Slashdot Mirror
Google Wants To Help You Tiptoe Around the NSA & the Great Firewall of China
Kyle Jacoby writes "The NSA was right when it postulated that the mere knowledge of the existence of their program could weaken its ability to function. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), which serve to mask the source and destination of data by routing it through a third-party server, have been a popular method for maintaining internet anonymity for the paranoid and prudent. However, the all-but-silent fall of secure email server Lavabit, and VPN provider CryptoSeal, have shown us just how pervasive the government's eye on our communications is. These companies chose to fold rather than to divulge customer data entrusted to them, which raises the million-dollar question: how many have chosen to remain open and silently hand over the keys to your data? Google has decided to put the private back in VPN by supporting uProxy, a project developed at the University of Washington with help from Brave New Software. Still using a VPN schema, their aim is to keep the VPN amongst friends (literally). Of course, you'll need a friend who is willing to let you route your net through their tubes. Their simple integration into Firefox and Chrome will lower the barrier, creating a decentralized VPN architecture that would make sweeping pen register orders more difficult, and would also make blocking VPNs a rather difficult task for countries like China, who block citizens' access to numerous websites. On a related note, when will the public finally demand that communications which pass encrypted through a third party still retain an reasonable expectation of privacy (rendering them pen register order-resistant)?"
Google has decided to put the private back in VPN by supporting uProxy,
Even if they don't plan to install a backdoor, it is hard to believe in Google's interest in our privacy.
Who supported privacy measures before Snowden's revelations?
to allow ppl to avoid Google's eavesdropping....
This is known. That is why the penalty for espionage tends to be capital punishment or life imprisonment.
Your PINs are protected by "security through obscurity," by the way. Your health records, school records, and tax records are protected in the same way as the secrets that Snowden stole.
By the way, the phrase "security through obscurity" is a reference to encryption schemes that rely upon the algorithm not being known for its protective value, not to the general idea of keeping secrets.
uProxy has been compromised and should not be trusted.
I don't get what's so nice about it, the NSA already knows who I am friends with. So no matter how we route traffic in our min-TOR, all exits identify us. The whole point of VPNs, TOR etc. is to hide within massive noise.
No, if Google actually wanted that, they'd make their search engine work with Tor instead of saying "I'm sorry, but we're recieving a high volume of suspicious requests from your computer..." with a picture of a robot giving you the middle finger next to it. What Google wants is for you to use their service, and if that means pandering to the "NSA is evil" crowd, they'll make trivial gestures about privacy to attract them.
But Google is in bed with the NSA, CIA, DHS, etc., as is all other large corporations because if you don't play ball with them, you don't get to play. At all. No PR is going to convince me otherwise, and you would be wise to do the same.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
"Trust me," said the fox to the hen, "You can keep your eggs in my basket and I'll make sure the other foxes don't eat them."
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
OpenVPN (and therefore probably this solution) can be configured to appear as though it's normal SSL traffic (like you're visiting an https web URL). It's one of the things that makes OpenVPN so great, and hard to block.
This is more BS from Google. They open their infrastructure up to the NSA and get caught (who are you going to believe? Google or Snowden?), and now they keep on dribbling pathetic treats to us.
Stop using Chrome. Stop using gmail. Move your data outside the u.s.
"when will the public finally demand that communications which pass encrypted through a third party still retain an reasonable expectation of privacy (rendering them pen register order-resistant)?"
As soon as NSA spying prevents them from watching "Dancing With the Stars" and "Honey Boo Boo".
I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
Funny how Google is trying to come up with ways around the Great Firewall of China when, contrary to their 'do no evil', awhile ago was tailoring their search engine for China to accomidate their government rather than defeat the Firewall. I'm sure you can find at least one /. article about this in the archives...
Laughter is the Spackle of the Soul.
Obscurity of the right things is a fundamental layer of security. When the phrase "security by obscurity" is used correctly, it is to deride a reliance on keeping the wrong things obscure, like fundamental algorithms.
Making it open source would be a good start building trust... we'll see. Seeing as the VPN is only between friends, data doesn't ever have to see a google server, so there's not a whole lot of trusting that NEEDS to happen.
And immediately afterwards Google updated their policies to clarify that personal servers were allowed. Non-commercial VPN is explicitly allowed.
Legally, any company is required, by the unconstitutional law the NSA uses, to NOT disclose they are giving your information away.
Like Microsoft, Adobe, Apple, Google, and all your communications providers.
All of them.
Every. Single. One.
Did I mention the backdoors in the chips in your computer and your comm gear?
-- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
I'd like to see Google make an effort to build GPG into their product and make it easy for people to use.
If anyone can do it, it's Google, but they won't. It's hard to deliver targeted advertising when you can't read your users' email.
I don't get what's so nice about it, the NSA already knows who I am friends with. So no matter how we route traffic in our min-TOR, all exits identify us. The whole point of VPNs, TOR etc. is to hide within massive noise.
I want no part of "Google freedom". Their self driving cars? If these are the norm, they'll know where you are - all the time - and be queriable for your violations of speed limits and other "indiscretions".
If you trust them for VPN? How are keys generated? Who is the root of trust? This is your real question.
This idiom reflects the ever closer union between the State Department and Silicon Valley, as personified by Mr. Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, and Mr. Cohen, a former adviser to Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton who is now director of Google Ideas.
-- Julian Assange, The Banality of 'Don't Be Evil"
I'm with Admiral Ackbar, on this one:
"IT'S A TRAP!"
"Flyin' in just a sweet place,
Never been known to fail..."
Switzerland is a more realistic choice. They have very strong data protection laws and don't have the shenanigans you see happening in the EU.
And would never get involved in money laundering either.