Security measures

[Vickydog]

Nord VPN by far the best

I use nord and my proton... 

 

[SleepyMonkey]

@SleepyMonkey I am not sure you know what a VPN does..and what it does not do...It just hides your actual physical location, and how sites collect data and what data they can see...a shield more or less..

Now, we all have tracking chips next to our balls AKA our phone...but It seems the understanding on VPNs was a bit off kilter..I hope that explanation makes more sense...I can login to my bank account from every continent without getting out of my chair...I can be in New York but to the world, it looks like I am in South Africa(That's what a VPN is at it's core) 

Ugh. 

 

[Josepagini]

Can anyone please recommend the least expensive VPN they use? Have been looking into them for years but it’s always been put on the back burner. Peace! 

 

[TheLastStop]

NORDVPN is the best imho. I’m on a week trial will pay the $12.95 or whatever it is. It’s worth it. 

 

[EuroMeds]

NordVPN if you pay for long term is $2.95

 

[Vickydog]

NordVPN if you pay for long term is $2.95

Wouldn't be without my Nord!!  Or proton

 

[EuroMeds]

same here..NordVPN is top of the line

 

[blissopifree 2]

What do you guys think of Duck Duck go and similar search engines?.

I use Duck Duck instead of google for some searches as it’s easier to erase your search history quickly.I am the same as @Hammerblow in terms of my email use,Gmail is my main email but I’ve used hushmail in the past and presently use ProtonMail as my more secure email address.

Bliss....

 

[porkandbeansboy]

I hope this not to long of a read for anyone. Omg no... I CRINGE at all these "I use Gmail" Posts i should mention they are an Advertising Company and the worse culprit for data mining, Trackers etc. ANY Email Provider is better than Gmail. Use Protonmail and once you Google what PGP Encryption is. I am sure you will sign up for a Free Protonmail Account as it allows you to make automatic Emails to another Protonmail.com User Account and have all the PGP Encryption work done for which is very hard to learn and it's what they use to communicate and hide what people talk about over the "D@rk N3t" except the way they do it on from Pronton to Protonmail User makes it so even if your Account gets Hacked they only see the Subject Words that and it's based in Switzerland with very strict privacy Laws.


I should mention I use duckduckgo not for the Search Engine Part but to block Trackers and Ads which it does very nicely. Now to @Hammerblow why would you not use a Free Protonmail.com account and I understand not wanting to Buy a VPN as I only use NordVPN because a Family Member Payed for 3-Year Subscription which I strictly use for Torrenting which VPNs are only good for Torrenting that and it depends on whether you trust your Internet Service Provider knowing all your Information or a VPN and who you trust more. This Website DBG it won't allow Me to the use the Tor Browser because of Cloudflare. I assume the people who run this place can set Cloudflare to let Tor Browser use which gets A very bad reputation due to the stupid door knob thing we all Call "The D@rk N3t" it even has a scary boogeyman name lmfao!


  Now this part is for @2earls since you mentioned you don't use the Tor Browser since you don't use the D@rk W3b which I completely understand why but the Tor Browser was created by the Government or the N.S.A. a long time before Public use to prevent Communications from being "infiltrated" for lack of a better word. Now many people chose Tor Browser over say NordVPN which if you Google how NordVPN works they have the "Company Name" Set up in Malaysia and not a single worker works there to get around the Jurisdiction Laws and they claim they don't keep Logs etc. but who knows it's not like anyone can take LEGAL ACTION AGAINST VPNS. Point is they could claim they keep no Logs and don't Data Mine (Selling your Internet Traffic Information). 


  With the Tor Browser though you trust no one but the Internet and well it's not 100% Safe WAY SAFER than a VPN and Europol Cracked the Tor Browser but as I mentioned unless your doing some shady stuff like S3ll1ng/purch@s1ng things in the 1000's non-stop than you got nothing to worry about. But would you leave your back Door Unlocked or your car door or your garage door unlocked for them to steal your power tools etc.and snoop around. Why make it easy for them even if the event of it happening is very rare cause if it happens that is just my analogy/metaphor for this. 


Now since I need to use my NordVPN since I can't use the Tor Browser for DBG which I use Double-VPN Option when using this Website, I do however use the Tor Browser for when Browsing specifically Clearnet Websites like Jim's SL W3bs1t3 since I figure it can't hurt and considering the fact the Tor Browser is FREE with a Web IRC Chat with FREE SUPPORT I don't see any reason why you shouldn't unless you love living life with as little risk as possible I am one of them or are a person who shrugs off any little tiny itty bitty bit of risk in Life which your probably right not much to worry about until it is something to worry about. 


 That being said what @Hammerblow Posted is fairly accurate since even if this W3bs1t3 had Cloudflare Set to allow Tor Browser use there are Malicious Exit Nodes etc. that can be exploited and if your a big Fish nothing from Europol watching you is capable of protecting you since they did crack the Tor Browser and if the N.S.A. or F.B.I. is after you given enough time they will catch you. But IMHO unless you got a good reason to be worried which a good reason for Me to worry is a nosey Internet Service Provider like one that Sends you a Letter in the Mail about you Torrenting since there the most likely ones to get your ass in trouble since if they spot you on a W3bs1t3 they deem Drug like LE WILL investigate but if your clean your good but if you end up with something in your mail don't be surprised that just cause your a small fish in the Game that they are not going to catch you if your not careful your only less likely to get caught but as long as your using common sense I think there is nothing to worry about and by using Gmail.com for ANYTHING is not common sense Gmail.com is affiliated with the most sketchy of places like Facebook I think to Name one that has lots of Publicity. But just getting duckduckgo and using Google Search Engine it's blocked so many Ads and it now says Google is like was responsible for over 80% of my Trackers from duckduckgo's original analysis of my Internet. 


  I try to use the Tor Browser when I go on R3s3@rch Ch3m1c@l W3bs1t3s since LE is cracking down on them and I try to use it when I go on and make sure I hide my identity and my use of anything 100% and I never use it with a VPN on the simple basis if they can get through your Tor Browser a measly VPN in comparison to Tor Browser protection won't stop whoever is getting past it and looking at your Internet Traffic. 

  

 

[Josepagini]

@porkandbeansboy Thank you for that brilliant post brother! You are right and it’s best to be safe and data mining is a trillion dollar industry(just watched that doc on Netflix) it’s scary! Also thank you @Vickydog and @SleepyMonkey for helping explain all of this to a newbie like me. I think I finally get it and understand. I appreciate you guys, and gals! One thing, with protonmail.. Can you send anyone an email or just proton email to other proton email users, I was just a bit confused about that. Granted, I’ll be doing more research and learning today on my day off. Have a grateful/pain free blissful Monday and thanks again for taking your time to help us! Peace!

 

[porkandbeansboy]

Protonmail works like any email but when you message another Protonmail User your 100% Encrypted and you can even Encrypt a Email with a password and it has strong PGP Encryption and Deletes itself in 28 Days and you can for Example Private Message someone on here or something or give a Hint that will let them know the Password. You don't to Encrypt your Messages with Password PGP Encryption Emails but it is a cool and helpful option I utilize a lot. Lot of neat stuff and it is the best place to start when learning about Computer Security and one thing is for sure nobody will read any messages you have in your Inbox albeit if the other User has some different than Proton for Sending Emails it will get read but only if they and you get Hacked by someone very skilled can only see your Subject Words in the Line for it if they Hacked your Protonmail Account. 

 

[Conceited]

We gave them 1984 without even a shot fired. We willingly gave it up for ease of access and ignorance. 

Dude 1984 was in operation before 1984. We just live in a surveillance society now. The book just makes fun of us, by saying this could happen. When in reality it was already taken place. The technology these days make it so much simple compared to the Acorn PC's etc

 

[Conceited]

So VPN hides what country you are in yeah? What if you use it on a 'Smatphone.' Will the GPS on your phone give your location away or does it mask that as well?

 

[Jesse]

I've heard that VPNs are too easily intercepted, making them useless for anyone who's actively being sought by government or law enforcement, and unnecessary for anyone who's not. The person who told me this said VPNs are virtually useless because they only scramble your location once, and that the only way to be REALLY secure is to get TAILs.

Of course, this is mostly Greek to me. Any opinions from those in the know?

 

[aintnouse]

I have a cousin that used to work in black ops.....He told me in no uncertain terms that if they want you, they get you.  It doesnt matter if you take the battery out of your phone, turn your phone off or anything like that.  He said they can track you in so many ways that we dont know about and will never know.   Just remember......we only see probably 10% of the available technology the govt uses to keep tabs on us.    We cant hide anywhere if we want too.  The only way would be to walk into the woods and live completely off the grid with no contact with the outside world.  Even then if they wanted to find you they probably can.  The way I look at it is too live my life out in the open and act like a regular guy.  I do not have any smart devices because they freak me out and not because of their surveillance capabilities, they just freak me out.  I dont have facebook and I dont post on any social media.   I also dont try to hide my footsteps with a myriad of security protocols because they dont work.   In my mind, it also raises suspicion if anyone were interested in me,  to see me hiding all my digital footsteps.  All these companies that provide us with vpns, and other security measures probably sub contract with the government so they arent exactly helping us.   Hide in plain sight is my mantra.   Also having a name that is very similar to a corporate exec at a tech company helps.   If you google me,  I dont show up anywhere.  My doppelganger does and he gets al the pub.   I think if you just use your head and dont do anything ridiculous you should be ok.    

 

[porkandbeansboy]

I've heard that VPNs are too easily intercepted, making them useless for anyone who's actively being sought by government or law enforcement, and unnecessary for anyone who's not. The person who told me this said VPNs are virtually useless because they only scramble your location once, and that the only way to be REALLY secure is to get TAILs.

Of course, this is mostly Greek to me. Any opinions from those in the know?

Well Tails which is like Tor Browser but more complicated and has it's own O.S. Built in it's not easy to learn to use it. The Tor Browser can be Hacked by Europol hence all the Darknet Busts recently and they won't tell anyone how they are doing it since they want to keep doing it lol. The Tor Browser can't be used for DBG otherwise it would be superior over a VPN which makes Me feel nearly almost naked being on this Website with only NordVPN EK!!

  That and the Fact a family Member Purchased NordVPN is only reason I use it is for this Website and Hiding my Torrent Activity and that's only reason to buy a VPN in the end for to hide the Fact your Torrenting from your ISP since even using UTorrent's or any other Bitorrent's "Protocol Encryption: Forced does not hide your activity from ISP anymore.

 

[Folyhucker69]

Choosing to use Gmail and no VPN is basically maximum potential risk you put yourself at ( for no reason ) and with a company (google) who has all your emails...who directly shares with government....People undervalue privacy, clearly you aren't worried about your operational security which is fine. However, I am of the belief of protecting my own security is same as someone who is unable to enjoy security benefits. VPN's are not created equal. Tor is brilliant, especially with the DDOS fix...

If you don't use a VPN in 2019 is laziness. Especially when we are talking $3 a month for Premium...for which you can actually exceed your own provider's cap, privacy while browsing, breaking attachment from your internet browsing with a static IP very easily traced backed to you.

Can you expand on the DDOS fix? And what other security measures do you recommend aside from the VPN? (Already got that one in place). That and the encrypted mail. Does anyone tumble coins or is that a step too far for most?

 

[porkandbeansboy]

Can you expand on the DDOS fix? And what other security measures do you recommend aside from the VPN? (Already got that one in place). That and the encrypted mail. Does anyone tumble coins or is that a step too far for most?

Good question tbh truthfully. I have been thinking about this one and only answer I can come up with is depending on who you trust more ISP Vs. VPN and then you got Torrenting and needing to hide it so VPN is perfect for that and or switching from Netflix Canada to U.S. Netflix like I do myself perks of the 100$ Canadian Payment for 3-Year Subscription Payed all at once. 

Tails truly is the best but you need to use it on an External Hard-Drive since it literally has it's own built in O.S. and will take a lot of time effort and reading. Downloading XMMP Chat-Client is the ONLY WAY to get Support from the same people USED to use the simple enough to use IRC Channels which I use a Web IRC for the Tor Browser Support if you want to use Tials Learn how the Tor Browser works which is just like Mozilla Firefox with a VPN that's on Steroids.

REMEMBER NOTHING IS UNCRACKABLE unless your Selling like major league amount of Magazines lol. I wouldn't be to worried and even if you were there are many many different things you could do to Protect yourself. 

 

[Conceited]

Literally don't understand half of these abbreviations ha. The only thing i noticed using a vpn on a phone is you get foreign ads on YouTube for example. Suppose what else do you expect for something that's free. Probably signing access to your phone away if you read the small print.

 

[DoomKitty]

Literally don't understand half of these abbreviations ha. The only thing i noticed using a vpn on a phone is you get foreign ads on YouTube for example. Suppose what else do you expect for something that's free. Probably signing access to your phone away if you read the small print.

Id be VERY VERY wary of using a free vpn unless its from a HIGHLY reputable source (like protonvpn for instance) as most of them are very sketchy and intrusive and how much information they data mine.....or worse......