Proxy Recommendations

A friend once recommended I use a proxy to avoid spying eyes. What do you recommend?

Jerry

 

Need lots more information
- how do you connect to the internet
- what specific sort of spying are you trying to avoid
- are you trying to protect the crown jewels or just trying to block the occasional random snoop

Results from a Google Search for Defineroxy Server

 

Thanks for replying, Newt. I use a dial up ISP and I guess my interest in a Proxy Server is to hide my identity from those who want to snoop on where I am going on the web. I feel paranoid about hackers and even our government seeing my bank sites as well as my health sites. It is almost at the point where it controls what I do.

Jerry

 

The truth is that most of these proxies really do very little to ensure your privacy or anonymity.

When you want to see a web page, you send a request to your ISP which looks up the IP of the domain on their DNS (Domain Name Server) and sends the request on to that IP . The web site host then sends the packets of information to the IP specified in the request which means that first it goes to your ISP and then to you (although it may hop around the internet to get there).

When you use a proxy, instead of sending the request to your ISP, you tell your ISP to forward it to another ISP (the proxy) which then looks up the information, puts in their IP and sends on the request , and when it is sent back to them , they send it on to you.

Now here is where the problems arise. Most people automatically assume that this proxy redirection applies to all traffic. In reallity, most proxies and most programs only apply to port 80 HTTP traffic. Thus any traffic which does not use port 80, winds up seeing your true IP .
So , your Email, IM, P2P traffic etc are not going to be masked by most proxies.

The other thing is that it is very easy for a web master to include a flash , or javascript call in the web page where instead of sending the data with the rest of the page, they send a line of code saying to send out a request on a different port to get the ad or animation etc which is requested. Then they know your real IP regardless. In fact, they can do this with something as innocuous as a webbug , an invisible, one x one pixel gif with a unique identifier code.

http://www.bugnosis.org/

Note how here this proxy specifically tells you you have to disable java
http://www.amplusnet.com/products/invisiblebrowsing/support/Index.htm
Although that makes it so that those who use a java app and only that to see past proxies will not be able to; it makes it so you loose a lot of features. It also does not protect you if they put in a windows media player call, gif , flash object call, or any of a huge number of other methods.

For those who have sites and want to see the real IP of those who visit and use proxies
http://reglos.de/myaddress/MyAddress.html
Is an example.
Note that it can even show the internal IP , inside a routed network, but it can be configured easily to show the IP your ISP assigned.

 

Wow!!!

I guess I understood most of what you said, Coach, but what I got out of it is forget trying to find some privacy on here. Oh, well, that's OK I guess. Maybe if someone wants to check my teeth and do a colonoscopy while I surf, they should feel free to do so.

But I really do appreciate your taking the time to inform me of all of this. I'll copy it for my friend.

Thanks.

Jerry

 

Proxy

Yep, I understand this concept on passwords and partially adhere to it. I don't make 'em so hard I can't remember them, but I make my passwords complicated.

Jerry

 

Keepass

Is a great, secure and safe password manager.
It not only manages passwords, but can generate them.
It can store its master password as an encrypted file on a thumb drive or cdr , or you can assign one of your choice to it.
You can store the database on your computer or on other media. Back it up to cdr or jump drive etc.

Another great alternative is the
Microsoft Fingerprint reader

It really is up to you which level of security and convenience you want.

As you can see, I use a random password generator to create usernames as well as passwords.


As for a proxy being able to hide you if you are doing somethign illegal like sharing child ****, no it will not.
The Federal government is quite capable and knowledgeable in this area.
However if you are just an average citizen, do not worry about them monitoring your internet activity. The Feds and Bill Gates could really care less. If they wanted your bank records, the Feds would just subpoena them. If they suspect you of something illegal, they contact your ISP and without telling them whom they are monitoring, they install a "black box" which monitors all your incoming and outgoing traffic and forwards a duplicate of each packet to a monitoring and recording location. Since proxy traffic still goes first through your ISP , they still get it.

As for hackers, they are more likely to target corporations; and most are more adept at social engineering than at actual hacking. They get you to install key loggers, and trojans and spyware when you visit web sites, they do not sit there for hours trying to type out possible passwords to get on your computer.

 

Proxy

You guys are a great help. And also very scary for an old man of limited experience. I think I'll just stick to my regular settings and keep my illegal activities under control.

But the idea of what I do online being monitored kinda turns me off to the whole idea. Thanks folks for all your help. Let's wrap this up.

Jerry

 

Jerry - the reality is that for people living in most major countries in the world, privacy of the sort we expected when I was a youngster (I'm 60) doesn't exist. You can stay below the radar to some extent if you don't use a PC with internet connections, don't have credit cards, don't drive an automobile, etc.

For the rest of us, this 'information age' has done away with much of the personal privacy we took for granted. I take precautions to prevent easy intrusion by amateurs and just accept the fact that if a pro wants in I can't stop it so I just don't worry about it.

 

Well said.