3. Your Computer

If you are buying a new computer, do not buy one with an Intel Pentium III processor. In fact, do not buy any Intel at all. Buy one with an AMD processor. It would be called for example K7-3 / 550. They are at least as fast and as good and they will not leak out serial numbers and personal information like Intel's does. Intel and Microsoft are not on the "protect the customers' privacy team." In fact Windows 98 and newer Windows operating systems and spies on you and sends information out about serial numbers of software and your personal registration information. Get at least 64 Mb of RAM; 128 MB is even better. Too little RAM gives you regular crashes.

4. Your Software

Do not register any software you purchase in your name. Type in alternate information. They have no right to know your personal details. You paid for the software when you bought it so you owe them nothing. If you want back-up service, who cares what they call you.

5. Your Browser

Do not use Internet Explorer, (any version). It works together with Windows 98 (and newer) and transmits personal information to Microsoft's database. Netscape is a little better. but not much. Load Netscape Navigator version 4.08 (Get it from the free CD on one of the computer magazines). Do not load Netscape Messenger or Netscape Communicator (their Email program). Netscape version 4.08 has fewer security leaks than any MS Internet Explorer.

Setting up of Netscape 4.08

Click on: Edit >Preferences > Smart Browsing and remove the check mark to turn off smart browsing altogether. Also select: Do not accept cookies. When I find a better browser I will let you know. One to watch is Opera or maybe the new version of Netscape.

6. Your Email Program

Both Netscape's Email program, (Communicator), and MS Outlook Express have security problems, (leaks). Use Eudora Pro version 4.3 www.eudora.com - it is free if you accept advertising and costs USD 40 without advertising. Eudora is wonderful to work with and supports the full version of PGP MIME. It also gives you many more options.

Microsoft is disliked very much by the people in the underground on the web. This is where the hackers are. Some of them also write viruses. Lately some have been aimed at Outlook and Outlook Express Email programs. Microsoft themselves have done their utmost to have your computer send all your details to their database and attach number identifiers to your documents, etc. To solve the problem, use Eudora for Emails and Word Perfect instead of Microsoft Word - they are far better anyway.

7. Anonymous Emails

For sending absolutely anonymous emails, with or without the above account, use an anonymizer / remailer like: www.anonymizer.com However, you can only receive a reply and still keep your anonymity if the recipient knows your return address, (which you obviously would not want to put in the email). That means you can communicate with someone without anyone being able to see who you, or they, are getting mail from or you can send someone a completely anonymous message. This would stand up to the closest scrutiny, bar a warrant delivered to the remailer. What if you were using, say, 3 remailers linked up on different continents? That is a lot of running around with warrants.

8. Protecting your Computer from Viruses

The best antivirus protection is: Antiviral Toolkit Pro (AVP) www.avp.ch. It is rated at 97 out of 120 possible. This should be compared with e.g. Nortons rating of 68 and McAfee's of 41. Please check the virus test sites listed at the end of this article.

9. Protect your computer from Hackers - Use a Firewall

A firewall is either a piece of hardware, (could be a complete computer), or a software program running on your computer. The object is to stop "anyone", including hackers, from hacking their way in to your computer where they can cause damage, view files or put keyboard monitoring programs like Back Orifice, (not a spelling mistake), onto your computer so they can "steal" your passwords by having the program perform a "Phone Home" leaking your details out. A good firewall will report any program wanting to access the internet giving you a chance to block it permanently and to identify the program so it can be deleted.

10. Encryption

Download PGP, (Pretty Good Privacy), encryption software from www.pgpi.com

Any version after 5.5.3 is easy to work with as it is integrated into Windows. Version 6.02 includes PGP disk, giving you a part of your hard drive which is encrypted where you can store private files. The latest version is PGP 6.5.3 which is said to have some problems and does not incorporate PGP disk in the freeware version. It removes PGP disk if it is installed on top of version 6.02.

To maximise anonymity and security while on the net:


Always browse the web via a proxy server and use a firewall. I believe the best, non-technical software is McAfee Personal Firewall, (Previously called ConSeal CPD). It can be downloaded from: www.mcafee.com Other good options are Norton Internet Security 2000 or Zone Alarm which can be downloaded for free from: www.zonelabs.com

1. Use a good Anti Virus protection program and update the Virus data files weekly.

2. Use PGP to communicate via email to your friends and business relations in complete privacy. (If PGP is used commercially, you must buy the retail version to get the right to do so. PGP 6.5.3 retail incorporates PGP Disk).

3. Set up a free account with www.hushmail.com for communicating with people who are not computer literate enough to use and install PGP. The hushmail server is located in Canada and is a registered company in Anguilla B.W.I.

Implementing all of the above, just like researching it, is a lot of trouble and it is not convenient, cheap or fast but it will keep you safe and ensure a better night's sleep!