No forums for networking / VPNs or security or privacy?

Forums › Geekzone › No forums for networking / VPNs or security or privacy?

Linuxluver

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#62406 6-Jun-2010 10:14

There doesn't seem to be a forum for discussing:

1. General networking (mainlyWAN, not specifically Broadband or LAN)
2. Security / Privacy

I've installed TOR on my Linux system and been playing with it. Firefox is the only app I've enable for TOR so far, but it certainly seems to work as claimed. Geekzone thinks I'm posting this from a PC in Germany.

Where would anyone who wants to discuss things like Tor or VPNs = privacy / security generally either standalone or in a networked context?

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BDFL - Memuneh
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#338730 6-Jun-2010 10:20

Linuxluver: There doesn't seem to be a forum for discussing:

1. General networking (mainlyWAN, not specifically Broadband or LAN)

Goes into LAN/WIFI/Routers.

Linuxluver: There doesn't seem to be a forum for discussing:

2. Security / Privacy

I've installed TOR on my Linux system and been playing with it. Firefox is the only app I've enable for TOR so far, but it certainly seems to work as claimed.

Where would anyone who wants to discuss things like Tor or VPNs = privacy / security generally either standalone or in a networked context?

"Privacy" is something very interesting as a subject. Years ago there was a company called "ZeroKnowledge" offering private browsing through multiple forward servers, and pseudonyms for email services. I used their services and even have a couple of tshirts they sent me.

They now moved away from that model. The infrastrucutre didn't expand as fast as possible to work as intended (or something related).

I do see a lot of people posting here using TOR. For some interesting reason everyone using TOR seems to always come from IP addresses allocated to specific countries. So it's easy to spot who are the people wanting "privacy". Those are the people who instantly giveaway they are hiding.

What happened to "hiding in plain sight"? Forget about TOR. You will get annoyed after a few days...

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freitasm

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#338732 6-Jun-2010 10:21

Oh, yes... And I already thought of banning TOR posts on Geekzone because most of those come from employees of a certain mobile operator who were once banned and decided to keep visiting here to troll.

So if you keep using TOR one day you may not be able to post...

Reality is, privacy is changing quickly and people still have the wrong mindset on online privacy. Google is not your friend...

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Linuxluver

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#338742 6-Jun-2010 11:10

I can't seem to post to the forums from a TOR-enabled browser anymore.

Looks like you banned it?

On one level that's cool.

On another level I'm beginning to find the Freitas-effect a little on the capricious, arbitrary oppressive side. I was just playing with something new and I'm curious about and came to GEEKZONE to find out more....and you killed it as soon as I mention it?

It's your site, of course..Do what you like.

I don't need to come here if I don't want to.

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freitasm

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#338755 6-Jun-2010 12:14

Nothing was banned so if it is not working don't blame on me. Your words are quite strong for no reason.

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freitasm

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#338757 6-Jun-2010 12:17

And if you are so paranoid as to believe - and spread - I have banned it just because you mentioned it...

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nate

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#338861 6-Jun-2010 20:40

Linuxluver: On another level I'm beginning to find the Freitas-effect a little on the capricious, arbitrary oppressive side.

He didn't ban you specifically. You are still able to post here, so I'm not sure what your issue is.

You can still discuss TOR without using it to post here.

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#338863 6-Jun-2010 20:41

nate:
Linuxluver: On another level I'm beginning to find the Freitas-effect a little on the capricious, arbitrary oppressive side.

He didn't ban you specifically. You are still able to post here, so I'm not sure what your issue is.

You can still discuss TOR without using it to post here.

Just to make it clear Nate. I didn't ban TOR posts either. LinuxLuver is clearly having problems on his PC or network and blaming on us - with no reason at all. And being rude at that.

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Ragnor

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#338939 7-Jun-2010 01:22

TOR is one of those things that runs both ways...

You might be using someone else's TOR node to access something while some pedo in another country is using your connection to access kiddie pron.

Linuxluver

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#339302 8-Jun-2010 11:05

Ragnor: TOR is one of those things that runs both ways...

You might be using someone else's TOR node to access something while some pedo in another country is using your connection to access kiddie pron.

Yeah. The same applies to any road we drive on, any telco we make calls on, any train we ride on and any commercial jet we fly on and the internet as whole. They all could be used too convey almost anything.

I try not to confuse use with capability.

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Linuxluver

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#339305 8-Jun-2010 11:07

I apologise to Mauricio for suggesting he had disabled TOR immediately after our exchange in the thread. He says he did not. From my point of view, I was posting fine via TOR until after just after we had our exchange of posts. This lead me to mistakenly think he had acted on his comment that he had been thinking about banning it.

I was wrong. Sorry, Mauricio.

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k1wi

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#339326 8-Jun-2010 12:13

The problem with using TOR is that as freitasm says, it is really easy to spot a them.

The second problem with TOR is you can't guarantee that a website hasn't blocked an IP that another TOR user has used to access a site.

A third problem is regardless of using TOR there are still many ways for a website to identify you, as freitasm alluded to earlier (google).

I don't know about this site, but the worst case scenario on many sites I know of would be having your account disabled/warned/flagged/pinged for using an IP of another naughty user...

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nate

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#339339 8-Jun-2010 12:46

Linuxluver: Yeah. The same applies to any road we drive on, any telco we make calls on, any train we ride on and any commercial jet we fly on and the internet as whole. They all could be used too convey almost anything.

Not really a fair comparison.

Those are all shared resources already. What you're talking about is sharing something you own with someone else you don't know, with the slight chance it could be used for questionable purposes.

I've never used TOR, so I hope Ragnor is right in his description...

Linuxluver

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#339544 8-Jun-2010 21:14

nate:
Linuxluver: Yeah. The same applies to any road we drive on, any telco we make calls on, any train we ride on and any commercial jet we fly on and the internet as whole. They all could be used too convey almost anything.

Not really a fair comparison.

Those are all shared resources already. What you're talking about is sharing something you own with someone else you don't know, with the slight chance it could be used for questionable purposes.

I've never used TOR, so I hope Ragnor is right in his description...

Do you know everyone with a phone or who travels on the shared footpaths, roads, airways or who uses the Internet? Isn't the internet based on free and more or less functionally anonymous sharing of connectivity?

I'm not seeing the distinction you're trying to make.

TOR is just a network within a network...and anyone can join and use. What is different is it is more difficult for people to follow you as you move on this network. Good people or bad people. It's all the same.

This is why I try not to confuse use with capability.

For example, all firearms are designed and intended to be lethal weapons. But the gun lobby says it's not the weapons that are the problem, it's the bad users. So they remain legal and most people with a clean criminal record have no trouble getting a gun with lethal potential.

A network tool that protects your privacy is just the Internet with some privacy.

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freitasm

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#339549 8-Jun-2010 21:22

It's very different "sharing"... The road sharing is the use of that resource at the same time as others, but you still use your own car.

With TOR you allow others to use your network connection, the one you are responsible for, to connect to other resources.

It's like you leave your car keys in the ignition. People can take the car for a ride on the road. They can even use it for a bank heist. You don't know though, until it comes back to bite you.

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#339561 8-Jun-2010 21:43

freitasm: It's very different "sharing"... The road sharing is the use of that resource at the same time as others, but you still use your own car.

With TOR you allow others to use your network connection, the one you are responsible for, to connect to other resources.

It's like you leave your car keys in the ignition. People can take the car for a ride on the road. They can even use it for a bank heist. You don't know though, until it comes back to bite you.

freitasm has got it in a nutshell. My viewpoint is that your internet connection is just that - yours. Should someone use it for something illegal, and your IP address is logged, would you not be liable, since it was done through your connection?

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