[aklug] Re: Google: If you send to Gmail you have 'No legitmate expectation of privacy'

On Wed, 14 Aug 2013, Christopher Howard wrote:

> I think it is great that someone is getting out the "Gmail is evil and they
> don't care about your privacy" message. But if all that accomplishes is
> somebody switches from Gmail to Hotmail, then we are hardly any better off.

Amen. I think it is naive for anyone to trust a for-profit organization
with a financial incentive to exploit your data. Take responsibility, and
host and protect your own data.

> Maybe the public is concerned about this stuff, but it doesn't show in any
> practical ways. Outside of this list, I can hardly name ten people who even
> know what Tor and PGP are - none that actually use them. Ever try to convince
> somebody to use Linux for the sake of "freedom, privacy, and having complete
> control of your computer"? You /might/ get a bored, but patient stare, at
> least until they find out it might not be compatible with their favorite
> online flash game.

I agree with the use of encryption as well, but I don't use it liberally
simply because the efficacy of it relies entirely upon the recipient. If I
can't vouch for the recipients I don't bother, nor do I share anything I
would consider sensitive.

> On the subject of rootkits: I honestly don't know how to check for a rootkit,
> but if you have any insight to share on the subject, I'm all ears. I don't
> know how I would have gotten one, unless it came pre-installed on the PC.

I've had to dig a few out on other people's boxes. Not one has ever been
exactly like another. Most of them do involve hidden processes (and they've
either trojaned your libaries or 'ps', etc., to omit it's own process.
That's when it's handy to have an extra set of static tools around for
inspection. Many's the time I've even had to use a perl one liner to get an
accurate directory read just to find the process files...

         --Arthur Corliss
           Live Free or Die
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Received on Thu Aug 15 07:36:47 2013