Stay Paranoid with Paranoid Linux

[MikioZen]

I came across this Linux OS Project when reading a very good book called "little brother" by Cory Doctrow

Paranoid Linux is an operating system that assumes that its operator is under assault from the government (it was intended for use by Chinese and Syrian dissidents), and it does everything it can to keep your communications and documents a secret. It even throws up a bunch of "chaff" communications that are supposed to disguise the fact that you're doing anything covert. So while you're receiving a political message one character at a time, ParanoidLinux is pretending to surf the Web and fill in questionnaires and flirt in chat-rooms. Meanwhile, one in every five hundred characters you receive is your real message, a needle buried in a huge haystack.
~Cory Doctorow (Little Brother, 2008)

Located at ParanoidLinux[dot]org inspired by the book people have been working on making this operating system a reality. The concept is very interesting, making everything that goes in and out of the box completely anonymous. The will be utilizing encryption, TOR and other tool and technology to achieve this. Anyone interested in this idea and concept i do encourage to support and share knowledge. The applications of this are pretty interesting although i have no intentions of being under assault by my government but for security in networks and operating system of companies that have sensitive data. Or even military applications will benefit from technology that can grow from this.

[Cider]

Heh, sounds very interesting.

[chaosclown]

Linux for the rest of us

[nihil]

Well, it hasn't even made alpha yet, so there is a long way to go.

The concept is very interesting, making everything that goes in and out of the box completely anonymous.

There is no such thing on the internet. In fact, I would argue that this is a very bad concept, particularly if you live under an oppressive regime. Perhaps you would be better off with a banner and flashing neon lights "political dissident lives here, please arrest me"

Oppressive regimes are not noted for justice, democracy or acceptable due process of law. Unfortunately, by standing out from the crowd you will only draw attention to yourself

[brokencrow]

There's been similar linux distros, all on live CD's. Kaos.Theory did one called Anonym.OS. It svcked, basically. ELE was much better, but slowed due to the proxying.

This is interesting. There's a Knoppix "Privacy Edition". Could be fun to play with.

http://www.bouissou.net/knoppix-mib/...oppix-Mib.html

HTH.

[nihil]

Hi BC, and seasonal greetings.

I think that we still have the issue of "being different"........... like your ISP can monitor what you are doing, so you stand out from the herd?

Particularly in a repressive regime

[brokencrow]

Hi BC, and seasonal greetings.

I think that we still have the issue of "being different"........... like your ISP can monitor what you are doing, so you stand out from the herd?

Particularly in a repressive regime

Merry Christmas, Nihil (is that still politically correct to say?)

I think in many parts of the world, having one's own internet connection is still a bit of a luxury. I know internet cafes are popular and widespread in China, for instance. And also regulated and monitored. But it's probably no problem to walk into some of them, reboot a computer with a live CD or flip open a small laptop and swap network cables, and go. And then you got the lead time from when someone at the ISP or in law enforcement parses a log , and when "the man" shows up at the door. Law enforcement all over the world has problems keeping up with the volume of users and data they have to sift. I was struck by a stat I saw several years ago that 40% of some porn sites' traffic came from Arab countries, which are of course very repressive in that respect.

If you really want anonymity on the internet, and it is certain possible as demonstrated by the incredible volume of unsolved crime going on, the key is OPN's (other people's networks). If I wanted to do something funky on the internet, I'd simply pull out one of several rings of keys I've got, and go to town. Or barring that, do some wardriving and find a nice comfy parking spot to do the deed, whatever it may be. Just as computer security begins on the physical side, so does anonymity. IMHO.

[MikioZen]

Well in the book they use a TOR like concept to gain anonymity you are sending encrypted data over a network of paranoid linux and tor users i assume this is what the OS will do

[nihil]

Yes,

1. Most books are 5 years out of date when published.
2. You will still stand out like a sore thumb when you start doing things different.

Does the word "torture" mean anything to you?

Trust me, my friend, I can do things with a field telephone generator set that will have your eyeballs standing out on their stalks.

This is what really p1$$es me off about bleeding heart, liberal, do-gooders....... they really don't understand what actual damage their stupid advice can do...... to real people.

I sometimes wonder why the World is full of refugees and asylum seekers?

[brokencrow]

This is what really p1$$es me off about bleeding heart, liberal, do-gooders....... they really don't understand what actual damage their stupid advice can do...... to real people.

I sometimes wonder why the World is full of refugees and asylum seekers?

This is probably out-of-scope, but it's not bleeding-heart, liberal do-gooders
bombing mosques in Karbala or firing missiles across the Gaza border (either
way!). It ain't the liberals burning villages in Darfur or refining weapons-grade
uranium in Iran. It's not the liberals shooting missiles into Pakistan from
Afghanistan or denying humanitarian aid to cyclone victims in the Irrawaddy
delta.

The world is full of refugees and asylum seekers because of our inhumanity,
individually AND collectively. The real problem with liberal do-gooders is,
for the most part, they are what we call "armchair quarterbacks" here in
the States.