What to expect for privacy

fx9

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I just set up a Dell 7472 with Mint. I'm impressed, it's speedy. I think I am going to get WAY more out of this than any OS ever before, so it is not ALL about privacy anymore. I'm a little daunted by what it takes to install Librewolf, but I am literally into day 3 of my linux experience. I have some sitting down time coming to wrap my head around that one.

But anyway. I got sick of Microsoft a couple years back, gave a Chromebook a try. I probably don't need to explain why I am interested in setting things up with privacy in mind. I don't wanna go crazy, I just don't want everything I write, do, and think being tracked and logged. It's principal, not paranoia.

I was planning to use Linux for daily use, and my CB for purchases, bill payments, and anything that is directly linked to me. Is it necessary to be that tight?

I am still trying to figure out what privacy options are out there. Nothing I do is close to illegal, I don't need a self distructing OS, or anything like that. I just don't know the capabilities or limitations of setting up a secure system, getting a secure email, VPN, browsing with librefox, etc. If I access my company website, banking, forum accounts, and media accounts linked to old emails or credit cards is anything I do security wise pointless?
 


I use Nextdns to block most tracking and ads. I set it up on my router and on my Android phone I set it up using the PrivateDNS setting.
I also use Protonvpn on all my devices. With Securecore and Netshield.
I use Chromium for sites that I visit regularly like forums.
I use Firefox for secure sites like banking.
For the odd website or link I use LibreWolf.
I might use Tor Browser a couple of times a year.

Use a firewall.
Use a password manager and secure passwords.
Use Ublock Origin on any web browser.
Keep your OS updated.

No need to be paranoid.
 
In regards to this thread and your other one, its strange how you and I think so much alike :p

Which VPN you choose depends on your preferences and needs, as well as what you can afford. Complete a web search for a list of VPN services which explains the pros, cons, and price points of each one, and go with one that sounds like the best deal to you. When using a search engine, I'd recommend Qwant, Startpage, or Searx (they're all listed in LibreWolf when choosing default search engines).

When it comes to getting a secure email, I personally use ProtonMail. The free version gives you 500 MB of storage but very few features, while the paid versions give you more storage and features. Best of all, they don't data-mine you, nor do they even have access to your emails. There's similar email services as well, so if check out alternativeto.net for those if you want. You could also download and use ClawsMail or other email clients from the software manager, but you'd have to set up your own server for that (which shouldn't be too hard if you know how to do it).

Like @craigevil said, Ublock Origin is good to use on all browsers, but be aware that not all browsers are compatible with it (such as the Beaker Browser). If one browser isn't compatible with it, use his recommendation for NextDNS.

For phone use, I'd recommend jailbreaking it if you have an iPhone, or rooting it if you have an Android, and putting a mobile Linux distro on there. Here's a list of alternatives to Android https://alternativeto.net/software/android/ and here's a list of alternatives to iOS (many of which are the same to the Android list) https://alternativeto.net/software/ios/.

You can also use alternativeto.net if you want to look up the best alternatives to proprietary software

I'd also recommend using Jami as an alternative to Skype or Zoom. I've been using it since the economic shutdown started, and the only problem I've noticed is trying to get it to work after linking your account to multiple devices. I don't know why it craps out when doing that, but hopefully there's a patch for that by now. You can also find someone on here who can help you with that if you encounter any problems with it.

Those are my suggestions on what you can use to keep your privacy better protected
 
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Or, you could just be among the other 200 odd million + people who used Firefox browser.

Read some stats.....here

I would be more than wary of using that chromebook for sensitive material
chrome browser is the most widely used, therefore it is the most attacked. ChromeBook is based on the chrome browser.

The greatest deterrent/safety net you can have, to safeguard your privacy....is You.

It is called safe browsing.

Use a good password manager. (I use bitwarden....with a great deal of common sense thrown in.

Dont visit dubious sites

Dont click on something when you do not know what the outcome will be

It doesnt matter three flying f's what browser you use......if you are going to click on crap links etc etc etc etc.....you WILL be a victim.


Simple stuff.....use a PHRASE...a group of words that mean something to you, to make a password for your banking. I was just three years old when I shot my first duck......take the first letter of each word, and mix the phrase up.....@3YOIsm1stQ (at3yrsoldIshotmy firstQuack)
Run that password through a 'tester' to see if it has ever been hacked etc and I can tell you the answer...NO.

I use passwords such as these for my banking etc They do not appear in my password manager.

Linux itself is very secure. Note that the default browser in Linux is Firefox. (despite the rumour mill)

In my banking and purchases, I use an ordinary email account (gmail....routed through Thunderbird Mail), and I pay for everything via Paypal.
Due to the fact that I practise common sense I have not been "side swiped" yet

The only time I have been side swiped was at a kebab shop. The guy took my card to swipe it through the eftpos machine (that was the first red flag)....he then apoligised becasue his hands was greasy, so his hand went below the counter as he "wiped the card and his hand on his apron"(that was the second reed flag)....he then swiped/tapped the card, and we departed.
As soon as I got home I contacted my bank and they put a stop on the 5, 50 and 60 dollar purchases which had been run up on the a/c since my leaving the kebab shop.

I digress!

Go with the browser you feel comfortable with. When the browser or app is giving you a hard time installing it or whatever, I usually regard that as a sign it is not meant for me.

The process for you is supposed to be relatively easy, educational, a step up in the computing world (not a step down), and above all enjoyable!

I use firefox, I keep it always updated (Linux will tell you when updates are available), I have a small number of add ons....
The choice was not smash and grab....they have been carefully chosen over time.

add ons.png


There you go!

Food for thought!

Edit t Add: The greatest "sucker upper" of information in this world....is Google
This is why my search engine is set to use DuckDuckGo.
The searches are every bit as accurate and just as quick.
 
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For the time being, uMatrix, formerly µMatrix, still works - including a fork for Pale Moon. Ray Hill (author of uBlock Origin) is also the author of uMatrix. Sadly, he ceased development. There are a couple of forks, but they're either for Pale Moon or Firefox. (That I know of.)

But, for the time being, it still works just fine with the major browsers.

If you want the best browser security, it is the tool I'd suggest. It's got one heck of a learning curve - unless you already know how the web works. It's basically an old-school firewall but it's for the browser.

It will break sites and you will need to figure out the balance you want for site functionality. It will take you hours to figure it out when you're first using it. You will need to configure it for the sites you use most. But, once you've configured it (and backed it up) you'll be more or less done configuring it until the site changes their underlying code.

Seriously... uMatrix. It still works just fine.

Again, the learning curve is pretty steep if you're not sure how the web works.
 
Hey, Sorry for not responding. I was on the road, I thought I would have more time to respond.

Bob, I appreciate your responses. I agree, we are definitely on the same page. You keep answering questions I haven't even asked, yet. I am definitely into degoogling my phone. I have been researching that over the last couple weeks, too. I appreciate you including that with everything else.

Just to clarify for condobloke. I am not worried about getting compromised. My frustration stems from the complete disregard of privacy from all the big players, but especially Chromebook. You can't even write yourself a memo without it getting stored in the cloud before you are finished writing it. Nothing is stored on the Hdd without forcing it, and only after it has been stored in the cloud. Every aspect of your browsing, writing, email, audio, camera... I believe it's literally every keystroke, is available to Google.

Nothing I do will send me to jail, or risk my general security, etc. But I am tired of it. I have a right to my privacy and not having my actions sold for marketing or added to behavioural analytics. Personal information is more valuable than oil, silver, gold, you name it. It is the most expensive commodity on the planet right now, and I want to stop handing it over for free.

I should have been a little more clear. I appreciate the recomendations, it is the next step I need to consider, but I was more trying to understand the level of privacy/anonymity I can expect and what I should be aiming to set up.

Can I expect to set this up with a VPN, secure browsers, email, etc. and be able to access my bank accounts, and personal info and keep it all private, not have any of the activity linked or tracked?

Is there any logic to keeping the chromebook for purchases, banking etc. and keeping the linux set up removed from my personal info, or should I be aiming to make linux so secure that everything is in one place, private and secure?
 
Hey, Sorry for not responding. I was on the road, I thought I would have more time to respond.

Bob, I appreciate your responses. I agree, we are definitely on the same page. You keep answering questions I haven't even asked, yet. I am definitely into degoogling my phone. I have been researching that over the last couple weeks, too. I appreciate you including that with everything else.

Just to clarify for condobloke. I am not worried about getting compromised. My frustration stems from the complete disregard of privacy from all the big players, but especially Chromebook. You can't even write yourself a memo without it getting stored in the cloud before you are finished writing it. Nothing is stored on the Hdd without forcing it, and only after it has been stored in the cloud. Every aspect of your browsing, writing, email, audio, camera... I believe it's literally every keystroke, is available to Google.

Nothing I do will send me to jail, or risk my general security, etc. But I am tired of it. I have a right to my privacy and not having my actions sold for marketing or added to behavioural analytics. Personal information is more valuable than oil, silver, gold, you name it. It is the most expensive commodity on the planet right now, and I want to stop handing it over for free.

I should have been a little more clear. I appreciate the recomendations, it is the next step I need to consider, but I was more trying to understand the level of privacy/anonymity I can expect and what I should be aiming to set up.

Can I expect to set this up with a VPN, secure browsers, email, etc. and be able to access my bank accounts, and personal info and keep it all private, not have any of the activity linked or tracked?

Is there any logic to keeping the chromebook for purchases, banking etc. and keeping the linux set up removed from my personal info, or should I be aiming to make linux so secure that everything is in one place, private and secure?

I'm glad I could help :)

As for your questions, I'd recommend looking up tips on how to be more private on the internet. There's one guy named Garrett Mackey who's a privacy consultant, but I can't seem to find him online anymore, otherwise I'd give you a link to him. As for the CB, I'd recommend putting another distro on there (if the hardware will let you) because then Google can't monitor what you're doing.
 
Just as an aside....I read part of a thread by @KGIII, today, HERE on Linux.org

I simply could not resist using his words here.....they are pertinent....for ALL users.

Security is what you do, not what the OS does. Regardless of the distro you choose, you will be the weakest link in the security chain. (This is true for all of us.) Security is a process, not an application.
The same mindset applies to privacy. I believe the two issues are linked, inextricably.
 
I believe the two issues are linked, inextricably
With you on that one cobber.
On all the things we do we are the weak links, the error causes due to our mentality and personality not being perfect but natural.
 
For those who wish to really delve into the associated topics...privacy/security etc etc


I would be quite curious to see the results of this run on a pc with the LibreWolf browser, and similar browsers.
 
If I may get my 2 cents worth in.......I remember reading somewhere a long time ago, that "You are your own worst enemy!" {More philosophy}.
I have come around to thinking that is very close to being a true statement.
We all have some bad habits we have learned somewhere. It is difficult to make changes for the better. 1-No one likes change. There is too much comfort in doing the old stuff.
2-Change takes work. Basically, we are all lazy and don't like to put out any effort for anything.
Take care of yourself and take responsibility for the results you get from what you do.
OG TC :cool:
 
I had to come back to this one. The original post was not really about how to secure myself. Although I appreciate the advice, I was trying to understand the level of anonymity I can expect to reach with paid for secure email, paid VPN, a private browser, etc.

I installed Palemoon, Librewolf, and some others privacy focused browsers. None are doing it for me. I still want an enjoyable browsing experience. I can't get close to that with Librewolf unless someone can explain how to enable saved passwords. All my passwords are generated and unique, I can not enter them everytime I visit a page.

I have never visited a site or engaged in anything fishy enough on the web to allow myself to be compromised. I don't want to make myself vulnerable, but I am not looking for over the top security. I am not afraid of someone getting into my computer and seeing the last pages visited, or opening my history. What I want is to be anonymous to Google, Firefox, and so on. I don't even care if I can be seen moving around, as long as I am not identified.

It is a simple privacy concern. If it is free, you are trading your privacy. You are being sold, you are the commodity, not the customer. I do not want to be tracked, profiled, solicited, stored, sold, etc. I just want a browser that doesn't log all my searches. Will a VPN, ad block, etc. offer the anonymity I want without concerning myself too much with the specific browser? I have searched a lot on this, I'm just not clear with all the conflicting info.
 
@fx9 You could install ProtonVPN. Its from the same people who created ProtonMail. Like it, it also offers a free version with limited features, but there are paid versions as well. Although you have concerns about free versions having a catch, ProtonVPN openly has a strict no-logging policy, as seen at the bottom of this webpage: https://protonvpn.com/about
 

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