Protect your Anonymity online with Vadalia, Privoxy and Proxychains

Happy New Year. You will be monitored. We are watching you. We know who you are. We know where you are.

The following is a concise guide to configuring Internet Anonymity on Linux by leveraging the tor network (vidalia) and a local proxy server (privoxy) then running your web browser using proxychains.

I have tried the tor browser bundle but couldn’t access most of my websites so found it to be pretty useless in everyday life. This however, lets me access all my sites fine (so far), so provides protective anonymity without getting in the way.

I have found certain sites like Google sometimes use captcha to prove you’re a human but it’s no big deal. It is a response that is more likely to be coming from OpenDNS rather than Google actually.

Disclaimer: The following should be used for educational purposes only and not to facilitate any illegal online activity.

This is a compliment to your firewall. It should remain ON. You can further harden your web browser by “jailing” it to prevent penetration by following this guide here.

Remember: Todays paranoia is tomorrows security standard.

TEST
firefox www.dnsleaktest.com www.whatismyip.com
You should see your IP address and location.

This information is logged along with the sites you visit and held by your ISP in line with new regulations. Everything they need to lead them right to your door. FTS.

PACKAGES TO INSTALL
sudo apt-get install privoxy vidalia proxychains

PRIVOXY – local privacy proxy server runs on 127.0.0.1:8118
vi /etc/privoxy/config, search for localhost:8118 and replace with 127.0.0.1:8118

VIDALIA – tor front-end. set up relaying to use local privoxy proxy (enter privoxy settings above) then add vidalia to Session & Startup apps list.

Note that the green Tor onion may take a little while to go green after your computer initially connects to the network/wifi.

DNS SERVICES – change your network/wifi IPv4 settings
Use OpenDNS addresses 208.67.222.222 208.67.220.220

PROXYCHAINS
ProxyChains allows to run any program through HTTP or SOCKS proxy.
This tool tunnels all TCP and DNS connections of given applications.

Note: precede launcher command of application with proxychains, i.e. proxychains firefox %u

vi /etc/proxychains.conf
comment out strict_chain
uncomment dynamic_chain
add these lines under [ProxyList] section
socks4 127.0.0.1 9050
socks4a 127.0.0.1 9050
socks5 127.0.0.1 9050
http 127.0.0.1 8118

TEST
proxychains firefox www.dnsleaktest.com www.whatismyip.com
You should see that you now appear to be in a foreign country, not your actual geographical location.

Download the latest Linux .iso file to create some bandwidth and view the bandwidth graph in vidalia.