Facebook, Whatsapp, Hangouts and Skype are especially espionáveis. Windows and OS X, too. Here’s how GNU / Linux and recover encryption allow privacy
Andrew Solnik *
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Previous column Texts:
Why use open formats
You can also migrate
Open Letter to Bill Gates
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What operating system is more secure: Windows, OS X or GNU / Linux? From time to time this issue resurfaces in any forum on the Internet and is followed by a flurry of messages defending one of the three. Some more passionate, other more technical, but none able to end this impasse once and for all
When someone asks me that question, I prefer to stimulate debate starting with the following statement:. A proprietary operating system will never be safe. Not here, not in the CIA. “Liar! Slanderer! My Windows never even picked up a virus! “Railed the most exalted readers. Calm, explain myself.
An operating system is basically a set of programs that manages the resources of a computer (processor, memory, files, etc.). A program, in turn, is nothing more than a series of statements that accurately describes its operation.
Just like that amazing cake grandmother, all computer program follows a recipe. Grandmother has releasing a good income, but also has grandmother passing a lock on the kitchen door to that delight out of the oven. Loosely speaking, it is more or less so with free software and proprietary software
Revenue -. Or, in technical terms, the source code – a free software can be studied, copied, modified and improved by anyone. If the recipe is available, anyone can go after possible failures. And of course, the more eye of people, the greater the chances of it being safe.
On the other hand, revenues from proprietary software is an absolute secret. How can we be sure that there in the middle of those millions of lines of source code there is no malicious instruction that can, say, turn on the microphone of your notebook and record audio without your consent? We can not, just as we can not be sure which ingredients go on the cake of the grandmother who insists on locking her grandchildren to off the kitchen.
Now, if an operating system consists of a set of proprietary software, your safety is seriously compromised. This does not mean that they can not be security holes in free software. In fact, several holes have been found. Make available the source code does not automatically become a safe program, but is a necessary condition so that it can be
Let it be clear:. No system is 100% secure, but the more layers of protection, the better. The replacement of a proprietary operating system for another free operating system like GNU / Linux is an important choice in this regard. However, even using the Windows or OS X can take some steps to make your little less vulnerable system. How about you start taking care of your communication?
I bet when you created an email account nobody told that their messages could be easily intercepted. His talks in Gtalk, Hangouts, Facebook, Whatsapp and Skype are also not safe. They have all received very low scores on the Scorecard Secure Messaging prepared by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. To prevent a third party can eavesdrop their messages as they travel over the Internet, there are two basic requirements:. Use and abuse of free software and encryption end to end
Encrypt to code, and only those who know the key can read the original content. Encryption efficient systems are quite complex under the hood, but do not need any advanced technical knowledge for use in everyday life.
To encrypt your e-mails, my tip is to follow the excellent tutorial Self-Defense in e-mail written by the Free Software Foundation. So that your chat conversations Gtalk and other similar services are also encrypted, read this other tutorial and learn how to use the Pidgin messaging client with the OTR protocol in Windows (for OS X download Adium, which comes with installed OTR, and follow this step by step).
The Cryptocat (available for Chrome, Firefox, OS X and iOS) is a great app to hit a group chat and / or transfer files safety. Download the jitsi to make video calls and phone calls. It is similar to Skype, with the advantage of gathering all your contacts from different messaging services on a list only.
In the cell, the ChatSecure (available for Android and iOS) fulfills the same function as Pidgin. The pair TextSecure and RedPhone – text messaging applications and voice call respectively – replace Whatsapp up (available for Android, iOS, download Signal, which fulfills the same functions and is compatible with both)
Even if you have nothing to hide, keep in mind that using encryption protects the privacy of people with whom you are communicating and hinders the work of mass surveillance programs.
If you want to continue to explore the issue, the friendly manual has ox on the line? explains briefly how to fight surveillance on the Internet. The self-defense against surveillance guide explains basic concepts and provides detailed tutorials on how to protect themselves. For a complete list of good software and secure services for all platforms, be sure to consult the PRISM Break
And the most valuable tip:. Do not rely blindly on the information this text nor the indicated sites. Continue researching. Happy reading!
* André Solnik a student and activist of the movement for free software
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