How do you pay for your VPN provider?

[John Connor]

So I got this message.

So if I reenter my seed on Tails reboot will my funds still show up?

How do I fund the wallet? I have never used this before. I chose a standard wallet. I have a Coinbase account. Would I send funds to my Electrum wallet from Coinbase?

 

[John Connor]

This is all very complicated. https://darknetmarkets.org/a-simple-guide-to-safely-and-effectively-mixing-bitcoins/

 

[Bardock]

Set up persistence before you fund your wallet otherwise it will vanish. If you have tails installed to usb, go to tails, configure persistence and select what you want but be sure to select electrum. Then reboot into persistent partition and then fund your wallet. Yes if you re-enter the seed the wallet comes back. Don't store your seed in any digital form and don't let anyone see it. I memorize them. Don't use coinbase, but if you insist, go from coinbase to a blender/mixer/ to electrum wallet address. Then never access the wallet outside of tor. Stop using coinbase bro, its a dangerous rabbit hole.

 

[Bardock]

Don't use virtual machine!

https://tails.boum.org/doc/advanced_topics/virtualization/index.en.html

 

[John Connor]

Set up persistence before you fund your wallet

So I suppose you can't do that with optical media?

The thing with USB is that I have to reboot the Comp. and the USB isn't encrypted. I would have to have some kind of decryptor software on boot for the USB drive.

I did read that about VMs as soon as I started Tails in VMware. It does say IF you trust your host, etc. Which I do. For one I encrypt all my computers. I run VooDoo Shield so nothing should be able to touch the host. My definition-based anti-virus software is Bitdefender Free. VooDoo Shield will catch crap that there is no definition. I do scan the living crap out of my Comp. from time to time. Never find anything. I use at least 7 tools as well as Rook Milano and detekt.

I suppose it's more secure to use a USB drive. But I need an encryption solution.

 

[Bardock]

usb persistence is encrypted with LUKS.

 

[John Connor]

So I was looking at Helix. What do I do in the first step? Enter my Coinbase address in there search-like box on the home page then enter my wallet's address? That link I gave dude said to use two wallets. Is that even possible with Electrum? I never looked over it that much.

 

[John Connor]

usb persistence is encrypted with LUKS.

So reading about LUKS, I guess my own computer uses it in Truecrypt? When you set persistence on can you pick a cypher, etc?

We posted at the same time BTW. I have a post above this one.

 

[Bardock]

Most mixers you put the address that you want it to go to in the mixer and click and it generates a mixing address, you send what you want plus mix fee (1-2%) to the generated address, then its mixed, then gets sent to the address you originally put in, and you have mixed coins in your wallet. Read the documentation for tails and electrum, it covers all this stuff and more. Another thing with electrum is I would only connect to indexing servers on the tor network. By default it chooses from a list of servers but you can change it from auto to a tor only index. You can't pick options with tails persistence and truecrypt is abondonware, not secure, don't use it. Veracrypt is the continuation.

 

[John Connor]

Read the documentation for tails and electrum

I think I was reading the FAQs and what not on this which is quite extensive, but I don't recall it mentioning mixers. I'll have to check again.

 

[Bardock]

well it doesnt mention mixers but it shows you how to use them the most anonymous way, mixers you have to kind of learn, the landscape changes rapidly.

 

[John Connor]

landscape changes rapidly

Crap... well that eases the learning curve. LOL I guess with Bitcoin you have to stay up to date on the tech.

 

[John Connor]

I don't want to change the subject here, but I have to mention why I use Truecrypt above all the spin offs. Despite it being abandonware, it still does its job, that is encrypt your data. Yes, there are some flaws found, but those pertain to an encrypted computer that is ON. Well, that simple fact is true for any computer that's been encrypted and is on for any hacker to snatch your keys. So long as my data is protected while off, I'm good to go. I read an article that the FBI contacted Truecrypt to have a computer decrypted and the Devs told them they couldn't. Not even the FBI could decrypt a computer using Truecrypt. I shouldn't mention that in the public domain, but there it is. It's true. https://steve.grc.com/2014/05/30/yes-virginia-truecrypt-is-still-safe-to-use/

Second, I donated to the Truecrypt audit and followed the website. Besides some sloppy code everything checks out. I don't want to use a spinoff encryption until it too has been audited. Which I doubt due in part that the forks are illegal. https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/distributions/2008-October/000276.html

I watched the DEFCON presentation about the Truecrypt audit and they are suppose to audit SSL/TLS next, but I haven't heard much about it.

Now I'm going to go into the Twilight Zone here and risk being marked as paranoid. And perhaps give the FBI a possible solution (if they're reading) to get inside an encrypted computer. A little story if you will. To make a long story short I'll just say I knew a woman that happened to have the gift of being a "physic." Yes, I said "physic." She demonstrated her skills to me by placing her hands on my laptop and telling me to THINK of my ATA password. At the time I wasn't using FDE. She typed away and got right past the boot screen for the ATA password. I'm living proof and I seen it with my own eyes. Yes, that may sound absolutely like BS, but I gotta tell you, it's true. Now the FBI tip. If they want into a FDE comp. hire a good "physic." Not all are who they claim to be, but there are people out there with "the gift." Believe you me. If I were an agent I'd make the physic look as though they were working for the FBI. Shake hands with the perp and try to read him. Just a thought.

Here's something interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSkYqs7Gyxo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fkyov63FnWQ

Anyway... LOL I'm not suppose to use FDE using the Internet, but I'm confidante enough and the way I run my ship I don't have to worry all that much. I sandbox my work environment, use NoScrip and take many other precautions. The TC manuals specifically states not to use FDE with an Internet connection and if you get the right type of malware it's game over. Seen as how I'm not hiding trade secrets or some crap it's not a huge factor for me. I just want pretty good security just in case one of my computer's are stolen. And if the Feds knock on the door, well, good luck I guess. LOL I plead the 5th of Jack your honor.

 

[Bardock]

 

[ericlp]

Hmmm, instead of freaking out and using a VPN do D/L your stuff.... I think that would be making matters worse, since the government might even be in on some of these sites. Make a cheap VPN site that is run by NSA themselves. JOY...

I feel like the more I read, the more impossible it is to hide anything, and by using a VPN, you just painting a big target on yourself, since you might as well be wide open than try to make it harder for them to really take interest in what you are up to.

To me, wouldn't changing protocols be better than a VPN? Dunno usenet / newsgroups. I hear some on IRC...Tho never got into it. Seems to me, would be to use a service that isn't monitored or watched as others.

Maybe I've been lucky, or maybe I just don't d/l that much stuff to matter.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Isin't usenet just a bunch of servers, I don't see how that would make much a difference, I'm sure the NSA knows their way around that too. VPN may not stop them, but it will at least make their job a little harder especially if the end points are in countries that are not in bed with the US. I suppose switching VPN providers often would probably add an extra layer of security too, but that's a bit of a hassle as you'd have to keep reconfiguring your stuff.

There's also a project called Hyperboria (https://hyperboria.net/) that sounds interesting. I need to check further into it, actually.

 

[ericlp]

That's the point the NSA already knows what we are doing....

Now you want them to make it more difficult to know what you are doing. It's like you got something to hide? Well, were gonna make sure and put your IP address on that special watch list! Now you are a target.

Usenet is a bunch a servers, but the good point is, you aren't sharing anything .... So, you IP address is not exposed.

Good Luck tho... I mean, trying to be anonymous on the internet is not as easy as it seems as others with way more resources and time on their hands can't even do it, what makes you think plunking down a couple of gift cards to a VPN service is gonna help you? Think again....

The only way to remain anonymous is by using an open wifi router say... at coffee shop, or you just happen upon one. Of course, you did clone that mac address right? TeeeHeee!