@ -0,0 +1,176 @@
|
||||
---
|
||||
title: "Online Privacy Guide"
|
||||
date: 2022-12-05T09:41:23+02:00
|
||||
draft: true
|
||||
toc: false
|
||||
images:
|
||||
tags:
|
||||
- open-source
|
||||
- privacy
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
One benefit of using [libre software](../why-libre-software/) is the privacy
|
||||
you're getting. Libre software usually contains **no spyware**, **no trackers**
|
||||
and **no ads**, because if it did, it could be easily pointed out in the source
|
||||
code **and removed by forking the project**.
|
||||
|
||||
The same can't be said about closed-source software, because, not being able to
|
||||
audit the source code, its privacy is as good as the developer promises. There
|
||||
have been many cases of software **lying about it's data collection**, or
|
||||
hiding it deep inside their terms of service.
|
||||
|
||||
Thus, the first step to have a more private internet experience is using libre
|
||||
software only. However, even with libre software, there are some additional
|
||||
steps required to ensure better privacy.
|
||||
|
||||
# Identifying a threat model
|
||||
You cannot have both **privacy** and **convenience**. There is always a tradeoff
|
||||
between the two. For this reason it is important to establish a personal threat
|
||||
model you want to protect against, to know how far to go. The goal should be
|
||||
obtaining a balance between the two, not going all out on one.
|
||||
|
||||
{{< image src="/images/pepe-paranoid.webp" position="center" style="width: 50%" >}}
|
||||
|
||||
### Possible thread models
|
||||
1. Strangers
|
||||
2. Family, friends
|
||||
3. Stalkers
|
||||
4. Companies
|
||||
5. Governments
|
||||
6. **Everyone**
|
||||
|
||||
The lower on the list, the higher privacy you should seek. This guide will help
|
||||
you improve only your online privacy. If you set a thread model between the
|
||||
last two, you should also look into hardware privacy, such as [libre boot](https://libreboot.org/)
|
||||
and [degoogled Android phone](https://grapheneos.org/).
|
||||
|
||||
# Step 1 - Browser
|
||||
The browser is the program you use the most, so it makes sense to secure it.
|
||||
There are a few things to look out for in a good browser:
|
||||
* Provides a way to disable **javascript**
|
||||
* Is **open-source**
|
||||
* Does not phone home (or provides a way to disable phoning home)
|
||||
* Does not connect to any unsolicited IPs
|
||||
|
||||
Knowing this, we can definetely say that the following browsers are a threat
|
||||
for your privacy: **Google Chrome**, **Opera**, **Safari**, **Microsoft Edge**.
|
||||
|
||||
## Good practices
|
||||
1. Clear your cache everytime you close your browser.
|
||||
2. Use only non-javascript website when possible.
|
||||
3. Spoof your **user agent** to fit in with the others. Make sure you [are not
|
||||
unique](https://amiunique.org/fpNoJS).
|
||||
4. Use privacy friendly alternatives for popular websites (see the guide below)
|
||||
|
||||
There are a few browsers out there that provide good privacy, while also having
|
||||
modern features. I will rank them based on the privacy they provide outside the
|
||||
box. You should choose a browser based on your threat model, needs and
|
||||
experience with tinkering with configurations.
|
||||
|
||||
## [Firefox](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/)
|
||||
[{{< image src="/images/firefox.webp" position="center" style="width: 25%;" >}}](https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/)
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy Level: **Low**
|
||||
|
||||
**Firefox** is the default browsers on **most Linux distributions**. This makes it
|
||||
a solid option for new users and people just begining their privacy journey.
|
||||
Although not a good solution in the long run, Firefox provides an undispensable
|
||||
basis for other browsers, being a direct competitor to Chromium.
|
||||
|
||||
Firefox phones home by default and has javascript enabled. Firefox can have a
|
||||
**high** privacy level if applying [arkenfox's
|
||||
user.js](https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/) and installing
|
||||
privacy extensions. A simple and efficient guide for hardening Firefox can be
|
||||
found [here](https://spyware.neocities.org/guides/firefox.html).
|
||||
|
||||
## [Librewolf](https://librewolf.net/)
|
||||
[{{< image src="/logos/librewolf.svg" position="center" style="width: 25%;" >}}](https://librewolf.net/)
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy level: **Medium**
|
||||
|
||||
**Librewolf** is a fork of Firefox aiming to fix all of its parent's problems. It
|
||||
hardens firefox and ships **uBlock Origin** by default, a powerful ad blocking and
|
||||
javascript blocking tool.
|
||||
|
||||
Librewolf phones home at startup, although it can be disabled from
|
||||
**about:config**. If all you want is a browser that works, Librewolf is the
|
||||
middle ground for privacy and convenience.
|
||||
|
||||
## [GNU IceCat]()
|
||||
[{{< image src="/logos/icecat.svg" position="center" style="width: 25%;" >}}]()
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy level: **Very high**
|
||||
|
||||
**IceCat** is GNU's fork of Firefox. It is the best Firefox alternative because
|
||||
it provides the most privacy features, however they come at the cost of
|
||||
usability. IceCat is known for easily breaking website due to its LibreJS feature.
|
||||
|
||||
It is a good option if you need to browse the internet safely and don't care
|
||||
about some sites that require javascript not working. If your thread model is
|
||||
high enough you should only use non-javascrript website anyways.
|
||||
|
||||
## [Ungoogled Chromium](https://github.com/ungoogled-software/ungoogled-chromium)
|
||||
[{{< image src="/logos/chromium.svg" position="center" style="width: 25%;" >}}](https://github.com/ungoogled-software/ungoogled-chromium)
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy level: **High**
|
||||
|
||||
**Ungoogled Chromium** is Google Chrome without **trackers**, **ads**,
|
||||
**phoning home**, **Google search engine**, **Google Extension Store**,
|
||||
**Google accounts**. Therefore it is very minimal and does not provide any
|
||||
privacy features out of the box.
|
||||
|
||||
Its downside is that you have to compile it and it is not user friendly,
|
||||
installing extensions being a tidious taask. However, if you need a chromium
|
||||
based browser, it is the best solution out there.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
## [Brave](https://brave.com/)
|
||||
[{{< image src="/logos/brave.svg" position="center" style="width: 25%;" >}}](https://brave.com/)
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy level: **Medium**
|
||||
|
||||
**Brave** is the browser based on Chromium that advertised itself as **the**
|
||||
browser for privacy. It comes with good privacy features outside the box,
|
||||
however it is known for adding spyware features in the past, such as
|
||||
**telemetry**, **auto-updates** and **Brave Rewards**.
|
||||
|
||||
Should be used if Chromium engine is required and Ungoogled Chromium cannot be
|
||||
compiled in a reasonable amount of time.
|
||||
|
||||
### Now that you chose a browser, we should focus on your web activity.
|
||||
|
||||
# Step 2 - Privacy friendly services
|
||||
|
||||
Even if you have a secure browser, your data is still accesible if you **simply
|
||||
hand it over** to Google, Facebook or other companies. You should aim to
|
||||
replace **all of your services** from these companies with privacy friendly
|
||||
alternatives.
|
||||
|
||||
You can see the privacy friendly services **hosted by ElPengu** [here](../../services).
|
||||
|
||||
## Search Engines
|
||||
|
||||
### {{< image src="/logos/librex.png" position="relative" style="height: 2.15rem; width: 2.15rem; margin-right: 15px" >}} [LibreX](https://github.com/hnhx/librex/)
|
||||
|
||||
{{< image src="/images/librex-interface.webp" position="center" style="width: 75%" >}}
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy level: **Very high**
|
||||
|
||||
**LibreX** is a meta search engine that pulls Google results. It uses **no
|
||||
javascript**, therefore your search queries can't be tracked.
|
||||
|
||||
Other useful features are torrent search and onion link search.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
### {{< image src="/logos/searx.png" position="relative" style="height: 2.15rem; width: 2.15rem; margin-right: 15px" >}} [SearXNG](https://github.com/searxng/searxng)
|
||||
|
||||
{{< image src="/images/searxng-interface.webp" position="center" style="width: 75%" >}}
|
||||
|
||||
Privacy level: **High**
|
||||
|
||||
**SearXNG** is a fork of Searx, a meta search engine that pulls results from
|
||||
**a lot** of search engines, including Google, DuckDuckGo, Startpage. It
|
||||
requires javascript for proper use, which can be maliciously modified by the
|
||||
host, but has the advantage of customizability.
|
||||
|
||||
|
||||
@ -0,0 +1 @@
|
||||
<p style="{{- (.Get 0) -}} display: inline-block;"> {{- ( .Get 1 ) -}} </p>
|
||||
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 42 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 15 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 99 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 36 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 101 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 11 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 15 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 432 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 21 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 126 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 38 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 40 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 21 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 226 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 15 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 12 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 4.4 KiB |
|
Before Width: | Height: | Size: 294 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 9.6 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 4.0 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 4.1 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 20 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 5.8 KiB |
|
After Width: | Height: | Size: 40 KiB |