• From: north america
  • Registered: 2005-01-21

Topic: No Place to Hide & net security Q's

Did anyone catch/watch the recent abcnews Primetime Live Special 'No Place to Hide' on the day of the Presidential inaugeration? hosted by Peter Jennings?

here is an abcnews.com link about the show-

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Primet … amp;page=1

I have some other 'net related questions to anyone who can help me answer them,

I know how to set the internet browser (IE) to prompt before automatically placing cookies on your computer, it can be annoying alot when you go to a site and you have to keep clicking on the 'do not accept cookie' tab, and I know how to delete cookies on your hard drive and delete temp files and history also...

I notice almost every website tries to put a cookie on and if your browser isn't set to intercede, on they go and your tracks can be traced...  especially for example, the abcnews.com site i just included with the link (it constantly tries to put cookies on my system even causing errors eventually on my (IE browser) utterly frustrating

I have in the past just used to let everysite put cookies on and occasionally i would goto delete them (hundreds of them would need deleting).

I do have also a firewall and virus protecting software installed and in use (and updated although i get lazy about downloading patches and updates which i know from a security perspective is lacking).

I do know my computer has been hacked into (adware and spyware) as i have spotted these when I do scans (and which some i cant figure how to take off and delete fix due to time consuming efforts upkeep)

I must state that that show about No Place to Hide was sensationalistic but a sign of the increasing Big Brother Brave New World systems...

I also realize that ordinary citizens who have nothing to hide (including myself) don't worry about cookies and such (they do need to worry about loss of privacy and targeting by corporations and such).  Maybe they (the general public) should be more worried.

In that program No Place to Hide i remember them reporting that there are (and have been all along) companies selling their findings and intelligence on average consumers (monitoring everybody) and reporting to national intelligence gathering agencies.

I also am aware of the blue ribbon free speech campaign... and the issue of anonymity and websites and e-mail registries etc

Is it safe to say 'that no matter what measures you take- your privacy and records of internet purchases and website visits/frequents will always be tracked by someone, whether private corporations or intelligence agencies?

Can anyone recommend any webpages or sites articles about these issues?

If your computer is several years old and infected with adware/spyware, would you be effective in starting over with a newer more tightly guarded computer with constant updating and protection?

I did look up a Wired.com article (another site with countless cookies) and another recent headline on abcnews.com about Microsoft's efforts to vainly try to solve privacy issues...

I also know that cookies are sometimes a necessary evil and help in certain functions and buying on the net...

Question- can one cookie read others thus determining your website history/visits/frequents?
Question- can spyware really recorde every key-stroke and pick up private log-in/passwords pages that don't have the secure (IE) lock signature icon? and can spyware even read every single e-mail you receive (such as Outlook Express?), can you have spyware that your scans dont even pick up (like the recent abcnews article says about Microsoft vain update fixes?)

Do firewalls and virus software merely protect you from ameteur hackers? are the professional hackers really in-defensible against? so why worry, just surrender and give up your privacy?

I am afraid we are already (and have been for sometime) in private-less times.

Any input would be greatly appreciated, thanks...

-Indigo

Christ, the narrow path, saves those willing

indigo's Website

2 Reply by morningsun76 (edited by morningsun76 2005-01-23 14:54:23)

  • morningsun76
  • morningsun76
  • the answer has been with you the whole time
  • Offline
  • From: In two worlds
  • Registered: 2004-09-10

Re: No Place to Hide & net security Q's

For the most part everything you do online (web, e-mail, etc) can be -- and in many of our cases IS -- intercepted and read. Keystroke loggers and other spyware also can record everything you do on your local machine even if it's not internet based.  This type of stuff is more easily installed without you knowing it if you don't take proper precautions.  Some good first steps are to stop using Internet Explorer which is extremely vulnerable.  Most people nowadays are switching to the Firefox browser, though other choices are out there.  Run free security programs like AdAware 2nd Edition and SpyBot: Search and Destroy.  Run a good antivirus program and keep its virus-definition files updated.  Get a hardware firewall.  If you're running Windows, make sure it's up to date (visit windowsupdate.com) and if you're using Windows XP SP2, make sure the "Windows Firewall" is turned on.   Better yet, switch to Linux.

For a computer that might be several years old, you don't need to buy a new one, just wipe it's hard drive and install a new operating system from scratch.   It will be as good as new.

  • From: north america
  • Registered: 2005-01-21

Re: No Place to Hide & net security Q's

Thanks MorningSun,

Any input is appreciated.

I will seriously consider your suggestions and eventually implement them.

Any other further input from others in the know would be appreciated as well, in regards to my other questions and message as a whole.

What do you think of that link? the abcnews.com link about the No Place to Hide show?

Thanks to all in advance.

-Indigo ('they' surely know ALL about me, and I simply don't give a ****!)
-I do have my allies in high places

Christ, the narrow path, saves those willing

indigo's Website