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I'm unclear on the basis for calling this person paranoid.
Isn't it established post-Edward Snowden that the U.S. government spies on ordinary citizens? Edward Snowden is not alleged to have invented anything. His revelations were accurate. That's why he's called a traitor by some and a hero by others.
Oh, I'm not calling him paranoid just because he's concerned about government surveillance. I call him paranoid because, as the author, I can imagine him anyway I wish.
I also call him paranoid for the purpose of posting the question - if I just ask about computer security I would get the reasonable things the average person would do. I need to know what someone with - let's say more-than-average concern for privacy would do.
I'm still working out some plot points, but the idea is this guy believes the moon landings are a hoax, and JFK faked his death is living with Elvis (See the film Bubba Ho-Tep for more info). He finished high school and has a certificate in computer networks. He isn't military, ex-military or ex-anything. NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT if this describes you. This is a fictional character!
He meets a mysterious woman who leads him into a real conspiracy. We'll see who is crazy then!
I've worked in IT myself, and tech heads love the 'if you could do anything' type of questions - I've worked with database security with logins, roles, groups, etc. Internet connections, I'm not expert.
Using an unsecured, public Wi-Fi access, I just hack into Dude111's Windows98 system (any script kiddie can do under a minute) using a Live version of Kali Linux with files on an encrypted flash drive partition.
Then from there, I do my shady surfing while Dude is watching the newly purchased Empire Strikes Back on VHS!
PS. Thanks for the Tails tip Peregrine! Talk about "paranoid"!
I also call him paranoid for the purpose of posting the question - if I just ask about computer security I would get the reasonable things the average person would do. I need to know what someone with - let's say more-than-average concern for privacy would do.
I'm not sure what you mean by "more than average" concern for privacy.
The standard is the 4th amendment. It is illegal to search computers, which are protected, without a warrant that states what information is being sought. Period.
Outside of the 4th amendment, what people consider to be acceptable varies wildly. Some Hollywood stars, for example, seek out the camera on their free time. Others punch paparrazi. There is no social standard for what constitutes a violation of privacy. But there is a legal standard, the 4th amendment, which the government surveillance agencies currently ignore.
I don't know how old you are, but many decades ago the Soviets were held up to us as an unacceptable example of a police state. What they were doing at the time in terms of surveillance was very mild compared to the state of affairs in the U.S. today.
I'm very old. I'm well aware of the Soviet Union and it's history.
When the story is finished (I'm going for novella length, so a pretty short read) I will send you a message with a link to the Amazon page for it. I look forward to reading your review.
In fact, I was just reading about early Soviet counter-intelligence efforts - they were quite adept at setting up fake anti-communist groups to attract dissidents. They wiped several White Russian leaders by luring them in and arresting them.
So if I was the NSA, what would I do today? I'd set up Anonymous and the Tor Project and all the hacktivist collectives. Let them all come to me, then when the moment is right...
How will you ever know unwillingphoenician? How would you ever know......?
Last edited by IamReady2Move; 01-06-2016 at 06:41 PM..
Reason: new thought
I'm very old. I'm well aware of the Soviet Union and it's history.
When the story is finished (I'm going for novella length, so a pretty short read) I will send you a message with a link to the Amazon page for it. I look forward to reading your review.
In fact, I was just reading about early Soviet counter-intelligence efforts - they were quite adept at setting up fake anti-communist groups to attract dissidents. They wiped several White Russian leaders by luring them in and arresting them.
So if I was the NSA, what would I do today? I'd set up Anonymous and the Tor Project and all the hacktivist collectives. Let them all come to me, then when the moment is right...
How will you ever know unwillingphoenician? How would you ever know......?
Why would I want to know?
Last edited by unwillingphoenician; 01-06-2016 at 08:23 PM..
I don't think this is a good thread for that subject. There is a Current Events and a Politics forum, you know.
OK. Removed it.
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