Ubuntu

[Kinderfeld]

I was told about this system from a friend. I was wondering if anyone else used this system. It is a start up system similar to windows, but is apparently completely anonymous. Just wondering your guys thoughts as my friend who told me doesn't exactly use for the reason I would use it. Is it effective? Is it a good addition to use paired with a proxy?
Thanks in advance, kindr.

 

[been]

Ubuntu is a linux distribution (operating system).

 

[Kinderfeld]

Ubuntu is a linux distribution (operating system).

lol...yes I know, well kind of.
I just found out about it so I don't know the specific details on what exactly that does. I am no computer wiz either. How does it preform in terms of security?

 

[drtask]

oh man... i LOVE linux. i dont personally like ubuntu, i run gentoo linux. its really a solid system. and you can set it up with tor and privoxy and that'll help with anonymity tons. i'd advise switching over. it is by NO MEANS COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS. no computer is. linux is just a different operating system from windows, which imo is one of the best upgrades you can bless a computer with.

 

[Homegrow3r]

I like Ubuntu, it's got enough geekiness mixed in with a nice windows style easy to use GUI.
It's the first Linux distro that's been nicely rounded out for a windows style user. You might have to learn how to use the likes of apt-get, but it's not too hard.
It's not the most secure distribution of Linux and it's also not anonymous, no computer is once it has an IP and is on the internet, but it'd certainly be more secure than windows and not as susceptible to viruses and web bugs and the like.
Definitely an improvement on Windows, but it has a steeper learning curve.

 

[been]

lol...yes I know, well kind of.
I just found out about it so I don't know the specific details on what exactly that does. I am no computer wiz either. How does it preform in terms of security?

Security is an illusion.

 

[drtask]

Security is an illusion.

the most secure box on the planet is turned off unplugged buried in a 6 inch lead lined box ten feet underground covered with concrete.

 

[Kinderfeld]

I respectfully understand dr. and been that full blown fail proof security is an illusion. However, it has been proven that most the time, its more of a matter of how deep you make them dig.

 

[whodi]

I believe that ubuntu, or whatever, runs off your cd-rom drive. So whenever yo uwanna browse on icmag or do other things.. i think you can just put the cd in and restart your computer and it runs off the cd-rom...

i'm not sure of this though. Anyone know?

 

[drtask]

whodi you're thinking of knoppix. most distro's offer a livecd environment to sample the os but you won't be able to save anything on the harddrive or make any system modifications. i'd recommend installing it fully on the hdd. and yeah the harder you make em work that better off your security. and linux is a good start for that. unless you're running a server of some type linux is pretty locked down with iptables and such.

 

[been]

I believe that ubuntu, or whatever, runs off your cd-rom drive. So whenever yo uwanna browse on icmag or do other things.. i think you can just put the cd in and restart your computer and it runs off the cd-rom...

i'm not sure of this though. Anyone know?

Yeah, you can do that, but it's no different than surfing with Firefox in Windows. You could also remaster the image to include Tor and Privoxy, but you can just install those in Windows too.

 

[Homegrow3r]

I believe that ubuntu, or whatever, runs off your cd-rom drive. So whenever yo uwanna browse on icmag or do other things.. i think you can just put the cd in and restart your computer and it runs off the cd-rom...

i'm not sure of this though. Anyone know?

It's called a livecd, it certainly is a nice way to not leave too many traces of what you were doing on the machine, you can choose to leave temp files on the disk if you wish. As someone else says it's not really secure, but if you wanted to fire it up anytime you went online to put photos up or browse here, then it would certainly leave less trace on a local machine to follow.

 

[TwoOhSix!]

Ubuntu is just a version of Linux, like Vista or XP is to Windows. Linux is much more stable and secure from viruses, ect, but if anonymity is all you're concerned about, then it's not your solution. Even with a Linux system you need Privoxy, Tor, and other anonymous surfing addons that are still available to Windows users.

If you're not a techhy person it may be more than you're willing to deal with. You're talking about installing a completely different operating system, learning new computer language, transferring all files, ect.

Personally on my next re-format I'm going to install windows AND ubuntu or anther version of linux, and get the dual boot going. At startup you can pick which OS you want boot.

 

[SouthernGuerila]

You guys could just provide resources instead of trying to spoon feed.

http://www.linux.org

http://www.torproject.org

 

[Megas]

Well I tell a friend who doesn't have a legit copy of windows. Ubuntu will give you I think 9 months of security updates and you can download a version that has come out in the last year or two. You've had that OS for 4 years how many security updates do you think you have that are even going to do anything anymore?

 

[nekoloving]

oh boy, this thread needs my help!!!

@kinderfield:
first out of the box linux is most secure. with minimal effort its really REALLY secure. ubu is a good distro that 'does' stuff that's useful - meaning its about as easy peasy as it gets - its literally what i start ppl on for linux.

@drtask - heh yeah - one of those gentoo lads eh, talk about a militant irc channel!

@homegrower - actually learning to use ubu is WAY easier than that!

just install xchat. go to the ubuntu servers and the #ubuntu channel on irc.freenode.net #xchat is the ppl that make that. shit tor and the rest are all there also. even the guys who made bittorrent!

Security is an illusion.

the most secure box on the planet is turned off unplugged buried in a 6 inch lead lined box ten feet underground covered with concrete.

can we include a faraday cage for emp resistance?

I believe that ubuntu, or whatever, runs off your cd-rom drive. So whenever yo uwanna browse on icmag or do other things.. i think you can just put the cd in and restart your computer and it runs off the cd-rom...

i'm not sure of this though. Anyone know?

yes i know

a. there is indeed a live cd
b. you can do thumbdrives as well
c. it can be installed also to hdd
d. this is not the only way~!!!!~

VIRTUAL MACHINES ROCK! and linux lets you proxy the WHOLE OS. yes thats right, PROXY FROM THE ETHERNET CARD - EVERYTHING.

so a proxy running on a vm inside a hidden encrypted OS is a pretty good secure way to go. [depending on encryption and passes i suppose]

@twoohsix! - perhaps we might start a thread eventually on how to properly secure a computer from scratch.... but not today ;D

tip for dual booting: boot, erase partitions, create 2 for windows, [i do 20-40GB for install partition and LOTS for the other - its where the data /profiles go] then leave a decent space for the ubu. i'd say another 20GB would be fine. the big data partition can be shared.
after the windows is in, just install the ubu, and yeah, its good to go. consider full disk encryption underneath both tho

@southernguerila - i do the extra's not just for the op but for whoever searches later

Well I tell a friend who doesn't have a legit copy of windows. Ubuntu will give you I think 9 months of security updates and you can download a version that has come out in the last year or two. You've had that OS for 4 years how many security updates do you think you have that are even going to do anything anymore?

WRONG
[sorry]

http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/serveredition/benefits/lifecycle

Ubuntu Server Edition has a dual release cycle. Every 6 months a version is released that contains the latest packages and updates. This is maintained for 18 months from release with an upgrade path to the next 6 month release version.
For greater robustness and easier planning, every two years an LTS version is released that is maintained for 5 years. This is a target platform for ISVs looking to build solutions on Ubuntu and also for larger deployments in need of a more stable release with fixed features.
6 month regular versions

• Always contains the latest stable version of the mainstream packages and kernel
• Regular package maintenance until the next regular update or LTS, whichever comes first
• Security updates delivered for 18 months
• Seamless upgrade from one version to the other

Long Term Support version (LTS)

• Packages and kernel version selected for their stability and robustness
• Regular package maintenance until the next LTS
• Security update delivered for 5 years
• Seamless upgrade from one LTS to the other
• Point release for last LTS released every 6 month until the next LTS to provide new versions of CD images allowing to install the last LTS release on new hardware.

for the record southernguerila was 420% right about one thing.... the internet and google are your friend!! these are easy topics, and i have now provided you with the best level of support avaliable. there are other great ubu sites, however this forum is not for them, and thier own channels on irc, webbies, and forums have lots of really nice ppl that [honestly] just want you never to run windows again~!!~

 

[BigMo]

Ubuntu is awesome!!! I am currently browsing this site from a ubuntu install from a usb flash drive. Nothing is saved to your local machine. You can do a persistent install to a flash drive so that changes can be saved. I run a ssl connection to a Ubuntu server in a completely different city than where i am surfing from so for all intents and purposes I am at that location surfing the net. Also using a ssl proxy is encrypted.

These things can be done with very little effort.

Ubuntu rocks and the netbook remix is really slick.

Mo, Stay Safe

 

[elfstone]

Ubuntu is a distribution of Debian Linux and can pretty much recognize any machine you're installing to and set itself up as a desktop distribution or a server. I am running two virtual servers on Ubuntu and love it. You may have to educate yourself on how to tweak some settings if you have an older computer, but mostly, it just works. You can also pretty much do anything windoze does faster, easier, and better with free GNU software. Ubuntu frees you from the authoritarian, power hungry, operating system giant called Microsoft. You can download the distribution CD and boot it from your CD/DVD drive to try it out. If you like it, you can install it as a dual boot system. I have several systems now that just run Ubuntu. Bye Bye MS Windoze....

 

[h^2 O]

im running Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron. Had it for over a year. Linux is great, any and every application you could ever possibly need is FREE through the depositories. It's awesome. Just need to be smart enough to figure out how it all works.
I also have a pirated version of XP on another partition, so I guess I have a 'dual-boot' though I'm not using both at the same time. And yes, I can access files from either OS.

 

[zeddius2]

im thinking running a live cd/thumb drive while spoofing your mac address and using your neighbors network.. also keeping an eye on a sniffer like kismet, er what ever you like(to make sure nobody's monitoring you) im not sure how you would know if they were trying to triangulate your singnal if they ever actulay found out you were doing this.. i guess ill google it lol...just a thought tho

edit. if you have lots of big metal objects like cars around your neighborhood (or anything ells that really messes up signal) triangulation isn't very accurate at all unless you account for these thing. which in an active place its almost impossible. so im thinking it would be hard to get a warrant with triangulation.but don't take my word for it im just heaving a little fun typing lol