Intro/Projects

[Mirimir]

On 12/06/2016 07:43 AM, Charles Fox wrote:
> I agree Windows would be the weak link, but I think it is easier 
> to persuade someone to install an add-in than to learn Linux.

Please reply inline. It's hard to follow with top-posting.

Anyway, oshwm also noted that, with strong encryption, you _and_ Windows
both become weak links. See below about Windows.

<SNIP>

> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: Intro/Projects
> Local Time: December 5, 2016 11:17 PM
> UTC Time: December 6, 2016 7:17 AM
> From: oshwm at openmailbox.org
> To: [random asshole], cypherpunks at lists.cpunks.org

<SNIP>

> If your encryption is sufficiently strong (ppl seem happy with
> AES256, any better suggestions) and your random number generator
> wasn't designed or influenced by the NSA then you're likely to
> keep your information private.
> 
> Note that you will then become the weak link and if the
> information is sufficiently important then it will get painful :)

Right. Against resourceful adversaries, anonymity arguably becomes as
important as strong encryption. If they know who to coerce, it doesn't
matter so much that they can't break the encryption.

> In terms of a Windows (you said Outlook) based remailer then I'd
> see Windows as the weak link, especially if its v7/8 or 10.
> Cheers.

The problem with Windows is that there's no way to know what it logs,
what information it sends, or where it sends it. So it's impossible to
keep anything reliably private. Not your identity. Not any encryption
credentials. Nothing is private.

So sure, it's probably "easier to persuade someone to install an add-in
than to learn Linux". But would that be helping them, or putting them at
greater risk, through false belief in privacy and security?

I do agree that it's unrealistic to expect most people to dual-boot
Windows and Linux. Or to devote a computer to Linux. But installing
VirtualBox in Windows is trivial, and most Linux VMs only need 1GB RAM.
Also, there are Linux distros that provide a similar desktop experience
<http://www.tecmint.com/best-alternative-linux-distributions-for-windows-users/>.