0227199208142014

0227199208142014.tumblr.com

0227199208142014:
thenerdyredneck:

Reformatting the hard drive and re installing the OS might not be a bad idea.
other options off the top of my head:
make sure your firewall is turned on. On Windows (I’m just assuming you’re on Windows) Go to Start - Control Panel - System and Security - Windows Firewall. On the left toolbar there’s an option “Turn Windows Firewall on or off”
Make sure you have an antivirus installed. There’s plenty of free ones available. I’ve had good luck with AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, and Avast!. Plenty of options, lots of options, take your pick.
MalwareBytes - will help find viruses and malware the antivirus misses.
Spybot - gets rid of spyware installed on your computer
KeePass or LastPass - Both free password managers. make a single super strong password for you to remember and it stores the rest. Even allows up to 256 randomly generated passwords
Encrypt your sensitive files. Personally I use TrueCrypt, but in the last few months they’ve stopped updating the program. There’s been a lot of speculation the US government made them stop because they couldn’t break the encryption, but you can take that as you wish. There’s other options too, but I don’t remember what they are and haven’t used them personally.
Route your internet traffic through a VPN if possible. It helps keep your data secure and hidden, though I haven’t set this up yet and can’t assist much.
TOR - also known as onion routing. it’s an online community designed to stay hidden online. be aware, just researching it puts you on the NSA’s radar as a person of interest. If you’d like, I can send an installer instead of you researching it yourself. I know I’m on the list already, so I’m not worried about it.
Run a virtual Linux environment, or dual boot your computer. Linux is much harder to hack into and hack than Windows is. You can either dual boot your computer so when the computer turns on you can choose which operating system you want to run. Otherwise, you can run Virtualbox or VMWare. It creates a virtual computer inside your existing operating system. You can install linux or any other operating system inside of this, as if it was a physical computer. (Supposedly researching linux puts you on the NSA radar as well. Not surprisingly)
I know I’m missing a few simple options, but I can’t think of them right now. Feel free to message me with questions and I’ll see if I can help
This is excellent advice! A few details:
I’m on a Mac, and it’s been my main and only computer for the past 8 months, so Mac alternatives for many of these programs would be hella useful.
I ran a few antivirus and antispyware programs in the past few hours, and apparently my computer is virus and spyware-free. I can’t say I trust this, though.
I’ve tried the VPN thing, but without success. I’ll look better into it and inform myself on how to set it up.
I’ve used Tor before, and I still have it installed on my computer, but I stopped using it halfway through the semester because of security concerns. I used mostly to download books and certain music while on campus, and I’ve kinda looked around the deep web, but I think I’ve never visited a regular page through it.
The whole dual booting sounds interesting, but honestly I never tried it because I had no reason to do so. I might do it this time, this is breaking my balls.
This is awesome advice for people with security concerns.
ugh, a mac user. alright I’ll see what I can do.
Firewall: http://www.macinstruct.com/node/165
keepass and lastpass both have mac versions available on their respective download pages.
for the spybot, a lot of people on the forums are saying you don’t need it for macs because they’re so “secure” (hahahahaha … . sorry, couldn’t help it). I just don’t like macs, and they’re not as secure as most people think. Loads better than Windows though. Same thing with malwarebytes.
Since macs are unix based, they are inherently more secure than Windows is. If somebody did manage to get a virus or a trojan inside your computer, they’d need access to your root account. which if you suspect they’ve been monitoring you for some time, it’s not out of the question. I’m not sure the best way to fix this issue (again, macs).
what I do for Tor is run a virtual machine of a linux distro and run tor from there. that way if I do get hacked while surfing around in the slightly more nefarious areas of the deepweb they only see an empty OS, not my full computer.
for macs, look into Bootcamp for dual booting. I’ve heard a lot of good things about it, but being a Mac it’s probably pricey. I think that’s just for dual booting windows, so you’ll have to research that.

Reblogging this for the really, really useful information. Stay safe.

Currently setting up Bootcamp and I guess I’ll surf the web using Tor from there. What it’s kind of a nuisance is the speed. I really don’t surf the darknet so much other than for books and sometimes music, so I’ll most be accessing the clearnet through it, but if it keeps me safe, well, sacrificing speed is something I’m willing to do at this point.

0227199208142014.tumblr.com

thenerdyredneck:

Reformatting the hard drive and re installing the OS might not be a bad idea.
other options off the top of my head:
make sure your firewall is turned on. On Windows (I’m just assuming you’re on Windows) Go to Start - Control Panel - System and Security - Windows Firewall. On the left toolbar there’s an option “Turn Windows Firewall on or off”
Make sure you have an antivirus installed. There’s plenty of free ones available. I’ve had good luck with AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, and Avast!. Plenty of options, lots of options, take your pick.
MalwareBytes - will help find viruses and malware the antivirus misses.
Spybot - gets rid of spyware installed on your computer
KeePass or LastPass - Both free password managers. make a single super strong password for you to remember and it stores the rest. Even allows up to 256 randomly generated passwords
Encrypt your sensitive files. Personally I use TrueCrypt, but in the last few months they’ve stopped updating the program. There’s been a lot of speculation the US government made them stop because they couldn’t break the encryption, but you can take that as you wish. There’s other options too, but I don’t remember what they are and haven’t used them personally.
Route your internet traffic through a VPN if possible. It helps keep your data secure and hidden, though I haven’t set this up yet and can’t assist much.
TOR - also known as onion routing. it’s an online community designed to stay hidden online. be aware, just researching it puts you on the NSA’s radar as a person of interest. If you’d like, I can send an installer instead of you researching it yourself. I know I’m on the list already, so I’m not worried about it.
Run a virtual Linux environment, or dual boot your computer. Linux is much harder to hack into and hack than Windows is. You can either dual boot your computer so when the computer turns on you can choose which operating system you want to run. Otherwise, you can run Virtualbox or VMWare. It creates a virtual computer inside your existing operating system. You can install linux or any other operating system inside of this, as if it was a physical computer. (Supposedly researching linux puts you on the NSA radar as well. Not surprisingly)
I know I’m missing a few simple options, but I can’t think of them right now. Feel free to message me with questions and I’ll see if I can help

This is excellent advice! A few details:

I’m on a Mac, and it’s been my main and only computer for the past 8 months, so Mac alternatives for many of these programs would be hella useful.
I ran a few antivirus and antispyware programs in the past few hours, and apparently my computer is virus and spyware-free. I can’t say I trust this, though.
I’ve tried the VPN thing, but without success. I’ll look better into it and inform myself on how to set it up.
I’ve used Tor before, and I still have it installed on my computer, but I stopped using it halfway through the semester because of security concerns. I used mostly to download books and certain music while on campus, and I’ve kinda looked around the deep web, but I think I’ve never visited a regular page through it.
The whole dual booting sounds interesting, but honestly I never tried it because I had no reason to do so. I might do it this time, this is breaking my balls.

This is awesome advice for people with security concerns.

didgeridork:

if you want to go down this road, the fbi has a site where you can submit all this evidence and they will open an investigation. dont bother going to the local or state cops, theyll just tell you to stay offline or stop being paranoid (yes i speak from personal experience)

Yo, I’m not even kidding, could you facilitate me that info (privately, if possible)? At this point, I’m so frustrated and scared I’d do pretty much anything for this bullshit to stop.

priceofliberty:

Definitely change your email and passwords if you have not already (using something L1k37H15 as your password, a phrase with certain characters replaced. Repeat it twice so no one could ever possibly guess it). Like that other user said, get some legitimate software protection (you could always torrent it if you can’t afford it).
As for the tumblr issue, I still haven’t figured that out myself (short of disabling anon). It could be one dedicated person throughout all your media – is it always that same IP and location that accesses your Facebook?

I’ve changed my email and passwords at least 5 times, made email accounts exclusively for certain services. At this point, my password is a little bit simpler. I kinda gave up last week when I decided to finally get a new number, but I’m still deeply annoyed. I don’t even know what other services have been accessed, as my FB is linked to a bunch of stuff, but those don’t worry me that much.

It’s always a different IP, and the locations are always either Baghdad or Tel Aviv (and Virginia on Gmail). It wouldn’t surprise me that it was a single, dedicated person.

I’ve searched myself on the web many times, but my personal info isn’t anywhere, or so I think.

What kind of or specific software do you recommend? I don’t have any disposable money right now, as I’m surviving on 300 bucks for the next few weeks, and I have to be back in Bing on Friday (and pay for the trip myself), so I’ll have to torrent.

I once left my FB open on one of the school computers, but that’s all I can remember. I seriously think my computer has been compromised.

priceofliberty reblogged your photo and added:

What did you ever do to be targeted like this?!

I don’t even know! I’ve had some personal problems in the past few months that might be directly related to this bullshit, but if anything, they’re a consequence of it, not the cause.

I’ve also been battling some mental health issues, and this has only made it worse. I’d get calls in the middle of the night, text messages. Sometimes they say something, sometimes it’s static or the 440 tone, like when you pick up a landline handset.

Honestly, as much as I’d hate to do it, I’m thinking about turning in all of my stuff to fucking law enforcement, but how do I file a complain? The tumblr hatemail comes from people (or a single person) hidden behind proxies, and I haven’t received anything through FB or Gmail, but this person is constantly logged in. Sometimes a few of my messages would appear as read before I even have the time to read them myself. Nothing much. The calls and messages are weird, but not something that, by the look of it, could be a “reason for concern”.

I don’t know, this shit is driving me nuts.

Posting this here because I know I have a bunch of privacy-savvy friends and followers (I’m looking at you, priceofliberty, and your tech-savvy friends/followers).
For over five months someone has been accessing my FB apparently from Baghdad. I... — Posting this here because I know I have a bunch of privacy-savvy friends and followers (I’m looking at you, priceofliberty, and your tech-savvy friends/followers).
For over five months someone has been accessing my FB apparently from Baghdad. I discovered this probably two months ago. I’ve changed my passwords all over the internet at least 5 times since, and it keeps on happening. I click on “End Activity” and they are logged out, but a few hours later, the session appears again, no matter if I change my password.
It says Firefox and Windows 7, but my list of trusted browsers has only three computer browsers (two of them are Chrome on Mac, one is Chrome on Windows 8) and the iPhone and iPad, so FB should alert me when this person attempts to log in, yet it doesn’t.
Sometimes the session would be from Tel Aviv, Israel.
It happens on my Gmail too (all three of them, except the school one), but in this case, the location seems to be Virginia. I’ve terminated the sessions multiple times and even emailed Google about it but they say they don’t detect any abnormal activity, that I should enable two-step verification. Thing is, I already have two-step verification enabled.
Some other weird shit has happened, mainly texts and calls I’m not comfortable discussing online, to the point I had to change my number a few days ago.
Also, it seems that someone had posted my tumblr url on the deep web before I changed URLs for the first time, I was getting a bunch of hatemail and random visits from proxies.
I just wanted to ask: are my computer and internet presence compromised? What the hell can I do apart from deleting myself from the web and smashing my computer and phone against a fucking rock and throwing the remains in the Hudson? That’s not an option right now because I’m nominally broke and I need my accounts for networking (school, etc).
This shit is driving me crazy.

Dear friends and people all around, I’ll try to be brief.

For the past four months of my life, I’ve been fighting one of the hardest battles I’ve ever fought.

I came to Long Island physically ill, anxiety ridden, depressed and damaged. I had the weight of bureaucracy, crumbling interpersonal relationships and cruel rumours on my back. When the summer started, I decided to clean up my system, evaluate my choices and treat myself the way I deserved. Truth is, I couldn’t do everything with all of my world falling apart. I got rid of many vices and attitudes, but other grew deeper roots.

While battling with my own body, I was also diagnosed with GAD and a major depressive disorder, two things that have been eating me alive and slowly destroying the people I cared the most for. I’ve been on the verge of breaking down and abandoning life more than a few times. My body was failing me, my mind was playing games, and some malicious people also decided to make it worse.

After quite a while, I realised my situation wasn’t going to change in a blink of an eye. The hateful messages and hurtful words wouldn’t disappear or stop, the physical pain would still be there and that I needed a drastic change in order to get better.

I would be lying if I said I overcame depression and anxiety in less than two weeks, and it would be worse to say I haven’t had days when living feels like absolute hell. Sometimes, the battle against mental illness can be lifelong. Some people aren’t as fortunate as I am, some don’t have that helping hand to stop them from doing what their pained mind tells them, and for some, the pain is so unbearable that they make irreversible choices. When your mind is your worst enemy, you’re always in a very dark place.

But I’m on my way, and I’m getting better.

Many times, this version of “you” is not the best “you” you’ve been so far. Sometimes it can be the worst. This is something one often learns the hard way.

I guess it’s my turn to break the silence: I am a depressed and anxious person. This is no excuse for any mistreatment of others. This is no excuse for dragging any of you with me to the depths of this psychic B.S. This is what I am, and who I don’t want to be, but it’s not going to change overnight.

Some things are bigger than all of us, but there’s always something bigger. I choose to go big.

This is no self-help crap, nor a pity-seeking post. This is an admission, and it’s liberating.

To my friends and loved ones, please bear with me. I’ll have good and bad days, but remember that I love you as much as always. As selfish as it might sound, I don’t wanna go through this alone.

To those I’ve hurt, knowingly or not, I’m deeply sorry. Poor mental health is not a cop out, but a circumstance. I promise you all that I’m doing my best and I’ll be better.

To the rest, break the stigma, let’s talk about feelings, let’s talk about mental health. This is not a flaw in character.

Love and blessings to all of you. See you in school in a week, or sometime around.

P.S.: I’m checking out for a while, till shitty, weird stuff stops happening. Remember I have a new number, at least for now. Message me and I’ll give it to you.

Adrian here

due to ongoing shitty circumstances I had to change my number. Send me a message if you want it.

Posting this here because I don’t know how else to reach some of you.

I like to believe that if you do bad shit, even if you’re surrounded by the most wonderful people and all the positivity in the world, everything will turn around and haunt you.

And that if you do good things, no matter how many times you’re falsely accused, no matter how hard everything seems, no matter how alone you might feel, eventually, you’ll find peace.

I hold on to this belief in the most weird and scary period of my life.

May wrongdoers also find peace sometime. I’m not perfect, but I’m not even half of what others say about me.

0227199208142014:

I’ve never stalked, harassed or threatened anyone, neither in person nor the internet. I gave away all of my personal information in case there’s need to verify anything.
I’m willing to surrender all of my electronics, personal belongings and data at the request of those affected by my supposed actions. Transparency is the best way to stay clean. I think the validity of others’ statements can be put to test with physical and electronic proof.
The sheer amount of visits I got from the deep web in the past three months, the weird messages and calls I’ve been getting has made me paranoid enough to be extra careful on the web. For a long time I refused to comment much on it, but I’m not OK with it and it creeps the hell outta me.
I’m not playing any games, nor trying to construct some kind of narrative. I’m sick both physically and mentally, and I don’t have the time or the energy for that.
Emotional instability, depression and anxiety are mental illnesses I’m dealing with and determined to overcome or at least get better. I’m on my way.
Everyone has the right to question my motives, as I have the right to prove them wrong (or accept when they’re right).
The only reason I moved to Long Island is because I need to do an insane amount of paperwork in the City. I can’t afford to live in the NYC area, Jersey City or Westchester in my current situation and paying 85 dollars a week for a six hour round trip from Binghamton is not viable. Do not overanalyse it.
I have released my medical records to the people who might find them relevant.
Please stop the threatening messages. Including sms.
Please do not spread rumours.
If you’ve heard/read anything about me and need confirmation, I’ll gladly give you access to the information that confirms or denies it.
This only applies if I care about you.
And even if I don’t, if you have a serious argument, I’ll be more than glad to confirm or deny it with proof.
I need time and space to heal. Feel free to contact me through other media.
Peace and blessings.
—Adrian

Added to this list is the common knowledge that very few people can keep a secret, but I never divulged any information that was given to me as such. I do know how to keep secrets.

I’ve never stalked, harassed or threatened anyone, neither in person nor the internet. I gave away all of my personal information in case there’s need to verify anything.
I’m willing to surrender all of my electronics, personal belongings and data at the request of those affected by my supposed actions. Transparency is the best way to stay clean. I think the validity of others’ statements can be put to test with physical and electronic proof.
The sheer amount of visits I got from the deep web in the past three months, the weird messages and calls I’ve been getting has made me paranoid enough to be extra careful on the web. For a long time I refused to comment much on it, but I’m not OK with it and it creeps the hell outta me.
I’m not playing any games, nor trying to construct some kind of narrative. I’m sick both physically and mentally, and I don’t have the time or the energy for that.
Emotional instability, depression and anxiety are mental illnesses I’m dealing with and determined to overcome or at least get better. I’m on my way.
Everyone has the right to question my motives, as I have the right to prove them wrong (or accept when they’re right).
The only reason I moved to Long Island is because I need to do an insane amount of paperwork in the City. I can’t afford to live in the NYC area, Jersey City or Westchester in my current situation and paying 85 dollars a week for a six hour round trip from Binghamton is not viable. Do not overanalyse it.
I have released my medical records to the people who might find them relevant.
Please stop the threatening messages. Including sms.
Please do not spread rumours.
If you’ve heard/read anything about me and need confirmation, I’ll gladly give you access to the information that confirms or denies it.
This only applies if I care about you.
And even if I don’t, if you have a serious argument, I’ll be more than glad to confirm or deny it with proof.
I need time and space to heal. Feel free to contact me through other media.
Peace and blessings.

—Adrian

Be careful about what you say about people.

Some stuff can badly impact their chances of recovery.

Less than two weeks to go back to a place that feels like home, yet will feel unfamiliar.

I’ll do my best to heal. I will.

Wish me luck.