Обновить

Pros and cons of various approaches to ensuring anonymity on the Internet

Время на прочтение 4 min
Количество просмотров 106K
Information Security *
image

In recent days there has been a lot of talk about the existence of total surveillance by American intelligence agencies. Not to mention the fact that many well-known services have a disregard for the privacy of their users, not even providing HTTPS access.

For many, the topic of privacy is important. And we are not talking about hiding any evil intentions of users. Privacy and personal data is a completely legitimate right of a modern person..

There are several common options for protecting yourself from surveillance.:

  • use HTTPS
  • clear cookies
  • use a proxy server
  • use anonymous VPN
  • use the TOR network
  • use I2P network
  • ...


Each option has its own disadvantages, advantages and a certain degree of protection. Let's take a closer look at them:

Clearing Cookies, prohibiting plugins (flash, java, etc.) and javascript

It is useful to delete regular and flash cookies if you do not need service personalization and advertising targeting. In this case, you only delete your connection with your profile/session on the site, and what is stored in cookies depends entirely on the service. If there are XSS vulnerabilities on a site that uses session cookies, third-party sites can easily de-anonymize you through a profile on such sites. For example, if you are logged in to linkedin, then by placing a link to view on your site his profile in the form of a picture, you can later see which Linkedin users viewed your page. It is also important to know that some plugins that your browser runs can reveal your real IP address, even if you use proxy/TOR/I2P and other anonymization tools.

Using HTTPS

(+) protects against interception or substitution of website content,
(−) DNS queries remain unencrypted. For example, if you suddenly use an unencrypted WiFi channel, then your neighbors and your ISP can find out the sites you visit.
(−) the website you opened in your browser knows your IP address.

Using a proxy server

There are several types of proxy servers:
  1. HTTP - relay GET/POST requests and can add your original IP address to the request header, as well as store a complete history of your interaction with the site.

    (+) client anonymity (if used correctly)
    (+) supported by almost all browsers
    (+) DNS queries on behalf of the server
    (−) History on the server
    (−) Ability to filter and replace data using a proxy server
    (−) works only for HTTP protocol
    (−) does not protect against attacks via plugins and XSS

  2. In the case of a SOCKS proxy, the browser opens all TCP (and sometimes UDP) sockets on behalf of the server. In this case (depending on the browser), you can use your local DNS server, and the site will be able to track you using it, by issuing a unique name in its subdomain for each request and remembering from which addresses DNS requests come to them.

    (+) client anonymity (if used correctly)
    (+) the ability to forward an arbitrary TCP connection (for example SSH)
    (+) DNS queries on behalf of the server (google chrome)
    (−) DNS queries on behalf of the client (firefox)
    (−) Ability to filter and replace data using a proxy server
    (−) History on the server
    (−) does not protect against attacks via plugins and XSS


Anonymous VPNs

Essentially they provide the same security as SOCKS proxy.
(+) client anonymity (if used correctly)
(+) you will have a network interface with an “anonymous” address, and you will not need to separately configure your browser and other programs to use it
(−) this is more expensive, as it requires assigning a separate IP address to each client
(−) does not protect against attacks via plugins and XSS

Rent a dedicated server

(+) client anonymity (if used correctly)
(+) the ability to configure SOCKS and HTTP proxies yourself, knowing that the request history will not leak anywhere
(+) saves you from attacks via plugins and XSS if you launch the browser remotely
(−) much more expensive and in some countries requires de-anonymization (passport, use of a credit card, etc..)
(−) the hoster can track your IP addresses from which you make connections to the server

Using TOR

(+) client anonymity (if used correctly)
(−) traffic may pass through another continent and/or through an IP address from a blacklist, and many Internet services will open more slowly or not open at all
(−) if you are not using HTTPS then exit nodes can view/filter your requests
(−) the site must be accessible on the Internet. That is, only the client is anonymous, but not the server.
(−) does not protect against attacks via plugins and XSS

I2P

An analogue of the TOR network is the I2P network, which also hides the network activity of users. In addition, you can create your own resource and advertise it on the I2P network, without knowing the real IP address of the site or service.

(+) client anonymity (if used correctly)
(+) server anonymity (if used correctly)
(−) traffic can pass through another continent (and more than once), and as a result - low speed and long response time
(±) lack of the usual DNS (due to complete decentralization) and the need to subscribe to the “correct” name server or add the site to the address book
(±) internal sites are not accessible via the Internet and vice versa (except for the use of gateways, where you can partially lose anonymity)
(−) does not protect against attacks via plugins and XSS

conclusions

It is obvious that ensuring your privacy is a complex task, and that no networks or tools provide guaranteed anonymity: you need to take into account XSS/cookies, software errors, requests to the DNS server, HTTP headers, incorrectly configured nodes in the I2P and TOR networks, etc. called “browser fingerprints” and much more, which I will write about in future articles.

Various “advanced laws” on closing anonymizers and networks such as TOR and I2P are making these networks increasingly popular, since due to their architectural features it is almost impossible to close them.

Over the past 10 years, the I2P network has grown from an academic project to a widely used product with a number of "unkilled resources" (for example, freezone.i2p, lib.i2p, btdigg.i2p)
Only registered users can participate in the survey. Sign in, Please.
How do you ensure your anonymity??
65.52% No way - no one is interested in me 1484
14.22% Turn off Cookies and/or use NoScript 322
15.81% I use Proxy/VPN/my own server 358
22.74% I use Tor or I2P 515
5.12% I don’t use the internet, but prefer only offline meetings 116
2265 users voted. 442 users abstained.
Tags:
Hubs:
6
Karma
0
Rating
John Smith @jsmith11

User

Comments 57

Anonymity week on Habrahabr…
Всего голосов 10: ↑7 и ↓3 +4
I have a feeling it won't be a week
Всего голосов 20: ↑20 и ↓0 +20
Well, that’s good, earlier, I already compared anonymity technologies, it might be interesting habrahabr.ru/post/151934/
Всего голосов 2: ↑2 и ↓0 +2
This is more than good.
And your article is also interesting, but some of the data is already outdated.
For example, I would argue with the “A” that Tor received in your article, such as “access to a full Internet” and “difficulty blocking».
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
The world is changing, I agree with you, now I would add CJDNS there
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Nothing good at all.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Why? It's better to meet the enemy with all weapons
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
Aha, depending on what angle you look at it from.
Forced acquisition of knowledge that must be mastered due to a certain trend in the direction of the work of a number of state institutions in the Russian Federation?
I understood your comment correctly?)
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Ummm, you should first read the “parallel” articles of yours on Habré, at least for the last week. If you compare with them (and there, too, everything is far from ideal), then your article is nothing at all. No offense please, but you have some kind of chaotic unstructured flow of separate theses from different sections of security. Moreover, with some kind of incomprehensible rating system. If I were not familiar with this topic in detail, I would only be more confused by your presentation.
Всего голосов 17: ↑16 и ↓1 +15
Do you only write there? Don't read? At least check for trivial typos, no?

Registration via tor is available?
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
There simply isn't enough time. Registration should be available, no one has cut the addresses, but there are no mirrors in onion and i2p yet.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
(−) this is more expensive, as it requires assigning a separate IP address to each client
There is such a magic word NAT.
Всего голосов 2: ↑2 и ↓0 +2
Only in this case there will be problems with incoming connections (unless you use some kind of crutch like UPNP). And so will they
problems with bidirectional protocols such as FTP (in active mode), UDP connection tracking and much more. But this is a topic for a separate article
Всего голосов 2: ↑1 и ↓1 0
Rent a dedicated server

You can use a VPS instead of a whole server. There will only be:
(−) the hoster can track your IP addresses from which you make connections to the server

and for this there is another VPS
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
On VPS you can walk around ssh over Tor.
Buy VPS possible for Bitcoin.
And then there will be no ends left at all. )
Всего голосов 3: ↑3 и ↓0 +3
The apogee of anonymity
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Perhaps the question is naive, I did not delve into the details of the Bitcoin implementation, but, as far as I remember, each Bitcoin transaction stores the history of the previous ones. Thus, if the exchange where you bought bitcoins by paying with a regular credit card is under the control of special services, then they can easily match your credit card to the transaction number; after which, by requesting information from the VPS provider regarding the bitcoins that were paid for a specific VPS, they can easily determine that the previous transaction with these bitcoins was on their exchange and thus link a specific VPS to a specific credit card.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
What prevents exchanges from happening? “You are 100 to me - I am 100 to you, we don’t know each other” through a special service?
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Nothing. Theoretically, you can even limit yourself to transferring to another account (but with regular payments, this option can be calculated). But the point is that you need to remember to do this.
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
> but with regular payments this option can be calculated
As far as I know, wallets can be generated in any quantity.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
What I mean is that if all payments for VPN/VPS follow the same chain: it is known who bought bitcoins for credit -> the same unknown bitcoin wallet -> monthly payment for VPN/VPS, then it will be easy to assume that this “unknown wallet” belongs to the same user who bought bitcoins with a credit card.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
It's time to open a cash-to-bitcoin exchanger.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Soon all cross-border encrypted traffic and “ala-ulya” will be banned. They will oblige DPI providers to implement and they have arrived.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Private browser mode + flashblock + vpn provide almost complete anonymity when you suddenly need it.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
A UFO flew in and published this inscription here
Apparently, everyone has such a friend) And I do too)))
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
To be fair, it is worth noting that there are different kinds of anonymity, it’s one thing when you, being an ordinary man in the street Vasya Pupkin, hanging out on VKontakte and posting cats on Instagram, hide your identity and location, which naturally looks stupid, another thing when you protect their financial and business interests, critical and competitive information from espionage and leaks, and knowing what kind of “privatized” state we live in and what role the FSB CJSC often plays in the “development of entrepreneurship and small business”, then this quite justifiably... In the end, it’s like with backups, it’s one thing when the average person’s screw with the only copy of a photo archive of kittens comes off, it’s another thing when traditional mask-shows hired by competitors burst into your office and destroy all the equipment with all the documents and projects to pieces... In other words, there are situations when such measures are justified, and in our country - especially.
Всего голосов 3: ↑2 и ↓1 +1
How about the option that I am “encrypted” (although no one needs it) simply because if I suddenly REALLY need to hide something, it won’t look suspicious? And also in order to help those in need of protection get lost among the “paranoid».
Всего голосов 3: ↑3 и ↓0 +3
In fact, it’s even more banal - you never know in advance, what exactly would be worth hiding in your past. Well, like, you just accidentally killed someone, and 10 minutes ago your phone uploaded a photo on a social network in which your coordinates near the murder scene were stitched, and now you’ll be able to organize an alibi for yourself. ;-)
Всего голосов 4: ↑4 и ↓0 +4
Just you tweeted “go to the main square, kill the boss!”, and 5 minutes later an unauthorized rally gathers on Red Square.
Всего голосов 2: ↑2 и ↓0 +2
Over the 8 years of the existence of Odnoklassniki, VKontakte, Facebook and Twitter, I still haven’t understood their purpose for the common user, which is why I’m still not registered there. Apparently there is some deep meaning in putting likes and retweets…
Всего голосов 5: ↑3 и ↓2 +1
A UFO flew in and published this inscription here
This is called "socialization". Every person has a need to feel the approval of society. Not understanding such things, by the way, does not speak in your favor.
Всего голосов 7: ↑4 и ↓3 +1
Yeah of course. Since he's not on Facebook, that means he's a sociopath and a potential murderer..

I wonder how this “need to feel social approval” was satisfied before the advent of social networks? You know, there is a difference between a person who has no friends and a person who has a high enough IQ to understand how harmful it is to use social networks (from a waste of time to providing a bunch of personal data to unknown third parties).
Всего голосов 5: ↑3 и ↓2 +1
There is a difference between not being on social networks (there can be a lot of different reasons for this) and not understanding why they are needed. And the answer to your question is somewhat obvious - live communication.
You greatly exaggerate the IQ of a person who “understands how harmful it is to use social networks.” If the IQ is high enough, then it is sufficient to understand that this is a tool. And like any tool, it is of great benefit only when it is used as needed, and when needed..
If you also don’t understand what the author does, I recommend Googling: stroking theory Eric Berne
Всего голосов 4: ↑4 и ↓0 +4
What you say certainly makes sense. But in my opinion this is not the point. You talk about not understanding why social networks are needed at all, but I (and perhaps, pollitruk) I'm talking about a lack of understanding why they are needed me personally.

Moreover, the question is not even what benefit they can give me, but that the harm from them so far more than outweighs this benefit. I am registered in those social networks that do me more good than harm (Habr, Linkedin, Odesk), and am not registered in the others (Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, etc.). This choice is determined by the need to publicly discuss work-related information and the lack of desire publicly discuss personal information (both your own and others’). As for Twitter, I just don’t like its format - I prefer to receive and transmit news/information less often and in larger blocks, for example in the form of articles on Habré.
Всего голосов 2: ↑2 и ↓0 +2
You have the wrong ideas about socialization. This is just a rejection of the questionable modern public documented methods of self-expression. But apparently the current generation of “digital youth”, who now call subscribers on social networks friends, do not understand.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
«This is just a refusal." What's this? If you're talking about why the author gave up social media, that's not what my comment was referring to. It refers only to the part “Apparently there is some deep meaning in putting likes and retweets… „
These are not my misconceptions about socialization, these are your misinterpretations of my comment. This has already been discussed two comments above..
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
As well as your misunderstanding of my original post and inability to distinguish sarcasm, since you assumed that I have a total misunderstanding of what social networks are for at all.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
I still don't understand their purpose

Besides everything else, for me social networks are another very wide channel for conveying and gaining knowledge.
And of course, in current realities, this is a very good channel for mass (or targeted, targeted, group, etc.) notification, both about current events and activities, and about urgent news/actions.
That's the minimum. There are many more things that may be useful
And “likes and retweets” are just that, an auxiliary (but in some cases extremely useful) option.
Всего голосов 2: ↑1 и ↓1 0
FB has one interesting use

Some software e-book readers can search for quotes on Facebook, but cannot search somewhere else outside
if you need to have a way to get these quotes out of them... authorize this program so that its posts are visible only to yourself (the visibility area is “only me” / “close friends” (if you have a normal account, why not) and search for quotes, then through a service like IFTTT /Zapier we send these quotes where they belong

Well, the drawback is clear - at the same time we share them with those who can get them from Facebook + there is a risk of errors in the settings and everything is in public + you still need to have this account, even with fake data

the alternative is true - use an e-reader where this is not necessary:
— Kindle (everything, and it means that we read from different devices) - all quotes from Kindle Store books on kindle.amazon.com/your_highlights (but unfortunately _only_ from Kindle Store books, from those uploaded to Kindle Personal Documents - we need to do it a little differently)
— Marvin for iOS - at least connect Evernote (or any other service - you can do it there), or simply export quotes from the book after reading (you can and conveniently there)

possible in other similar cases…
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
It’s interesting from an academic point of view, but in practice I don’t even know what it’s needed for. as my experience has shown, if necessary, you can find any person, especially the state, and your anonymity on the Internet is not a hindrance to this.
and so, if you need to do something on the network so that it is more difficult to find you, then the left SIM card, the left phone (you can, of course, limit yourself to free Wi-Fi in these days), the left beech, the left car, do the job and burn everything) ps sarcasm based on spy films and books )
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
You laugh, but I know a person who really needs this. He is very concerned about his own anonymity. Doing something murky and of questionable legality.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
And I also know such people, although most of them just play gangsters and hackers, but those who really need it mostly use the method I described, and do not work from home in the hope that they will not be found.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
(−) DNS queries on behalf of the client (firefox)


Customizable. For example, I immediately install the Foxy Proxy plugin in FF. It also routes DNS requests to a proxy.

Rent a dedicated server


VDS\VPS is quite enough. Dedik is redundant for one user.

(−) the site must be accessible on the Internet. That is, only the client is anonymous, but not the server.


No. See .onion.

To be honest, I’m already fed up with the same type of articles in the style of “I googled on the Internet about the topic of anonymity, here’s a summary of what I googled, I didn’t understand it myself, but the boys write that...”. One gets the impression that you (specifically you and the authors of similar articles) are simply trying to gain karma on the wave of public interest in anonymization.
So let me give you some advice. Team up with other authors writing similar articles and collect material, check it out to the extent possible (okay, look for vulnerabilities of cryptographic algorithms in the source code, but measuring the speed yourself and avoiding factual errors in the article is quite possible) and post together one article/series of articles with a list of authors below. Then it will make sense. And that article mentions terrible browser cliches, but in none of them did I read the word privoxy.
I am ready to technically support this endeavor and also proofread before publication.
Всего голосов 2: ↑2 и ↓0 +2
(−) much more expensive and in some countries requires de-anonymization (passport, use of a credit card, etc..)

AWS. All you need is the phone number you are calling and a credit card. The phone number is created using the left SIM card, and the card is created using qiwi via Tor from the same left SIM card. Immediately after activation, the phone and SIM card are thrown away.

in some countries

Nobody forces you to buy a server in these countries. And they ask for a scan of your passport, not the passport itself. A scan of the passport is made using the program. (Question for lawyers: is such a trick a crime from the point of view of the laws of the Russian Federation??)

(−) the hoster can track your IP addresses from which you make connections to the server

Can't if you connect to the server via Tor.

So, almost perfect anonymity and having an IP that is not blacklisted is actually almost free: free VPN (vpngate will do) + Tor + AWS. Access to the external Internet occurs only from AWS. I think the resources required to break this anonymity are enormous. For someone to start doing this (with unknown success), you have to do something very bad on the Internet (which none of us wants to do, of course). I repeat, this scheme is almost free for the user.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
>do something very bad on the Internet
Or something very unpleasant to someone powerful enough.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
I think it's the first option. To promote the above scheme, you need to act officially, Why do we need a situation where someone has been seriously harmed or is about to be harmed? For example, a criminal kidnapped a person and demands a ransom, and broadcasts the video from the place of detention through an onion website (hmm, in front of him it would be better to put a regular website with a reverse proxy to the onion website, so that it would be more convenient for the police to watch). Then there is a minimal chance that the node owners themselves will cooperate. There is a chance that a global observer will “reveal his cards” on this matter and help find out the location of the onion site. There are no other ways to do this (if the criminal worked cleanly). But to imagine that the owners of the nodes or the global observer agreed to meet them halfway because of the personal ambitions of someone influential - I doubt it. Even if they can, they can only do it once, after which their reputation will be ruined and people will start using other methods. However, someone influential can convince the public of the priority of their ambitions over the good of society and then pull off this scheme.

In general, if you don’t commit crimes, then there’s nothing to be afraid of..
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Depends on what you call crimes.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
Of the 1,640 people who voted, the most popular answer was “No way.” No one is interested in me” - 67% (1105). It’s great to understand that there are still not so many paranoids even on Habré.
Thanks for the survey.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
But in my opinion, on the contrary, 33% are concerned to one degree or another with their anonymity, this is a huge percentage.
Комментарий пока не оценивали 0
I checked the box there (among others) meaning “... although no one is interested in me».
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1
As correctly noted fossdev «crime is a flexible concept, today they will ban one thing, tomorrow they will ban another, before you know it you will become a criminal». habrahabr.ru/post/190136
> For example, jaws dropped at the sight of the closure of the popular website about the game EVE Online for “drugs” (which merely described the use of fictional chemicals on fictional characters) - and now the bill will also prohibit information about the methods of using “substances similar to narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances effects on the human body».
Can you imagine how such a law could fit “perfectly” with this? habrahabr.ru/post/178773?

Well, or for example, you sent a patch to the developers of Tor or i2p a couple of years ago and then suddenly you fall under the article: habrahabr.ru/post/182150. and so on.

> It’s great to understand that there are still not so many paranoids even on Habré.
Well, what's so beautiful about it??
Всего голосов 1: ↑1 и ↓0 +1