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This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

voidnull.sdf.org

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Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#31

Post by mirimir »

meruru wrote: post #22

Correct me if I'm wrong, but any VPS that accepts cryptocoins is basically the same thing. Is this special in some way?

The anonymity of sdf.org accounts and VPS/servers are all limited by association through access and payment. Tor is arguably the most anonymous access method for any of them. Excluding login chaining via Tor through botnets and compromised servers, anyway.

If done carefully, using well-mixed Bitcoin is arguably as anonymous as sending cash through the mail. There are ways to screw both up, but also ways to do both with arbitrary overkill.

Anyway, this is cool. I mean, six years is an OK run. But on the other hand, all remote VPS and servers that I setup are just about as anonymous. And yes, it's lots easier now than it was in 2013.

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#32

Post by macintux »

mygo wrote: post #30

> I did not lick the envelope So what if he did? Even if we had his DNA, we wouldn’t know whose DNA it is. It would be as useful as finding a key on the ground without knowing which house it unlocks.

Seems safe to assume we could identify nearly anyone these days using DNA thanks to the services that collect such information for genealogical or medical purposes.

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#33

Post by mygo »

macintux wrote: post #32
mygo wrote: post #30

> I did not lick the envelope So what if he did? Even if we had his DNA, we wouldn’t know whose DNA it is. It would be as useful as finding a key on the ground without knowing which house it unlocks.

Seems safe to assume we could identify nearly anyone these days using DNA thanks to the services that collect such information for genealogical or medical purposes.

Yep the only way to identify someone with DNA from an unknown source is to already have a copy of their DNA on record, that you know is theirs. Or maybe a close relative’s DNA on record.

It would depend on the country whether or not their DNA is likely on record. Most Americans do not have their DNA on record. However it’s interesting that Kenya recently required collection of DNA from all citizens.

But yep those who have signed up for 23 and Me with their real name (or maybe a close relative) can be identified from an anonymous DNA sample. Or previously incarcerated, since then the government would have their DNA on record.

Or if they were already a suspect, then their DNA could then be taken and matched against the anonymous sample.

So maybe by disclosing that he didn’t lick the envelope, he’s inadvertently telling us that his DNA is on record somewhere?

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#34

Post by meruru »

mirimir wrote: post #28
meruru wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have several completely anonymous accounts on HN all registered and used through Tor. It has never been a problem.

Did you need to request that accounts created via Tor be un-shadow-banned?

No, I'm not aware of ever being shadowbanned and I think I would realize if I were since I often browse logged out.

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#35

Post by mirimir »

clubm8 wrote: post #15

This is super interesting, brings back memories. We take for granted how easy anonymity is in age when anyone can spoof their MAC address at a public wifi point and be fairly anonymous. Question: Is there a technical reason the author does not suggest simply using torsocks? (eg: torsocks ssh sdf.org). I thought maybe it didn't exist in 2013 but the github has some files that date back that far.

It's generally safer to use torsocks, because it routes DNS queries via Tor. As oil25 notes, using the ProxyCommand option doesn't. However, it's possible that torsocks in 2013 didn't reliably block DNS leaks.

In any case, Whonix was available in 2013, and using it would have -- and does -- prevent DNS leaks.

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#36

Post by dang »

dontbenebby wrote: post #20
dang wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course it is. We don't ask for names. We don't even have a way for users to give us their name, unless they choose to publish it via their username or the About field of their profile.

Thanks! I thought maybe "HN is a community—users should have an identity that others can relate to." meant our nyms should point to a real person, and that the account mentioned in the article was terminated for being registered via Tor. I try to find the middle ground with this account. You can probably find out who I am, but I hope people will respect it's important to have nyms where we can have informal convos. (…

> I thought maybe "HN is a community—users should have an identity that others can relate to." meant our nyms should point to a real person

Your HN username should represent you as a person in the sense of providing an identity over time, because that's necessary for a community. But it's totally fine not to use your real name. I've posted a bunch about this over the years if anyone wants more: https://hn.algolia.com/?sort=byDate&dateRange=all&type=comme....

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#37

Post by hnarn »

oil25 wrote: post #16

> ssh -o ProxyCommand="nc -X 4 -x localhost:9050 %h %p" sdf.org This will send a DNS A record request for sdf.org and on some platforms, a request for SSHFP records, too. Unless the system is configured to route all DNS traffic over Tor, it may be possible to correlate those requests' originating IP with the published update timestamps.

> Unless the system is configured to route all DNS traffic over Tor

Edge cases like this is why I always use things like Tails when I want to do something over Tor. There are just too many gotchas, and many of them are barely even avoidable in the first place (like correlating timestamps).

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#38

Post by hnarn »

espeed wrote: post #25

Analyze voidnull's use of pronouns and do a sim search over other users' accounts on HN and the Web. "Our most forgettable words, such as pronouns and prepositions, can be the most revealing: their patterns are as distinctive as fingerprints." [1] - Prof James W. Pennebaker [1] https://www.secretlifeofpronouns.com

I haven't read the book, but does it talk about whether it's possible to "fake" the way you write? I'd also be interested in whether it explored the way people write in web communities, I have a strong feeling people change their tone and phrasing based on the audience (especially when upvoted and downvotes are involved).

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#39

Post by colinhb »

mygo wrote: post #33
macintux wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems safe to assume we could identify nearly anyone these days using DNA thanks to the services that collect such information for genealogical or medical purposes.

Yep the only way to identify someone with DNA from an unknown source is to already have a copy of their DNA on record, that you know is theirs. Or maybe a close relative’s DNA on record. It would depend on the country whether or not their DNA is likely on record. Most Americans do not have their DNA on record. However it’s interesting that Kenya recently required collection of DNA from all citizens. But yep those who…

In the US, enough people have submitted DNA to 23andMe, Ancestry, GED match, etc., that a random DNA sample can be identified by so-called “genetic genealogy” methods.

Basically because your generic relatives have submitted their DNA to these services, a small pool of potential candidates for your DNA can be identified, and traditional investigation methods can identify you in that pool.

As the density of people who have submitted DNA to these services increases in the total population, identifying random samples will be easier. (It is already getting easier.)

These techniques were publicized with the Golden State Killer case but have been used in several other law enforcement investigations.

My contact with this field is mostly through friends in the industry, but The Daily podcast’s series on it seemed like a good introduction:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/podcasts/the-daily/dna-ge...

Re: This Page Is Anonymous (2013)

#40

Post by achingtooth »

hnarn wrote: post #38
espeed wrote: post #25

Analyze voidnull's use of pronouns and do a sim search over other users' accounts on HN and the Web. "Our most forgettable words, such as pronouns and prepositions, can be the most revealing: their patterns are as distinctive as fingerprints." [1] - Prof James W. Pennebaker [1] https://www.secretlifeofpronouns.com

I haven't read the book, but does it talk about whether it's possible to "fake" the way you write? I'd also be interested in whether it explored the way people write in web communities, I have a strong feeling people change their tone and phrasing based on the audience (especially when upvoted and downvotes are involved).

That's what the group that hacked the NSA did. https://steemit.com/shadowbrokers/@theshadowbrokers/lost-in-...
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