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NoScript Protects Your Privacy

Civil Rights, Computer Privacy, Internet Anonymity, Internet Privacy No Responses »
Jan 072011

Malicious code on websites is a serious threat to privacy and security online.  Malicious code, can be used to steal personal information.  Web code can be used to track your location, and compromise your privacy.  This is especially worrisome if you are intentionally trying to hide your true identity.  Of course, the most common use for malicious web code is profit for the crooks who write the code.  Your computer may become “infected” with fake viruses that prompt you time and time again to buy useless “antivirus” software, or just for the heck of it, your credit card number or social security number could be lifted from web forms.  It is important to be vigilant against this threat, especially if you not a tech savvy computer user.

Fortunately, there are tools to help you protect yourself from these attacks.  NoScript is an extraordinarily useful plugin for Firefox that keeps your personal data private and protects you from unwanted intrusions into your computer.  NoScript is simple, easy to use, and intuitively blocks scripts, plugins and other code that could be used to compromise your computer during visits to a website.

After you install NoScript, you are going to notice just how prevalent scripts and java are on modern websites.  You will notice that most websites just do not work without them.  By default, NoScript blocks all scripts.  Fortunately, it is easy to allow scripts on a site by site basis.  If you trust a site, for example, your bank, you will allow all scripts to run. The benefit is clear.  The first time you visit a site, NoScript will completely block all scripts.  If you decide to trust the site, you can allow scripts, but if you are on a questionable site, you can decide to leave the scripts blocked.

A good example of the usefulness of NoScripts appears on the site stayinvisible.com.  With Javascript disabled by NoScript, Stay Invisible, can detect only your external IP address.  In my case, it is the IP address of my proxy server.  Stay Invisible, gives you are warning that you are “visible” because you have javascript disabled, but this is not the case.  Disabling Javascript has prevented the site from capturing a good deal of private information that you may not want disclosed.

When scripts are allowed, the site can gather your real IP address, and much more about your computer.  Malicious scripts can be written to gather much more personal information about you and your computer.  If you are interested in protecting your privacy, and you do not want certain sites that you visit to know who you are, you must disable certain scripts on that site.  There is another option as well.  If you use a VPN type proxy, the JavaScript will not be able to circumvent the proxy and your real IP will not be disclosed.  This makes a VPN type proxy superior to a regular HTTP or SOCKS proxy for web browsing.

Scripts Blocked

NoScripts blocks unwanted and dangerous scripts

Scripts allowed
When scripts are allowed, the site can gather a great deal of information about your system. They don’t have to tell you they are gathering this information and can use it for whatever purpose they please.
Posted by Administrator at 2:41 PM Tagged with: , , , , , ,

French Officials Crack Down on Free Music; Civil Rights

Civil Rights, Computer Privacy, Courts, Internet Anonymity, Privacy News 2 Responses »
Oct 262010

A French agency that reports to the French Ministry of Culture dubbed “Hadopi” has been scouring the internet for months, harvesting the IP addresses of French citizens who have downloaded copyrighted materials .  By law, the ISP must hand over the email address of the customer hadopi has determined is guilty of downloading music or movies.

The anti-piracy law was passed after years of heavy lobbying by the SCPP, a French organization that appears to be similar to the RIAA and MPAA in the United States.  The SCPP claims that listening to music that was freely downloaded off the internet costs France’s music industry $978 million per year.

But it is much more complicated to calculate the true cost of free music to the French music industry.  It costs the music industry exactly $0 to put the music on the internet.  Each user that downloads the music costs the industry exactly $0.  Each time a French citizen listens to the music they downloaded for free, it costs the French music industry exactly $0.  So, $0 times the number of songs downloaded and listened to equals $0.  Huh, maybe that was not so complicated.

hadopi

Look Honey! The government is shutting off our internet for a year because we did not know how to secure our internet connection! Thanks Hadopi!

Of course the SCPP does not mean that piracy actually costs the music industry any money.  That is just clever way to say that the music industry has failed to capitalize on an opportunity, and blame those who have failed to increase their wealth.  It is actually the consumer’s fault for not buying their product when it is available for free.  What they are saying is that the music industry could make $978 million more per year if there were tough laws in place to prevent free distribution of music.

And pass tough laws is exactly what France did.  The law specifies that no matter who actually downloaded music or movies, the owner of the connection is responsible.  Three strikes and you can be barred from accessing the internet for a year.  And what of those who are not tech savvy enough to secure their internet connections?  Well thankfully, hadopi is writing instructions to help people protect themselves from those who would use their internet connection.  Very kind of them.  Maybe hadopi should have written instructions for the music industry detailing how the they can increase profits without trampling the civil rights of millions of French citizens.

Posted by Administrator at 9:10 PM
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