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Thursday, June 7, 2012
Browse Like Bond: Use Any Computer Without Leaving a Trace with Tails
June 7th, 2012Top StoryBrowse Like Bond: Use Any Computer Without Leaving a Trace with TailsBy Thorin Klosowski
In this post, we'll walk through how to use a USB stick or DVD to anonymize, encrypt, and hide everything you do on a computer no matter where you are. When we say "browse without leaving a trace", we truly mean it. Using the Linux-based, live-boot operating system Tails (The Amnesiac Incognito Live System), you can use any computer anywhere without anyone knowing you were ever on it. Tails is a portable operating system with all the security bells and whistles you'll ever need already installed on it. You can install Tails on one of your many dust-gathering USB drives or a DVD. We'll show you how to set up your own portable boot disc in the second section, but let's start by taking a look at what you get with Tails. What Tails Is and What's Packed Into ItThe magic of Tails is that you don't have to do a lick of work: once you create your boot disc you'll have a completely anonymous, totally private operating system preloaded with all the software you (or James Bond) would need. What's packed into it? Let's take a look. The Software Packed Directly into Tails
Now let's walk through how to set up a boot disc for yourself. Step-by-Step Guide to Set Up Your Own Tails DVD or USB Drive
Step 1: Download the Necessary FilesYou need to download two different files to get started with Tails: an ISO (an image of Tails that is burned to a disc) and a cryptographic signature to verify the ISO image:
The developers behind Tails recommend you verify your Tails ISO to make sure it's an officially released version that hasn't been tampered with. We won't walk through that process here, but they have instructions on their web site for Windows and Mac or Linux. Step 2: Burn Tails to a CD/DVDYou can find documentation for creating a Tails USB from scratch on each operating system here. Alternately, you can more easily make bootable USB installation of Tails after you boot from a Tails live DVD. For our purposes we're going to burn Tails to a bootable DVD because it's an easier process than creating a USB stick from scratch. On Windows: Right-click the ISO image, select Burn Disc Image, select your DVD drive. On Mac: Right-click the ISO image, select Burn "tails..." to Disc, select your DVD drive. Once it's finished burning let's boot into Tails and kick the tires. Step 4: Boot into TailsStick your Tails DVD, CD, or thumb drive into your computer and reboot. The process for booting into a disc or external drive depends on your system, so lets look at how to do it on Windows and Mac. Click to view On a Windows System: Different Windows computers have different default settings for booting from an external drive. If yours doesn't already check for a boot DVD first you can always edit the BIOS boot order (often the DEL key at startup) to make sure your computer looks for a CD or USB before it starts. Alternately, you can closely watch the BIOS screen at the beginning of your computers startup for the Boot options shortcut (usually one of the function keys). When you get to the boot option menu, select your DVD drive and you'll boot into Tails. On a Mac System: When you turn on your Mac immediately press and hold down the Option key to access the Startup Manager. Select the Tails DVD (the description will actually say "Windows") and you'll boot into Tails. Step 5 (Optional): Clone the DVD onto a USB Drive
When the installation is complete you'll have a bootable USB drive. The benefit of the USB drive is that any files you create in Tails are saved and encrypted directly on your device. However, a USB drive could theoretically be hacked into if you leave it around which is why the ultra-paranoid might prefer a read-only DVD for Tails. Also, Macs don't support USB booting without downloading and installing additional software called rEFit. This means you have to download and install rEFit on every Mac you want to boot into Tails from a USB drive. Creating a bootable Tails disc is a simple process and a great use for one of those USB drives you have laying around doing nothing. Since you can use Tails on about any public computer you run into it's a great way to keep your browsing and usage hidden from the world. It's even beneficial on your home computer since you don't have to alter your system in any way.  |
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Viral Video of Shell Oil Party Disaster Is Fake, Unfortunately
June 7th, 2012Top StoryViral Video of Shell Oil Party Disaster Is Fake, UnfortunatelyBy Adrian Chen
The story went that this video was shot by an Occupy Wall street protester named Logan Price who infiltrated a private party called "New Frontiers" thrown by Shell to celebrate the impending expansion of offshore drilling operations into the Arctic. Shell set up a replica of the Kulluk oil rig that will be doing the drilling and invited the widow of the man who designed the rig to symbolically "tap the arctic" and fill her glass with liquor poured from the top of the model rig. But, whoops, the pump malfunctioned and spewed all over her. Now that's symbolism! "if Shell can't even handle a three-foot replica of a rig that pumps booze, how is the company going to fare in the Arctic deep?" laughed Tree hugger. The story was also picked up by the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Gothamist and our geeky cousin Gizmodo. Unfortunately, the whole thing is an elaborate fake. The event was ostensibly organized by the communications firm Wainwright & Shore, according to the "New Frontiers" page on Eventbrite. There's a fancy invitation, which looks legit. But a note at the bottom thanks the Joint Pacific Energy Leadership Council, which, according to Google, does not exist outside of this event. The main proof that this is a hoax comes from the website of Wainwright & Shore, "a full service, integrated marketing public relations and interactive firm" supposedly based in Houston, Texas. Wainwright & Shore boasts "The company donates more than 300 hours of pro bono services to non-profit clients each year." But according to the whois records, the domain was registered just last month. And the clincher: The domain name server is Mayfirst.org, a lefty-radical hosting company which was also used by notorious pranksters the Yes Men to host a fake Bank of America website back in April. The video is fake. We're guessing the whole thing is an anti-Shell Yes Men stunt. (Logan Price, the guy who shot the video, was once quoted in a Yes Men press release.) Good one, guys. Update: Shell spokeswoman Kayla Macke emails:
Update II: Although the game is up, whoever was behind the hoax is trying to keep it going a bit longer. When we called the number listed on the Wainwright & Shore website a man with a British accent claiming to be with Wainwright & Shore answered and said he had "no idea" about the hoax, but promised someone would call back. Meanwhile, Logan Price, the guy who "infiltrated" the party, is keeping mum on Twitter. He just got on a plane:
Update III: AdAge reports that someone is now sending out fake press releases on Shell's behalf claiming Shell is going to sue the activists responsible for this fake video. Shell denies sending them. Fakes upon fakes!  |
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Skyrim's Massive Dawnguard Sounds Like a Proper Old-School RPG Expansion
June 7th, 2012Top StorySkyrim's Massive Dawnguard Sounds Like a Proper Old-School RPG ExpansionBy Kirk Hamilton
Ready for some delicious bullet-points? Of course you are. Mmm. Bullet points. Here's what I gleaned from my time with the game and my chat with Howard:
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