Edward Snowden's OS of choice gets a major update (opens in new tab)

(engadget.com)

16 pointsmo10y ago12 comments

12 comments

Damn, and I just fresh loaded/configured/updated Debian 8.1.0 two weeks ago on home & laptop... here we go again. I may not be able to eradicate the corporate/guv snoops from my life, but I sure as damn will not sit back and allow them to run roughshod over my privacy by mining my every action. Limiting is the goal, mis-info is the entertainment.

Anyone know what Snowden types use for mobile? Tracfone? CM variant? Maemo?

anonbanker10y ago

Snowden has referred people to the CIA standards for secure telephones: Baseband limited to data only, VPN'ed into VoIP server to make/receive phone calls. I believe he was still using Android to do this.

Any smart person would get a cheap chinese knock-off phone based on a MediaTek MT6592 with a bunch of RAM, install vanilla linux on it, and run YateClient or Plasma Mobile. Combined with VPN, data-only, and VoIP, this would be an enormous pain for anyone to be able to properly track.

jakeogh10y ago

Any specific models in mind? I would love to run vanilla linux on my phone. Checking ebay, I see a few with 2GB (like UMI ZERO MT6592T), 4 would be really nice.

1 more reply

mixmastamyk10y ago

> Anyone know what Snowden types use for mobile?

Airplane mode.

mark_l_watson10y ago

Kudos for the version 2 release.

I must admit feeling that we have lost the fight when protecting ourselves from governments, considering the resources they have.

My fight now is trying to opt out of corporate invasion of my privacy. I am also concerned that the privacy of school children, using school infrastructure, is poorly protected against profile data that will follow them forever.

waspleg10y ago

That last point is far worse than you think. In my school the principal is entirely enamored with all things apple and google and wants to mandate certain staff have twitter accounts. This is unwittingly signing up lots of people for life long tracking. Although, many already do it to themselves with no thought whatsoever to what the repercussions are, or that there may even be any. Many other schools are even worse.

plasticxme10y ago

Tin foil hats a side, I assume it would be an account used only for professional reasons, allowing students to reach out to their teachers.

However, if the teacher is incapable of separating personal life from work, there could be repercussions.

2 more replies

anonbanker10y ago

Snowden was looking into Qubes more than Tails as a more secure alternative. But don't let the truth stop a good sensationalist name-dropping headline.

waspleg10y ago

I was thinking the same thing.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

12 comments

tunap10y ago

Anyone know what Snowden types use for mobile? Tracfone? CM variant? Maemo?

anonbanker10y ago

jakeogh10y ago

Any specific models in mind? I would love to run vanilla linux on my phone. Checking ebay, I see a few with 2GB (like UMI ZERO MT6592T), 4 would be really nice.

1 more reply

mixmastamyk10y ago

> Anyone know what Snowden types use for mobile?

Airplane mode.

mark_l_watson10y ago

Kudos for the version 2 release.

I must admit feeling that we have lost the fight when protecting ourselves from governments, considering the resources they have.

waspleg10y ago

plasticxme10y ago

Tin foil hats a side, I assume it would be an account used only for professional reasons, allowing students to reach out to their teachers.

However, if the teacher is incapable of separating personal life from work, there could be repercussions.

2 more replies

anonbanker10y ago

Snowden was looking into Qubes more than Tails as a more secure alternative. But don't let the truth stop a good sensationalist name-dropping headline.

waspleg10y ago

I was thinking the same thing.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse