Maintaining Security and Avoiding Surveillance

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freedom.seeker
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Joined: 05/02/2016

Having set out to become free (in both the monetary and liberation context of computing) I look back with shame at my past Micro$oft and social media use. It is truly disgusting what Facebook, Google, Micro$oft, and others have done with our information, but most disgusting of all is knowing that I ignorantly 'self contributed' so much of my own data, only to realize what I was doing too late. I guess that I am powerless to withdraw any of my information at this point in time, as once something is online you no longer own it, and it never goes away, however, having studied a great deal of Richard Stallman and Steven Rambam lectures, I have been motivated to shut down all of my social media accounts and abandon Micro$oft and Mac, and I have all but stopped using a cellphone whatsoever.

That being said, I have no intention of abandoning using a computer, and when I look into the world of 'security culture' I am overwhelmed to say the least, as much of it is simply over my head. You might say that I have the will and not the way. I have somewhat achieved a free OS in Trisquel, thus avoiding the non-free and proprietary issues, though I now focus on security and surveillance, not really knowing what to do other than removing myself from the social media spotlight. I now use a host of browser addons such as AdBlock +, NoScript, Self Destructing Cookies, Ghostery, Random Agent Spoofer, and ZenMate, but honesty I am not certain as to how effective these are, or if I am using the correct combination. Can any of you suggest what I might do to "harden" my Trisquel installation?

Magic Banana

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Joined: 07/24/2010

Security starts with free software: if the software is not free, the user is helpless against the (real) owner of the software. Users of proprietary software are *often* abused. It is not a theoretical risk: http://gnu.org/proprietary

I start with that point because you actually list two proprietary add-ons to the Web browser: Ghostery and ZenMate. I use many free add-ons (they must certainly overlap and some probably are totally useless given the others) to not be tracked when I use Abrowser (Trisquel's default browser, based on Firefox): Clean Links, Decentraleyes, HTTPS-Everywhere, Privacy Badger, Random Agent Spoofer, RedirectCleaner, Self-Destructing Cookies, ShareMeNot, Smart Referer, and uBlock Origin.

But the best solution to anonymously (although more slowly) browse the Web is the Tor browser, like root_vegetable wrote. However, he did not give you the best link. Here it is: https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en

freedom.seeker
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Joined: 05/02/2016

Should I stop using ZenMate and Ghostery?

Edit: I have opted for those you have mentioned and I am trying them out now. Thanks.

SuperTramp83

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Joined: 10/31/2014

As far as the browzzer is concerned, I go this way:
VPN - firejailed and apparmored TorBB - Internet

or

VPN - firejailed and apparmored Iceweasel with noscript, httpseverywhere, ublockorigin, RAS, privacy settings.

Reason I go that way is that it is very easy to set up and very fast to set too, so.. why not spend the little effort and time? Everybody should spend an additional half an hour to secure their Browsers on a fresh GNU installation, it's easy and requires very little knowledge and effort..

Triqel
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Joined: 12/06/2014

Because HTML5 canvas elements allow websites to identify and track visitors via some API then users should hide or mask this information using following addons for Mozilla browsers.

Canvasblocker for desktop:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/canvasblocker/

Canvas Fingerprint Blocker for mobile:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/android/addon/canvas-fingerprint-blocker/

Finally test it via online tool:

https://www.browserleaks.com/canvas

Alij
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Joined: 05/08/2012

VPN + TOR + GNU/LINUX + BEER

vita_cell
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Joined: 07/19/2015

+Libreboot

freedom.seeker
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Joined: 05/02/2016

So just to be clear, If I were to sell my current computer and buy one with maximum compatibility with free OS, programs, and security, in mind, what would I be looking for?

loldier
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Joined: 02/17/2016

Thinkpenguin or Minifree come to mind. A new Adelie or a refurbished Thinkpad.

https://www.thinkpenguin.com/gnu-linux/penguin-adelie-gnu-linux-laptop

https://minifree.org/

A Librem is probably not something a libre enthusiast would be proud of.

https://trisquel.info/en/forum/librem13-fully-free-time

A Novena open laptop comes as a kit that has mostly free hardware.

https://trisquel.info/en/forum/novena-open-laptop-project

Here's FSF's ethical tech giving guide for comparison.

https://www.fsf.org/givingguide/v6/

Magic Banana

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I am a translator!

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Joined: 07/24/2010

Libiquity sells the same X200 (with LibreBoot) as Ministry of Freedom (Minifree) too: https://shop.libiquity.com/product/taurinus-x200

lembas
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Joined: 05/13/2010

If you want a free BIOS https://libreboot.org/docs/hcl/index.html#supported_list

If not, of the usual components the GPU and wifi will be the most likely to give you grey hair.

freedom.seeker
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Joined: 05/02/2016

I have an really old IBM ThinkPad T42. Does it qualify for an all free setup?

Magic Banana

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I am a translator!

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Joined: 07/24/2010

You cannot install LibreBoot on it if that is your question. But you can certainly install Trisquel. Go for Trisquel Mini though.

loldier
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Joined: 02/17/2016

EFF has tips on countering surveillance.

https://ssd.eff.org/en

Check your browser's fingerprint.

https://panopticlick.eff.org/

Tor Project.

https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en

Alternative DNS.

https://www.opennicproject.org/

GnuPG.

https://gnupg.org/index.html