Originally Posted by
richarddd
Is there any technology that will effective to prevent the security service of a major government from monitoring what you're doing on the internet if they have a high level of interest?
There are. BUT at that level you have to take a more holistic approach. Even using the best technology available, many people (including the spooks themselves) have been caught due to human factors.
In general:
1) Watch the privacy & security folks online. They're constantly poking & prodding software and hardware, looking for exploits. There's a reason there are feds at DefCon and BlackHat conferences.
2) See what human rights groups are using. When you've got people embedded in places like China and are putting their lives at risk for their actions, you better believe they're using some decent stuff.
3) Encryption. Use it. Preferably open source. The details of encryption are a whole field in and of itself.
4) Don't trust anyone but yourself. No one will care about your data as much as you do. Your data in someone else's data center = easy subpoena material. Your data in your possession = getting into self-incrimination laws/rules. Even your company / agency isn't to be trusted fully. Spooks have been hung out to dry by their own agencies.
5) You're dumber than you think you are. Learn how not to be dumb.
6) The enemy is smarter than you think they are. Learn how they work and think.
7) 5 & 6 may not be true, BUT keeping your thought pattern like that keeps you out of trouble.
8) Greed and Pride are not compatible with privacy and will get you caught and possibly sent to places you don't want to be.
8a) Complacency also can get you sent to places you don't want to be.
9) Don't mix business with personal stuff.
10) Study failures of others in this area. Don't be THAT guy. For a great example of how even the big boys get it horribly wrong, take a look at the botched CIA Abu Omar operation:
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If you're truly hiding from the big boys (CIA/MI5(6)/Mossad/FSB):
11) Don't run anything mainstream -- they likely have a drawer full of zero-days at their disposal. Windows is a no-no. Same for common infrastructure equipment like Cisco.
12) Study con men. If you're up against the big boys, you're going to have contact with them sooner or later.
13) Don't forget physical security. The big boys still physically follow people, still wiretap phones, enter buildings, and engage their mark.
14) Hollywood isn't reality.