Privacy Resources

We offer the links below to give our readers access to free ( or very cheap ) software programs useful for enhancing your security.

• Hard drive partition program.
• TrueCrypt to encrypt hard drives and files on your computer.  
  (Read info first. The very final release [7.2] will only open but not encrypt files. download only 7.1 ver.)
• TOR anonymous  browser
• Malware Bytes
• Avast Anti Virus
• Spybot Search & Destroy
• CCleaner ( This program will allow you to securely wipe out files and empty disk space )
• Eraser
• Backup Software
• Free Online Backup ( Larger space for a fee )(Be sure to encrypt the files you back up for added security )
• Whole Disk Encryption ( Wiki read. how you do this will depend on your operating system )
• Shell Bag Cleaner.  Cleans registry of list of recently accessed files. ( this would include any key file you accessed to unlock encrypted data )

Be sure to install protection software like anti virus and malware scanners ASAP and scan your entire drive. Often malware, once you are infected, will make it nearly impossible to download and install these programs later. Be Prepared.

Information and services online.

• Proxy Server List
• Send anonymous email online
• Secure Cloud  &  Resilio  & Spideroak
  Never use DropBox or Google Docs unless you do two things;
  1) put files in password protected ZIP and
  2) add those to an encrypted folder and never store your key file there.
• Journalists protect your sources
• Is your network vulnerable? [TEST] Hint: If you have a VPN try this test with and without VPN active. With VPN the test will probe the VPN server, not your network ! Cool!
• File Sharing Hosts. There are a number of free anonymous file sharing hosts. You can upload (use VPN with TOR) to use as a drop box for known recipients. There is no public list of files so you must transmit the download url and password to your audience. Do not rely for long term storrage of data but use short term or to transmit files to others. Always use a secure means to send the download information. Just search for "anonymous file sharing".

Browsing Security.

Is your DNS leaking? [TEST]  Even if you use a VPN your DNS server may still point right back to your real ISP.

( Simple batch file to clear your DNS.  Open new text file name it flushdns. In that add this:

ipconfig /flushdns
pause

Save it then rename it  flushdns.bat. Double click and your DNS cache will be wiped clean. We add the pause line so the window will remain open where you can read that the operation was successful. Just tap enter and it will close.
 

Plugins to consider: (links for Firefox, may be available for other browsers as well)

HTTPS everywhere.

NoScript, selectivly block javascript

Block Google Analytics

Open in TOR

Tutorial: Browser cleansing

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For your Smartphone.

Signal. Get it in your APP (Android and Apple and Chrome) store. Encrypted messaging app.
Both ends must install for it to work.

For the truly paranoid get a black phone !