If IC isn't sharing the info- Wouldn't the only method of having access to this info be the super double secret al qaeda chaser NSA backbone access? Are there any known tools that LEO could use to gain this info without fed level backbone access? Is there a way to see what IPs are going into and out of a site? Then what is being posted by that IP?

 

[Homegrow3r]

Lots of possible tools, I don't think that these bulletin boards and OS's that they're hosted on are bulletproof either.
Like I say it's a time and resources thing. They can decide to sniff traffic at an IP level on the way to here, that's why the proxies are pretty safe. No system is infallible.
There are so many sites as serious as this one, with regard to the growers etc on them that it's a huge uphill battle. OG was taken out, they took the server. How much info was gleaned that time? I reckon a fair bit.

Lots of ways but and I can't even take a guess at the top secret ones.

 

[Bulénath]

I appreciate all of the information, and the time it has taken everyone to share it. Let's keep it going


I think I have already screwed my self.
I have talked about future plans set in stone without taking any security measures...Small fry or not, 2400w of bulb equates 250k in cash in a few years...I don't know is that would be too small for the Feds or even Leos to fuck with.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!

 

[Jeff Lebowski]

Ive looked at ICM at school, home, and the public library. Paranoia will not eat me alive~
Really though, smoke a bowl already and more importantly - relax. If you are this paranoid before you even start growing anything, I can't even imagine being around you while you have a seed/plant in any type of medium. I don't always agree with km420kali's postings, but his signature is one of the most valid statements I've ever read on this entire site. For another great signature statement of truth look at Yamaha 1 Fan. I think we all want to be safe and secure with no problems from any authority, so your best bet is to do nothing illegal if you are that concerned my friend. Don't take my post to heart, I'm just looking out for your state of mind.

 

[yamaha_1fan]

. OG was taken out, they took the server. How much info was gleaned that time? I reckon a fair bit.

Yeah, they got the whole server and my understanding is that nobody got busted except for RC and maybe some of his crew and that had to do with seeds I think.

As far as I know, no grower or poster on OG heard a peep. Am I mistaken?

And lets face it, no offense but theres only a small amount of people on this site that are worth the effort. I highly doubt the DEA is going to spend hundreds/thousands of man hours sifting through data communication to find small closet grows.


Once they stop murder, crack, meth, and have no more crimes, then maybe we need to worry

I am going to hide under a rock now

 

[Bulénath]

I do appreciate the objective views, for sake of my nerves and peace of mind.
I feel almost guilty for attempting to agree with those who attempt to calm my suspicions of the governemnt, fear of getting ass-raped in prision for 20+ years, loosing my entire life and everything dear to me.

There is a BIG differnece between letting Paranoia Rule, and Ruling Paranoia. Let us not let the anxiety and paranoia eat us a live, rather let it guide us through the seemingly infinate world of information in hopes of always improving our indiviual and collective intelligence.

The more we know, the better we can take preventitive measures, regardless of how far fetched it may seems during these days of uncertainty, post-911 attacks, the Patriot Act, and other possibly secret measures the government is currently undertaking, all to keep the Lucrative Marijauna Industry and the prision system surrounding it, alive for personal profit, on both the Legal and Illegal side.


One of the most aggreable replies, I would have to say, is the notion that "it is all about money and will power"....But mostly, we all can agree, it is about the money...Keeping the ballence between reaping profits off the Federal Prision system's always increasing budget, all as the pigs dip thier hands into the Illegal profits, and then using that money to fight agaisnt us so thier profits can always increase...

The way I look at it, the more people they put away, the more money there is going around within the system to steal, take, or profit from...

 

[billy_big_bud!]

ok after taking some time to think about it you definatly could stay 100% safe. in reference to what yamahafan said. if you had a laptop that you aquired without getting caught on film during purchase, you could only log on by way of open free signals( in my area there are tons of wifi "hot spots" where you can use there signal) and as long as you didnt ever go to the same place twice how could they ever possibly find you? is there any way they could track you if you stayed random? i really dont see how. correct me if this is not the case........

 

[yamaha_1fan]

ok after taking some time to think about it you definatly could stay 100% safe. in reference to what yamahafan said. if you had a laptop that you aquired without getting caught on film during purchase, you could only log on by way of open free signals( in my area there are tons of wifi "hot spots" where you can use there signal) and as long as you didnt ever go to the same place twice how could they ever possibly find you? is there any way they could track you if you stayed random? i really dont see how. correct me if this is not the case........

I dont see how

Someone said cameras in Starbucks. Seriously? I see so many issues with that. First, how do they proove the recordings from last week are time accurate? They may have you on a laptop but how can they proove it was you posting? Still worried? sit in the car. still worried, go to a hotel parking lot, I am sure you can hit the wifi from the lot.No way to know where the poster was, in a room, pool, employee, parking lot.

Just because a post on a website came from my ip address, that doesnt mean I made it. Theres thousands of people posting every day on different sites like this and for them to track it down, just seems overwhelming.

Now post pics of your backyard grow with hundreds of plants in suburbia showing other houses and blatantly call the thread f tha cops, well you may have put a target on your back


EDIT: We tend to watch alot of cop shows here, I dont know why. Criminal Minds comes to mind for an example. I call BS on so much of the stuff they do on computers, its not funny. I think people think whats on TV is real