Kasey said:
@Valentine
Great resources! Bookmarked, thanks!
No problem.
If you want to learn more about networking and security quickly, I suggest setting up a homelab (check out /r/homelab), which is basically a server rack.
Create a virtualization server, pick a hypervisor (I recommend Proxmox), then load up several VMs to create a virtual network. You can mess around with it and simulate many computers on a network without needing all those physical machines.
You might be surprised by how inexpensive you can go if you look for bargains, and how much you will learn fast, especially if you enjoy it.
To put it simply, set up one physical computer to run as if it’s ten ‘virtual’ computers with software.
Then, you can add operating systems to these virtual machines and connect them as if they were linked by real cables. This way, you can experiment with networking settings without worrying about messing up your actual computer, as you can just delete those virtual machines and create new ones.
It’s a great way to learn because you can try different things without fear of problems.
@Valentine
This gives you the advantage of being able to quickly set up new machines without wasting time on OS installations.
Privacy is almost gone.
Even with a VPN, most folks are still in trouble.
A different IP doesn’t really help if it’s your only way to avoid tracking.
Everything today is built to collect data and target people practically.
A simple method for privacy is downloading a Tails live USB.
Otherwise, you’ll need to learn more.
Check out the sidebar, you’ll see all those forums? Start visiting those and read every resource linked there, you’ll learn eventually if you already have some tech skills.
You don’t need to drop off the radar completely, just be careful about what information you share and with whom. My ISP knows my home address and name, but I’m okay with that because I use their service and they need to know who I am.
I use a VPN too because I don’t want them tracking my browsing history. I trust the VPN company to erase their logs like they say they do. So I’m just shifting trust from my ISP to the VPN, but the data will leak unless I use a VPN, Tor, Tails, hide in the woods, or avoid using the internet altogether.
You can stop Facebook, Google, and similar companies from tracking you by removing their trackers from every site (those share buttons). You can do this with extensions in Firefox/Chrome (but Chrome isn’t very private). With some effort, you can set these up pretty easily.
@Valentine
Those share buttons can be removed with ad blockers, is that enough?
Reign said:
@Valentine
Those share buttons can be removed with ad blockers, is that enough?
I’m not sure how every single extension blocks ads, but something like uBlock Origin should work fine.
@Valentine
Okay, cool, I use that.
You can improve your security and privacy step by step, finding the balance that suits you. Not everyone needs to be on Tor, use burner phones, or fake IDs, etc.
Here’s my take on different levels of security and privacy: Computer Security and Privacy
And think about the threats you might face: Computer Security and Privacy
Setting up your own VPN is easier than you think. Don’t sell yourself short before trying. This script can help you get it going on a Raspberry Pi, but it will also work on an Ubuntu VPS like a free AWS micro instance or another budget option.
Getting a software-based VPN matters more than worrying about your router. Once your machine is behind a VPN, it doesn’t matter if your router is compromised in terms of privacy. The main purpose of using a VPN is to ensure that no router along your connection path can look into your traffic, including the one in your home.
Having more control over your router through custom firmware is nice, but it’s not really needed for average privacy use. Don’t worry too much about it.
You are right about that… I’ve been learning new things every day for three years now.