Saturday, October 24, 2015
As for the title of this article, yes, pun intended. When I first started exploring online chat rooms and learning more about how the internet worked, I have to admit I was rather naive to it all. I remember watching an online video which led me here to Anonymous. This video, in part tells people to ask for help remaining secure and private online. In the spirit of this message I write this article.
We all hear about the NSA and government surveillance or hackers lurking in the shadows. For some people, the internet can seem like a scary and intimidating place. Do you want help feeling safer online? Do you want to be unafraid about making an online purchase? Would you like in interact and learn with people from all around the world without feeling spied on by some unknown powers at be? If you are like many people you have suspicions or hesitations online, but here are some tips from the professionals on how to help you stay anonymous on your journey.
Step 1. Use a good firewall software for your computer. A good firewall software you can use is a high-end built directly into Kaspersky and Norton Internet Security (2013). Also, using Kaspersky or Norton, you are getting spyware protection and live website protection to protect you from unsafe websites.
Step 2. Purchase a hardware firewall. You can get them for as little as $50+ from a pawn shop (if they have any) and up from there. This will help in protecting not only your computer, but if you hook it into your internet connect before your router/modem, it protects all of your networked devices.
Step 3. Utilize a VPN connection. VPN (Virtual Private Network) actually simulates your computer as if you are logged into the network from another location. a good VPN company to use is from Barracuda. They offer SSL as well as VPN connections.
Step 4. Once you have completed steps 1-3, now you need to get a more secure browser than IE, FireFox, Chrome, etc. I am talking about the Tor Network. Tor is one of the leading web browsers that also comes with another VPN connection and keeps your website viewing privatized. Tor is 100% free and safe to use.
How can you further protect your privacy interacting as anonymous online? Invent an alias, a surname if you will, with a name of your choice. Go and register this name with one of the big email service providers. Use this new email to register any new Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, ‘etcetera’ accounts. Be sure to clear all browser cookies before using this alias, or better yet, use a different web browser for your anonymous identity than you would use for your more typical internet activity. If you have a further need for security beyond these steps you may want look into encryption, stenography or TAILSsystem.
