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Security in an Unsafe World - "anonymity is a good thing!"

The internet has increased our ability to acquire and disseminate information. However, we must learn to harness that power in a way that keeps us safe from complications, legal or otherwise. The best way to do this is to remain anonymous. Why? Because if you don't exist, then you can't be tracked. And if you can't be tracked, then you can't be located. And if you can't be located, then you can't be punished. This article will tell you how to become and remain anonymous in Cyberspace.

Ground Zero - "you are erased"

We access the internet through networks, either dial-up or broadband (DSL or Cable). Broadband connections are much more convenient because they are much faster; however, since you remain connected non-stop, you are subject to greater danger. Either way, the place that you connect to the internet on the network is a location called your IP address. Under normal conditions, you can be tracked to your IP address in much the same way you can be tracked to your residential or work address. Therefore, the first step in becoming anonymous requires us to cloak the identity of our IP addresses. This can be handled on your end, and on the end of any site that you connect to (the site must disable IP address logging). Fortunately, AnabolicsInternational has disabled IP address logging. However, since we have very little control over the IP logging policies of the sites we visit, we must focus on strategies on our end. There are two methods for cloaking your IP address. First, you can connect to your network through a proxy server, preferably a multiproxy server. In essence, what this does is provide those attempting to track your IP address with a generic address (one of the proxy server's addresses) rather than your own. Second, if you have a broadband connection, you can install a router. Individuals tracking your IP address will not be able to track you to your IP address because they can only trace back to the router, which has an address non-specific to your location. The only downside to proxy servers, especially multipleproxies, is that they slow down your connection speed a great deal. As such, I recommend that you use a proxy that you can disable so that you can only enable it when you're visiting sensitive sites. An excellent, and FREE, multiproxy server can be found at: http://www.multiproxy.org/anon_list.htm The site contains detailed instructions on how to properly install the software. Just be sure not to forget that you have to manually add the proxy locations yourself. If you encounter any difficulties, don't hesitate to e-mail me. If you're willing to pay for multiproxy security, then you can join Anonymizer at: It's also available for trial use with advertisements. The big advantage is that it does not slow down your access to the internet.

I also strongly suggest that you add a quality firewall. A firewall will let you know when someone is trying to access one of the ports that bridges the connection between your computer and the network. This alerts you when someone is trying to trace you or hack you. My personal favorite firewall (it's also FREE for home users) is made by Sygate technology. The firewall is available for download at: http://www.sygate.com/free/spf_download.htm

Securing Communications

The World Wide Web allows us to communicate through e-mail. However, e-mails can be tampered with and hacked into. In fact, the current Supreme Court has proven to be willing to look the "other way" and allow law enforcement to trample our Rights. Please don't think this is not serious business. A pattern of collected e-mails can be used for grounds to obtain a search warrant or stage a sting operation. Moreover, programs like Carnivore which was developed by the FBI, make it very easy to access e-mails. Fortunately, we can fight back. First, we need to use a common, Secure mail server because the mails are only encrypted when exchanged among users of the same program. For purposes of practicality, I suggest that we all use Ziplip because, unlike Hushmail, Ziplip allows us to do the following: (1) use passwords to prevent prying eyes from opening e-mails even if they can crack the encryption, and (2) set a date for e-mails to automatically be erased so that no one can store them on their hard drives. Moreover, Sledge and Antares are confident that Ziplip is more secure than Hushmail. Just go to: http://www.ziplip.com and sign up for an account. Be sure not list your real information (use a fake location, zip code, time zone, etc.) and do not list a secondary e-mail address. When we all have ziplip accounts, then we can e-mail each other from our non-Ziplip accounts to establish meaningful passwords to use for our Ziplip messages. Also, be sure to change your password question and answer around frequently and among users to maximize security.

Another thing you can do is to use a remailer. This prevents recipients of your e-mails from being able to identify you in any way. The only downside is that its practicality is limited when you want the person to respond to you because you'll have to provide them with an actual return e-mail address. A high quality (and FREE) remailer can be found at: http://www.jerky.net/anon.html

Secure Exchanges

All things being equal, you are better off to make purchases from domestic sources because you won't have to worry about the products passing through Customs. In fact, if you use Priority Mail, then your mail cannot be tampered with or examined in any way without a search warrant. Therefore, require Sellers to ship your domestic packages through Priority Mail only. Never use FedEx or UPS, and always have the seller waive the signature requirement if you opt to use Express Mail.

That being said, products can be acquired from foreign sellers, often at great deals, if you are confident the package will successfully clear Customs. Here is my recommendation to Sellers (if your seller hasn't read this article, then suggest this to him). Have them take out the screws in a VHS tape and remove all contents from the inside. Then place your goods inside the tape wrapped in black construction paper (that has glue on the outside so that it doesn't rattle around inside the tape), and put the screws back in the tape. Then have them cover the see through parts of the tape with the labels that come with the tape, and write something like "here's the wrestling you like" or "here's the vacation video" on the label. Finally, put the tape back in the original cover. Be sure to affix the label alongside the back so that if Customs looks at it, they'll just think it's a tape. Make sure to send all money to them inside a cheap Birthday card (don't put any writing on it). This way, if the money was opened, it just seems like a gift (on this note, only deal in cash - Western Union, Paypal, etc. all leave electronically verifiable footprints). Have the supplier then ship the tape inside the special packaging sold for VHS tapes, and write "Gift" across the front of the package. As mentioned above, make sure the seller waives the signature requirement.

Also, don't pay for expedited delivery because this raises eyebrows at Customs. Moreover, don't have the goods sent to a P.O. Box. Nothing catches the attention of suspicious Custom's officers like a package headed for a U.S. Post Office Box. Therefore, use your real address but use a name of a woman (something common, like Judy or Tracy) with your last name. These last two bits of advice also keep you from being charged concurrently with the Federal crime of using the U.S. Mail to facilitate a crime, if you were to be caught. If you order from the same foreign source regularly, then you'll need to get a friend to let you use their address occasionally, because when several packages are directed to the same address from the same foreign address, Customs is more likely to log this as irregular behavior. If you can't get a friend to do this, then order from multiple foreign sources, and rotate orders among them. Wherever the packages are sent, immediately mark on the front of them in black marker "Wrong Address, Recipient Unknown, Return to Sender" and sit the package beside the front door. Don't consider opening the package for three days. If nothing suspicious has happened in that amount of time, then you're in the clear because minor sting operations don't have the funding to support longer investigations.

Closing Remarks

You have done the most important thing for assuring your safety - joining AnabolicsInternational. Our mods go through a very lengthy screening process to prevent the infiltration of Narcs. Moreover, Bobby has disabled IP logging and is perfecting renewal software that will allow him to keep your site identity distinct from your real identity. Furthermore, if you stick to the endorsed sources, you know you're in good hands. Be sure to follow the advice in this article and don't post anything potentially incriminating on the site (discussions of how to acquire gear or recommendations for particular sellers). Handle these matters off the site. If you aren't sure whether something should be posted, then e-mail a mod to find out. Finally, like most things in life, if something seems fishy or too good to be true, then it probably is. If you want to remain anonymous, you should probably avoid it!

I will leave you with one last bit of advice. You should download a file shredding program that makes it impossible for law enforcement to retrieve sensitive data that you merely deleted from your hard drive. The best program is EvidenceEliminator but it is quite expensive. Therefore, I recommend a high quality (and FREE) alternative called Clean Disk Security that can be downloaded at: http://www.theabsolute.net/sware/index.html Be sure to check all boxes except for "Clean File Slack Space" and select the NIS (7 passes) method because this will clear material to the standards acceptable by the U.S. Department of Defense for confidential U.S. documents. Please don't hesitate to contact me if I can shed light on this or any other matters for you. Dogpound@AnabolicsInternational.com