need some info about security

Hi there,

I hate asking questions. I've spent hours trying to learn about anonymous internet software. I'm in a state of limbo at the moment. I tried TOR/vidalia and then I read that through the nodes your info could leak. Not Good. So I deleted it. Proxies from what I've researched have a 50/50 fan base. Some live by them, some hate them and say they are not safe unless they are elite proxies. Right now I'm using hot spot shield. I also heard that this program is not secure either. So basically I just need to know from elite hackers. What do you do to cover your ass? so to speak. How many programs/software do you use to make yourself feel secure and not paranoid about your internet activity? Some good mac software would be helpful. So far everything I've looked inot has mixed opinions and using programs like that seems to risky. thanks to anyone who posts back

I'm just trying to get the right info. It's not about being paranoid. I'm not a black hat. I just would like to be covered, if I want to ever do any hacks outside of legal sites. It's more about cracking for me, not doing malicious things. just practicing hacking skills.

Yeah, I mean do you guys ever just hack a wireless or a website just to do it? just for kicks or do you feel even that is to risky?

I gotta hand it to you. That's pretty good. So you just invite them in. LoL. I like that. Do open coffee shop networks count for that? what if they use an ip blocker?

MoshBat wrote: Nope. I leave my network open, and watch who does what, but that's entirely their own fault…

Wait, you leave it open without dividing private/public? No firewall rules, no sandboxing principles applied?

This would be fucking, fucking stupid otherwise.

Ah. Otherwise.

Tor & Elite Proxies about as good as your gonna get. When running attacks(that you shouldn't be doing) that could bring upon serious legal charges & are high risk crackers will use multiple and spoofed proxies(to not look suspicious) and usually tunnel there attacks through a cracked server/box, this would make it VERY difficult to track. But just as a user of the internet? A proxy would do just fine, even transparent. Ask yourself, who really cares to have my info? Well, lets see, are you rich? Are you famous? Are you administrator or owner of a business? Have you pissed anybody known to have computer skills off lately? If there all no, then you probably have nothing to worry about…period. If you wanna feel more secure as i said a proxy will do fine.

I'm not sure how reliable it is but I know of HotSpot Shield (http://hotspotshield.com) Its an open, free VPN I believe it runs on the OpenVPN software. However, as I previously stated, Im not sure how reliable it is. I would check it out before using it. Also I read a review somewhere that said it leaks DNS' or something.

There are pleanty of free VPN's about though.

Anyways, I hope this helps.

thanks for the tips guys and gals