Re: Anonymize internet access

["Jeffrey F. Bloss" <jbloss () tampabay rr com>]

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On Thursday 22 September 2005 03:05 pm, Joshua Graham wrote:
> You might try checking out:
>
> http://www.findnot.com
>
> I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who has opinions
> about,
> or who has used, this company as well. Thanks!

There's some indication that they have made false claims in the past. A 
conversation in alt.privacy about a year ago  brought to light the fact that 
at least some of their servers were located in Texas (I believe), while they 
play on potential customers' fear of "Big Brother" by claiming they're an off 
shore entity.

The truth of the matter is that many/most of these "anonymity" providers 
operate under the false premise that you can't be traced through their 
service. In reality, they're a single point of contact that can be 
compromised as easily as local laws allow. Generally that's pretty easily. It 
varies from country to country.

Their anonymity and privacy also hinge on the assertion that they do not keep 
logs.  Any competent system administrator can tell you that maintaining a 
system for outside consumption is next to impossible without some level of 
logging. Also, most of these services use "rented" equipment. The machines 
that you connect to are not under their direct control, and they have no way 
of knowing one way or the other what's logged and what's not. In the case of 
servers located in more restrictive countries, it's almost a certain bet that 
much IS logged.

If you want casual anonymity, I suppose any of them are fine. but don't spend 
your hard earned money thinking that you're anything but superficially 
anonymous from the average net-loon. And most assuredly don't trust any of 
them with any mission critical, or even marginally illegal activity. To do so 
is pure folly.

- -- 
Hand crafted on September 26, 2005 at 12:48:58 -0400

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
                                  -Groucho Marx
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