Tools and Services

Online Anonymity

Online Anonymity Networks

 

Tor - A proxy system which protects against traffic analysis. Allows you to browse the web, chat, and more anonymously. Encrypts traffic between proxy hops to protect against eavesdropping. Check out the Tor Browser bundle which packages and configures Tor, Firefox, and Pidgin (instant messaging application).

Freenet- A darknet tool for anonymously storing and retreiving data. Unlike low-latency networks like Tor, websites on freenet are "static". Updates can be made and you can always retreive the latest version, but instead of retreiving it from a server, you retreive it as a file hosted by other Freenet peers. Very useful for publishing files in an uncensorable way. Use it with programs such as Frost to make anonymous message boards. Java-based and, like other mixnets, can be quite slow, but worth the wait for many! There are plugins aside from Frost, just look around!

I2P- A low-latency mix network similar to Tor. You can anonymously host websites, share files, participate in distributed chat, and participate in distributed forums using this tool. Every user is a router for the network, some users may elect to route traffic out to the "real internet" like a Tor Exit Node does. Works out of the box on Windows, may require a little extra work on Linux distributions.

GNUNet- An anonymous file sharing program for Windows and Linux with encrypted links/transfers and more

Yacy- a distributed search engine which aims to compete with major centralized search engines. Because it is decentralized, it is diffult to track your searches. Run it and contribute to the global search index. If you're creative, try running one as a Tor Hidden Service or one that index radical news sites.

VPNs

 

VPNs are paid or free services that allow you to route your traffic through their network. They offer high speeds, encrypted links, and web browsing that doesn't let the website you're visiting know who you are. For those who can't handle the speed of networks like Tor, this is a good middle ground. Many are hosted in countries with strong data protection laws and retain very little data on their users. The ones listed here have earned a reputation over time as being reliable and truly careful with their user data. That being said, recognize that you're trusting your privacy and anonymity to one party.

IPREDATOR- A paid VPN service started by the people who started The Pirate Bay. Based in Sweden with strong data protection laws, keeps minimal logs and information.

Relakks- A popular, cheap VPN service.

XeroBank- A popular, cheap VPN service.

Online Security

 

Mozilla Firefox - A popular web browser which is more secure and faster than Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, and most other browsers. Also supports add-ons.

HTTPS Everywhere - A Firefox add-on which automatically encrypts your connection to select sites that support HTTPS but do not enable it by default such as Google, Facebook, and more.

NoScript - A Firefox add-on which blocks javascript, java, activex, flash, and other active scripting languages which threaten online anonymity and computer security. Allows you to selectively enable certain sites.

We.riseup.net - A social networking site hosted by the Riseup tech collective. Unlike Facebook, it has connection encryption by default, encrypts your data when it stores it, comes pre-loaded with organizing tools, doesn't keep logs, and actively works to prevent law enforcement agencies from requesting data to profile activists.

Thunderbird - A mail client developed by the same people who make Firefox. More secure than Outlook, Outlook Express, or Apple Mail. Easy to set-up.

Enigmail - A Thunderbird add-on which, when coupled with GNUPG, allows you to send and receive encrypted emails. GNUPG is available for Windows and comes installed by default with most Linux distributions.

Panopticlick- How much does your browser reveal about you? How unique is your fingerprint? Find out and anonymously contribute data to the EFF and researchers who need this data.

Computer Security

 

Ubuntu- A Linux distribution which is easy for newbies to use and set-up. Faster and more secure than Windows or OS X (even with its default settings).

Eraser- A free tool for Windows to securely delete files. For Linux, get wipe or srm from your repository.

Hosting-Related Services

 

Riseup.net- A tech collective based out of the US which provides donation-based secure email, web hosting, mailing lists, and other services for activists. A long-running service which has garnered a large amount of respect from the activist communnity. Their email services support STARTTLS (for encrypting emails in transport). They make a policy of not keeping logs, encrypting user data, and generally protecting your privacy as much as people.

Aktivix- A tech collective which offers donation-based mail and mailing list hosting.

Gandi.net A company offerring DNS services, domain registration, and hosting. Has a good privacy policy and is used by several Indymedia sites due to their focus on privacy.

PRQ- A Swedish-based hosting company that provides "bullet-proof" hosting. Used by organizations like Wikileaks to keep their servers online. The Pirate Bay used to be hosted out of here.

NearlyFreeSpeech.Net- A US-based company offering domain registration and hosting featuring a "pay for what you use" model. They have a stong privacy policy and have known to defend it. Can be extremely cheap for hosting both large and small sites.

Encryption Tools:

 

Truecrypt - Creates encrypted containers (which operate just like a folder) and full-disk encryption (currently Windows only), plausible deniability (no way to prove a file or disk is encrypted), and is rubber-hose cryptanalysis resistant with "hidden volumes" feature.

Off-The-Record Messaging- A plugin for the Pidgin chat client which offers authenticated, encrypted IM conversations with perfect forward secrecy. Works on Windows, Linux and Mac.

Resources and Texts

Electronic Security

 

Riseup Zine- A practical zine by the Riseup Collective about digital security. Available in print and online reading PDFs. LaTex source file also available.

Radical Tech Collective- A group which has published a number of zines on computer security, PGP, free software and Linux. Meant for more experienced computer users.

Anonymity with Wireless Networking- An article in HTZ #6 which provides a good overview of how to use wireless networks anonymously. It explains what IP and MAC addresses are and how to change them.

Security Culture and General Security

 

ActivistSecurity.org- Provides a great manual on practical security for activists.

Security Culture: Hackers Living in an Age of FBI Repression- An Article in HTZ #2. Information about security culture especially as it pertains to hackers.

Legal

If An Agent Knocks- An extremely handy pamphlet from the Center for Constitutional Rights detailing what happens when you are approached by federal law enforcement. Information on your rights, what they are allowed to do, what their tools are, and how to exercise your rights are included.

Communications

 

Questions- A short list of questions to ask your collective and yourself if you plan on running a communications system during times of crisis.

Communications Systems and Technology - An article written in HTZ #6 which gives a good overview of how communications systems worked, examples of their possbile applications, and examples of their historical uses.

Communication and Info Gathering at a Protest- What it sounds like

Can't Stop the Signal: Creating a Radical Communications Network for Street Actions- An article in HTZ #9 detailing ideas for communications systems on a large scale.

Intelligence

 

Cryptome- Site publishing leaks and obscure documents mainly pertaining to civil liberties, the military-industrial complex, and the spook world. Perhaps the longest-running site of its kind.

Wikileaks- A site publishing leaks which detail misconduct by government officials, companies, executives, NGOs, and everything in-between. Produced more leaked documents in its first two years than the world's press combined. If the site is offline, try the Tor Hidden Service.

Public Intelligence - A site publishing leaks, interal documents, and news mainly pertaining to the government, privacy, and the financial world.

Privacy

HOPE Number Six: Privacy is Dead - A talk given by nationally-renowned private investigator Steve Rambam illustrating how one's privacy has completely disappeared. Provides good concrete examples and is enough to make anybody pay attention. He gives this talk at HOPE every other year so there's many other (more updated) ones but this is the only one which we could legally link to.

Hacktivist Theory

 

Beyond Physical Borders: Hacking and Activism on the Net- A discussion on the origins of hacktivism, examples of its use, and thoughts on debates within hacktivist circle. In HTZ #2

Zen and the Art of Non-Disclosure- An article discussing the problems with the "full disclosure" philosophy featured in HTZ #4.

How to make friends with volcanoes: Anarchy, Hacking, and Mental Health- Issue 10.5 of HackThisZine dedicated to hacktivist theory.

A Proposal for Social Change Within the Hacking Movement- An Article addressing snitching in the Hacking community in issue 9 of HTZ.

Operation Payback Analysis- An article appearing in HackThisZine #11 analyzing Operation Payback, an effort of anonymous, a notorious hacktivist group which defends freedom on the internet through direct action.

Hacking Sites

 

HackThisSite- The "hacktivist training ground". Used to publish HackThisZine and has a number of realistic wargames for you to hone your hacking skills. They also have forums, an IRC channel, and much more. Learn more about hacking!

HackerGames.net- A list of sites offering hacking wargames, which are places where you can hone your hacking skills through a series of challenges and tests.

Binary Revolution- A hacking site with forums, IRC, and links to many other similar sites. This is a white hat site that is generally not supportive of hacktivists. Nonetheless, this is a good resource which can lead you down many interesting roads.

IRC

Note: There are so many IRC servers out there that we couldn't possible list them all here. We're only listing those which have hacktivist/activist/radical roots. IRC is a chat protocol that alllows people to connect, start chat rooms, and talk. Be sure to use IRC networks that support SSL and have good privacy policies.

 

AnarchistNews.org IRC At irc.anarchyplanet.org:6697SSL required. Webchat available here but the best method is to connect using an IRC client. Directions for this server here.

Indymedia.org IRC @ irc.indymedia.org 6667. SSL required, webchat available at https://chat.indymedia.org/. Instructions here and here. Requires the CAcert certificiate to validate correctly.

Wikileaks IRC @ chat.wikileaks.org- Wikileaks IRC server, requires SSL. This server is often down due to attacks against wikileaks.

Hacking Publications

2600 Magazine- A hacking magazine with a slightly libertarian (as in American Libertarianism, not traditional libertarianism) bent. Publishing since 1984. Puts on the HOPE (Hackers on Planet Earth) conference every other year in New York.

Non-Computer Hacking

Hacking Freight Trains- A guide to finding, riding, and hacking freight trains featured in HTZ #5.