ICMag Security Do's and Don'ts! - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

**Skip** · #1 08-24-2009, 11:18 PM

The staff of ICMag has assembled a list of security Do's and Don'ts for members of the site. These tips apply to any website.

We suggest you study these and modify your behavior if necessary. Protect yourself by following our sage advice, garnered by over more than a decade of online surfing by our experienced staff.

Many who are new here see everyone else posting up grows and may think this site is completely safe to post anything.

Also many "newbies" coming on are actually older folks who are getting online for perhaps the first time and don't know the ropes.

Most of this is common sense. Then there are ppl who are stupid or just don't give a damn... Nothing we say will change their behavior...

DOs and Don'ts

DO use a proxy service if you are worried about security. (Update: This can now raise a flag with the authorities, so think twice!)
DO use a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware. This goes for everyone!
DO report anyone trying to buy or sell you something illegal on this site. They could be trying to set you up or rip you and others off. We need to ban such people!
DO delete PMs on a regular basis too, just in case....

DON'T use the same username you use on other websites. Use a unique registration email addy too.
DON'T give anyone your real name or address!!!
DON'T discuss or arrange any illegal activities via ICMag. You will be banned for this.
DON'T post photos of an obviously illegal grow. Keep people and identifying objects out of view.

More Tips:

Always assume LEOs are on this site (they may or may not be, but it's better to act like they are!)

If you use the Auto-Logon feature, be sure to logout when you are done!

If you have a legal grow and are obeying the law you should have no problem with posting your activities, but be aware that revealing your location may encourage rip-offs.

Remember it's not illegal to be on ICmag or to discuss cannabis growing!

UPDATES: ICMag does not link to Facebook or allow Google to monitor traffic to our pages as do other cannabis websites. Websites that link to those services are allowing those third parties to record your activities on those websites and your IP#. Be very careful when visiting other websites or following links to them. They may link to those services without your knowledge.

Also, using proxies may now raise a flag with LEOs, if they are already looking at you. They assume if you're using a proxy you're up to no good...

Pseudo · #2 08-28-2009, 05:01 AM

imo dont give people identifying clues, people who start threads asking personal questions make me wonder (like what do you drive etc...)

Weedninja · #3 08-28-2009, 05:17 AM

Great thread, Skipster. If anyone needs good, free anonymity software, I recommend Tor with Privoxy, which is best used with the Firefox browser. Google it.
Also, remember to strip EXIF data from your pics; EXIF alone probably won't get you busted, but it can be a nail in your coffin.

#4 08-29-2009, 02:05 PM

Don't post pics of plants you showed to your friends that they might recognize its you and that you never really stopped growing like you told them, assume old growing / smoking buddies are on here in addition to LEO

K.J · #5 08-29-2009, 02:49 PM

Great advice (and a great confirmation that I'm already doing things right!). Everyone should read this.

**Skip** · #6 08-29-2009, 07:40 PM

Ok, it's been brought to my attention that some pics in the Old Gallery have Exif data in them. The forum albums strip them out. ICMag does not record the exif data in the old gallery, but some is still attached to the images themselves.

The exif data will only contain personal info if it was entered into the camera. So ppl might want to check their images or cameras for any revealing data. Just download the image and check its properties.

If there is info about the camera that took it (like Sony or whatever) then the exif data is there. It will also reveal any personal info if any was entered. So if you have such images up, you might want to remove them and upload them to the forum albums. Of course any links to those images in threads will no longer work, so it could mess up a lot of threads.

But usually ppl don't put personal info on their cameras (unless they worry about losing them).

kp^ · #7 09-28-2009, 11:29 PM

Hey Skip,
What's your take on using TOR @ icmag?

https://www.torproject.org

turbolaser4528 · #8 10-10-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kp^

Hey Skip,
What's your take on using TOR @ icmag?

https://www.torproject.org

yeah id like to know to. I downloaded tor and then I got all paranoid cuz I feel like I stick out more rather than less with it. plus it doesnt protect info at the end, so Idk maybe its a false sense of security.

ICmag, you guys better not get nailed cuz if leo gets your servers were all fucked! haha god bless you all

Krull · #9 10-10-2009, 04:26 PM

Nice one Skip, i've made a fast translation for the italian forum:

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=140240

Peace

=K

boroboro · #10 10-10-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by turbolaser4528

yeah id like to know to. I downloaded tor and then I got all paranoid cuz I feel like I stick out more rather than less with it. plus it doesnt protect info at the end, so Idk maybe its a false sense of security.

ICmag, you guys better not get nailed cuz if leo gets your servers were all fucked! haha god bless you all

I'm no Skip, but I feel safe enough with TOR/Privoxy running over a secure connection (i.e. SSL connection, https://www.icmag.com/ic). Patience is required...

Hopefully Skip and the servers don't mind a little SSL load on their servers.