cross-posted from: https://hexbear.net/post/2646239

Many of you may or may not wonder what software to use. People may provide walls of text as a response, but you may just want something to reference without having to look into how the software works. I hope this can be that reference for all of you and anybody else who stumbles upon it. This is up for discussion and change, but I hope this can be a good baseline, as I myself have been making the changes to FOSS for a long time now, and it would be a good idea to have a recommended software/services page on Hexbear.

(The [*] marks the better option)

Workstations:

  • OS: Linux, I reccomend Fedora with GNOME (for a new, but efficient and simple feel) or KDE (similar to Windows with more customization), but I know some people like Mint for new users. Install as much software as possible on flatpaks.

For maximum anonimity and safety, use Tails. Runs on USB, wipes data when removed.

  • Browser: Firefox with Arkenfox, Tor Browser (For reliable anonimity; DO NOT ADD EXTENSIONS TO TOR BROWSER)

Mull can also be a good browser option with better content blocking. It is also not chromium, which while avoiding the monopoly, does leave it without site isolation (security feature) like other firefox mobile browsers.

  • Browser Extensions: Ublock Origin (add Adguard URL Tracking Protection and Easylist Cookies blocklists), Libredirect.
  • Office Suite: Libreoffice, OnlyOffice
  • Password Management: Secrets on GNOME, KeepassDX on KDE. DO NOT REUSE PASSWORDS OR IGNORE THIS STEP!!!
  • Music Downloading: Nicotine+ (Soulseek Client), make sure to use VPN
  • Music Listening: Gnome Music (GNOME), Elisa (KDE)
  • Network Permissions: Flatseal on GNOME, System Settings on KDE (search for “flatpak”).
  • BitTorrent: Fragments (GNOME), Qbittorrent(KDE)

Mobile Devices:

  • Phone: Google Pixel + Graphene OS*, Divest OS
  • Browser: Vanadium*(Only on GrapheneOS), Mulch, Tor Browser* (For reliable anonimity; DO NOT ADD EXTENSIONS TO TOR BROWSER)
  • App Stores: Fdroid Basic*, Aurora Store (Google Play replacement, use as needed)
  • Password Management: Keepass DX, DO NOT REUSE PASSWORDS OR IGNORE THIS STEP!!!
  • 2-Factor Authentication: Aegis (Android, 6 digit codes), Hardware Keys ($$$). SMS Verification is better than nothing, but avoid it if you can. DO NOT USE GOOGLE AUTHENTICATOR OR MICROSOFT EQUIVALENT
  • Music Streaming: Harmony Music
  • Music Listening: Auxio, Fossify Music
  • Network Permission: Graphene OS is the only OS that has this functionality, find it in permissions settings.
  • Camera: Graphene OS Secure Camera*, OpenCamera
  • Notes/To Do: Fossify Notes
  • Weather: Breezy Weather (Fdroid Version)
  • Navigation: Organic Maps
  • Voice Recordings: Fossify Voice Recorder
  • Keyboard: Helioboard
  • Lemmy: Jerboa
  • Youtube Front End: Libretube, Poketube (Web App)

Proprietary Apps (Social Media, Banking, etc.) are best used as Web Apps, as privacy and security benefit from the browser sandboxing.

General:

  • Search Engine: DuckDuckGo (more consistent, proprietary), SearXNG (open-source, less consistent).
  • Chats:
    • Large Groups (Like Discord, DO NOT USE DISCORD): Jami, Matrix
    • Small Groups/Individuals: Briar* (only on Android), Signal (Struggle Session on Signal, I know there might be something wrong but at the same time Signal seems to encrypt everything)
  • Email: Proton Mail + SimpleLogin Aliasing, try to avoid email as much as possible, Chat options are more private and secure.
  • File Sharing and Syncing: Syncthing, but don’t forget that you can directly transfer files from devices with usb-c and usb-a cables.
  • File Storage: Store files locally, sync between devices with Syncthing as needed. If you really need cloud storage, use Proton Drive.
  • Password Management: Bitwarden, more convinient than keepass, while eliminating the risk of losing the file or having to manually sync. Only downside is that data is stored on their servers if not self-hosting, meaning it’s a bit more vulnerable to data breaches.
  • VPN: Proton VPN for free, keep an account for each device as the free tier is limited to one device, Mullvad VPN* at a premium for reduced hassle and faster speeds(5 Euros per month)
  • Social Media: Cut down on big social media as much as possible. Relocate to the fediverse, and be careful with what you post, it’s still public. Do not post too much identifiable information, do not dox yourself.
  • Front Ends: Invidious (Youtube), Poketube (Youtube), Redlib (Reddit), and many others for a ton of different websites, all avaliable with the libredirect extension. I feel like the “datura.network” are pretty private and reliable, with a rotating IP to bypass blockage.

Got a lot of my info from here privacyguides.org, though some of this is based on my own experiences and suspicions.

If anything can be added, let me know! Love you all meow-hug

UPDATE: I’m bad at titles, so that’s up for a struggle session.

  • dead [he/him]@hexbear.netEnglish
    40·
    6 months ago

    This isn’t a guide to opsec as much as it is a guide to paranoia. Step 1 of OPSEC is figuring out your threat model, knowing who is trying to surveil you and why.

    If you are simply trying to avoid being doxxed online by right wingers, pretty much every software you listed is extremely excessive. Just don’t reuse usernames or passwords on different website and you are fine pretty much. Don’t post your real name.

    If you are trying to avoid surveillance by google or amazon, this is extremely difficult to the extent that you have to avoid most social media, block javascript on most websites making them nonfunctional, and even if you use a VPN, most people probably configure it incorrectly so that it’s still leaking DNS or something.

    If you are trying to avoid being surveilled by the government, your first mistake is owning a computer and a cellphone. Pretty much every computer and cellphone is known to have hardware backdoors since at least 2009. If you think you are going to avoid government surveillance, you’re going to have to be using some pre-2008 computer and rotating out burner phones.

    Besides that, pretty much everything you listed is a waste of time and effort. It’s a fun hobby maybe. It’s like when chuds spend thousands of dollars to buy some “zombie survival kit”.

    Posts like this operate on the premise that you should be hiding that you are a Leftist. Socialism is only going to come through public-facing organizing of the working class.

    What does real opsec look like? Knowing that you are being surveilled when you use any electronic device and not saying things that could incriminate you. Treat electronic devices like you are in a public space. When you shop at Walmart, you know that there are cameras that are recording you while you shop. Does that stop you from shopping at Walmart? No you just take in consideration that you are being recorded.

    • UrsineApathy [none/use any]@hexbear.netEnglish
      18·
      6 months ago

      What does real opsec look like? Knowing that you are being surveilled when you use any electronic device and not saying things that could incriminate you. Treat electronic devices like you are in a public space

      This the the unfortunate reality that most privacy focused individuals inevitably realize as they narrow down their threat model.

      The lengths that you need to go to to even attempt to have true anonymity are intensely identifying in and of themself because you will be an exceptionally unique user. It’s the same fallacy as burning your fingerprints off and it makes you more uniquely recognizable than before under scrutiny.