Safe Internet. Anonymous Surfing and Privacy

SETTINGS/CONFIGURATION BROWSERS:

A browser is the program you use to go to the Internet. It is your personal
identification.
The traces you leave on the Internet mainly depend on the configuations of your
browser. These configurations also influence the amount of tracks that stay on your
computer.
When I say that the standard-configurations of your browser cause a total lack of
Safety and Privacy, I am not shitting you. And when you're even slightly concerned
about these matters, drastic measures are to be taken.

In my opinion Internet Explorer is a very pleasant browser to work with, but when it comes
down to safety Netscape and Opera are known to be the better browsers.
Opera cannot open all sites, but when it's necessary to be ensured of a higher degree of
safety or anonymity, I advise you to download Opera next to your standard-browser.
Netscape cán open all sites like Internet Explorer but has much less security-holes than
Internet Explorer.

Settings Internet Explorer

+To install Internet Explorer

Settings Netscape
Settings Opera

CONFIGURATION MEDIA PLAYERS:

I'd have to dissapoint you if you think you're done now that you've configured your
browser.
Almost all computers run programs that were programmed to go to the Internet from time
to time to inform Internet-sites about the things you thought you were doing in the
privacy or your room.
The standardsettings of your MediaPlayer for example enable sites to track your
surfing-behaviour. And make sure data concerning music or movies you play is sent
to the manufacturers. What is done with this information is not told.
When it comes to MediaPlayers it is surely recommended to change the standard-configurations
or to totally deny Internet-access. This can only be done by using a firewall.
Settings media players

CONFIGURATION FIREWALL (ZONEALARM):

I definetely recommend installing a firewall on your computer. This doesn't only prevent
unwanted programs from accessing the Net, but also helps preventing the usage of your computer
by third parties.
A firewall makes sure you control the computer from now on.
Installing +configuring of Zonealarm

CLEANING OF INTERNET- AND USERTRACKS FROM YOUR COMPUTER:

To those who are not charmed by the overdose of tracks that stay on your computer after
an evening of surfing, I'd like to recommend a few free programs.
They do not only delete the familiar internettraces, but also the Index.dat files,
spyware, adware and various keyloggers.
Even if you don't mind surfing-tracks to stay on your computer, they can use up
a lot of space.
Another option it to manually clean up your computer, but this can take up to 15 minutes
íf you succeed in locating the most folders containing tracks as I did.
But these programs only take a few mouse-clicks.
Cleaning of surfing- and userdata

Another thing to take into account here is the fact that when you delete a file, its entire
contents is left on your disk, until the space it occupied happens to be overwritten by a
subsequent file. In the mean time, the data can be recovered with forensic techniques. If this
freaks you out you can consider using a file wiping program.
File Wiping/ Free space wipe

If you share a homecomputer with others, or when you're just handling sensitive information,
you might not want others to be able to access this information. To make information
inaccessible to others there are programs which encrypt a given part of your hard drive.
2 free programs are:
-E4m (For Windows 95, 98, Me NT, 2000) Creates an encrypted folder of up to 2 GB.
Direct download
-ScramDisk (For Windows 95, 98, Me)
Direct download
Both programs are Open Source. This means that everyone with the right knowledge can check
this program for unintentional or intentional holes in the program. So the possibility for
there to be a hidden back door in the program is practically 0.
You create a folder of which the total contents is encrypted. This folder is then only
accessible with a password. You can use this folder just like a nonencrypted folder.
Working with E4m

FREE VIRUSSCANNER

I don't think I have to explain the need for a good virusscanner. I've searched the internet
for some very good and free virusscanners. And have also found some free online-virusscanners
in which case you don't have to download any software.
Free virusscanners

ANONYMOUS SURFING. INTERNET AND ANONYMITY

You're probably satisfied that you've secured you're computer better and are ensured of a higher
degree of privacy. But maybe you belong to those people who'd also like to surf anonymously.
I will explain to you:
1)What Internet-sites know about you when you visit them.
2)How to make sure these sites can no longer see this data about you.

This can be done by using a PROXY, this is a computer which stands between you and the site you want to
visit so that no longer information about you, but information about the proxy is visible to the site
you're visiting.
I'll explain to you where to find a proxy. How to use a proxy. And how to test a proxy.
For those amongst you who find it to complicated to work with Ip-addresses I've found a reasonable
amount of webproxies. These are Internet-sites which stand between you and the site you want to visit, and
therefore filter the data about you for the site you're realy visiting. I've checked all these webproxies
for their Privacy Policy and then positioned them in an order in which they seemed reliable and safe to me.
This is a personal opinion and should and c´n be checked by yourself.
In addition I'll explain to you how to gain an even higher degree of anonymity by using multiple proxies.
And which measures you can take to even be more anonymous to your InternetProvider.

Anonymous surfing. Internet and anonymity:

Proxyservers/ general information

Finding a proxy (=IP-address) in 3 steps:

1)Finding your own IP-address
2)Finding the right proxy
3)Testing your proxy by visiting a testpage
Free online proxies/webproxies
Wingates
Chaining proxies (using multiple proxies)

Anonymous dialups

ANONYMOUS AND SAFE EMAILING + PGP

Because the well known Hotmail and Outlook are a big safety leak (They can
be easily read by third parties + a lot of viruses are spread by them) I'd like
to point out an alternative to you. A free email-provider which sents your messages
encrypted. Also attachments are not opened automaticaly and you won't recieve any
Spam.
Finally I'll tell you how to use PGP to encrypt messages (in a few simple steps).
With this I'll show you what to look out for before installing the program and I'll
give you some warnings for using pgp.

ANONYMOUS/SAFE EMAILING:

-Anonymous/ safe e-mailprovider
-Anonymous remailers (sending an email without data from sender)
-PGP (encrypting your email)


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