[dba-Tech] Personal security

Right after the NSA scare and the realization that not only the US but all
countries now have or will soon have similar systems in place, to monitor
their citizens, personal privacy, there is a move towards concealing your
surfing identity.

Enter the Tor Browser: http://tor-browser.com/index.html

When the package has been installed on your system your roaming IP address
randomly changes per session or can be changed at any time. This product
does not encrypt your data but just makes it difficult for businesses to
reap your personal information, easily cross-index your search pretences,
limit your access to regional content and stops their continually monitor
your location. If you are at all politically active it will also make it
difficult for government to monitor you, if they decide you are in
disagreement with their current position.

The browser is built on the Mozilla engine and its features and it browser
functionality is similar to Firefox. It supports all major platforms but if
you are using Debian Linux distros like Ubuntu or Mint etc, there is a much
better and easier method of installation.

1. Go to your terminal window. (Alt-Ctrl-T)

2. Enter the appropriate repository for your hardware type:
	32 bit: $ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:upubuntu-com/tor
	64 bit: $ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:upubuntu-com/tor64

3. Do a general update of all the libraries, download and install the Tor
package:
$ sudo apt-get update
$ sudo apt-get install tor-browser

4. Set up the tor directory ownership and access rights for the current
logged in user.
$ sudo chown -R $USER ~/.tor-browser

I have already installed the package and it seems to work well...so far.
(Now if I can get access to my PBS videos...) ;-)

Aside: There has been some troubles with the Tor sites as it seems that
interest in the Tor browser has jumped sharply and this has invoked internet
wide certification issues as governments and businesses don't want this
package available as there is a feeling that the program will impact both
(their) web security and their business (financial) models. So what are your
feeling on this?

Jim