Author Topic: Activists unveil stealth browser (Read 400 times)

Sundowner · « **on:** September 25, 2006, 05:12:42 AM »

Hey guys,
Just wondered if any digital heads out there are using this or know anything about it. I lean toward liking the concept for "safer" web use. I downloaded it but wanted to touch base with our local expert knowlege base (you guys) before I double-clicked on the self extracting file to test it out.

Regards,
Sun

Activists unveil stealth browser

Hacktivismo, a group of human-rights advocates and computer security experts, has released a Firefox-based browser designed to allow anonymous Web surfing.

The Web browser, called "Torpark," is a modified version of Portable Firefox. Released last week, it can be run directly from a USB drive, meaning it can be used on public terminals in cybercafes. It creates an encrypted connection to the TOR (The Onion Router) network, which supplies a succession of different IP addresses.

"Torpark causes the IP address seen by the Web site to change every few minutes, to frustrate eavesdropping and mask the requesting source," Hacktivismo said in a statement.

For example, a user could be in London and Web sites would see an IP address from a university in Germany, or other addresses belonging to the TOR network.

Hacktivismo operates under the aegis of the influential group the Cult of the Dead Cow. Developers said the browser is different from other anonymous browsers, such as Anonymizer or SecretSurfer, in that it doesn't cost anything and is small and portable.....
http://news.com.com/Activists+unveil+stealth+browser/2100-1032_3-6118547.html?tag=nefd.pulse

Hacktivismo home page:
http://www.hacktivismo.com/

Sundowner · « **Reply #1 on:** September 25, 2006, 12:12:09 PM »

Eeeek! I hope I'm not the guinea pig on this app.

Regards,
Sun

Schutt · « **Reply #2 on:** September 25, 2006, 12:31:22 PM »

I remember some tests where they revealed that all "stealth" browsers were fake and not really stealth.

This one sounds like it could work, but i see some major problems:

1. When the servers that the stealth browser uses are eaves dropped on they can reaveal where and what you do. And, considering the percentage of people that try to hide something using the stealth system is higher than everywhere else on the net eavasdropping is verry promising.

2. when the goverment (Federal police, NATO intellegence, european security, cia, etc) have intrest in the data they can just ask for the logs, and theyll get it.

3. You internet performance is limited by the speed of the stealth system, for sure the response times go up and the transfer speed might go down.

4. You give the guys providing the stealth system full overview of your data, since ALL traffic goes through their server and they eaven know how its encrypted.

It for sure will make you more stealthy to the sites you browse, and it might give some anonymity and security but it wont help if you try to do anything illegal. With the current (rightfull) terror paranoya it might eaven get you into being observed by goverment.

Where these systems have good chance is in china or taiwan, where they have verry ridgid govermental controll but the "stealth" server are well out of reach of the goverment. So if you already know/fear you are watched anyway it might be a viable option.

I dont have that much to hide so i have no problems browsing directly.

Krusty · « **Reply #3 on:** September 25, 2006, 12:34:32 PM »

The question I have is: What are you doing online that's made you so guilty and afraid of reprisal that you would go through all this trouble to hide your footprints? It seems like folks would only use this to disrupt things (like BBS attacks and such) or to hide what they were doing (surfing for porn while at work or something).

There's really no NEED for this type of application, unless the folks that WANT it are doing stuff that (maybe, just maybe) they shouldn't be doing.

My first impression, anyways.

Schutt · « **Reply #4 on:** September 25, 2006, 12:53:22 PM »

There is a lot of need for this type, websites fishing on your depending on your ip (trying to guess where you live and give appropiate offers). Companys collecting customer data without their knowledge, people being surveilled because they resemble a terrorists footprint or just being muslem or having relatives in palestina might make you observed while not having done anything.

Once your under observation harmless actions that other people do all day will bring you under stricter observation. Want to travel to USA for vacation? No visum because they beleave you might be terrorist.

Pay with CreditCard online? Live in Italy and have the wrong phone company? Live in Washington and have terrorists trying identity theft?

Eaven more if you live in asia, china, russia, eastern europe, taiwan... there is need.

So there are a lot of reasons to stay saver or to have need for anonymus internet use, but what i wanted to say in my other post that you have to be verry carefull with using such offers, since if your NOT a target at the moment you might be when you use it.

Krusty · « **Reply #5 on:** September 25, 2006, 01:18:12 PM »

Good points

llama · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2006, 05:36:42 PM »

As an aside, TOR is for real, and it works pretty much as described. Firefox can work with TOR just fine. Both TOR ad Firefox have been modified to work off of a thumbdrive. This news announcement just means that someone has worked out how to have BOTH TOR and Firefox working off the same thumbdrive.

I've reviewed TOR before, and I must say that it is very slow and annoying to use. You'll yearn for the days of your speedy new 56k modem. But it does work.

-Llama

Sundowner · « **Reply #7 on:** September 27, 2006, 05:19:43 AM »

Thanks for the replies, you guys.

Read a neat "If you are doing nothing illegal you have nothing to hide." response the other day.

"Go ahead and post your full SSN and mother's maiden name on the net."

It's about security, not hideing illegal activities.

Regards,
Sun

MrRiplEy[H] · « **Reply #8 on:** September 27, 2006, 07:44:53 AM »

The real question is why was this free service created, who is taking the returns for using it (yep, you will be logged by them if not your government) and is it really a major phishing scam.

As always, beware of things that are 'free' on internet. Because most things really aren't.

Look what HT did to us.. He offered a 'free' 2 week candy and got us addicted.

Duh the text was already covered above. Should read before posting.

Sundowner · « **Reply #9 on:** September 27, 2006, 05:17:12 PM »

The real question is why was this free service created, who is taking the returns for using it (yep, you will be logged by them if not your government) and is it really a major phishing scam.

As always, beware of things that are 'free' on internet. Because most things really aren't.
========================================================

Good point, MrR.

Regards,
Sun