With cyber crime on the rise, this is exactly the kind of annonimity we can do without, at least on the mainstream Internet front.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Vikas Kapoor" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Access India" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 7:39 PM Subject: [AI] Free anonymising browser debuts > Free anonymising browser debuts > > Sep 20, 2006 > > Web users worried about privacy can now use a modified version of Firefox > that lets them browse the net anonymously. > > The Torpark browser has been created by a hacking group and uses > technology backed by digital rights group the Electronic Frontier > Foundation. > > Torpark uses its own network of net routers to anonymise the traffic > people generate when they browse the web. > > The browser can be put on a flash memory stick so users can turn any PC > into an anonymous terminal. > > Hide and seek > > The Torpark tool has been created by Hacktivismo - an international > coalition of hackers, human rights workers, lawyers and artists. > > Torpark uses the Tor network of internet routers set up by the Electronic > Frontier Foundation that already has tens of thousands of regular users. > > Whenever any computer connects to the net it freely shares information > about the address it is using. This is so any data it requests is sent > back to the > right place. > > The Tor network tries to stop this information being shared in two ways. > First, it encrypts traffic between a computer and the Tor network of > routers - > this makes it much harder to spy on the traffic and pinpoint who is doing > what. > > Second, the Tor network regularly changes the net address that someone > appears to be browsing from - again this frustrates any attempt to pin a > particular > browsing session on any individual. > > "We live in a time where acquisition technologies are cherry picking and > collating every aspect of our online lives," said Oxblood Ruffin, one of > the founders > of Hacktivismo, in a statement announcing Torpark. > > Mr Ruffin was at pains to point out that the anonymising abilities of > Torpark had its limitations. Data travelling between the websites people > look at and > the Tor network is unencrypted and it could be possible to identify users > if they visit sites that do not encrypt login sessions. > > The programs making up the free Torpark download are small enough to > install on a USB flash memory stick allowing people to take the > anonymising browser > with them. Before now it has been possible to configure Firefox to use Tor > and its associated identity hiding programs but Torpark puts all these > elements > in one package. > > Hacktivisimo said that anyone using Torpark might see a slight reduction > in their browsing speed as the package of programs connect to the Tor > network and > scramble traffic. > > The Torpark browser includes an clickable icon that lets people switch > between anonymous and ordinary browsing. > > It may also cause frustration as the regular change of net address may > make some sites think that a new user is visiting and ask once more for > login details. > Electronic Frontier Foundation > Cult of the Dead Cow > > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5363230.stm > > Vikas Kapoor, > MSN ID: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Yahoo ID: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Skype ID: dl_vikas > Mobile: (+91) 9891098137. > To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with the subject unsubscribe. > > To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, > please visit the list home page at > http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in To unsubscribe send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the subject unsubscribe. To change your subscription to digest mode or make any other changes, please visit the list home page at http://accessindia.org.in/mailman/listinfo/accessindia_accessindia.org.in
