Anon Direct download

Hello to everyone, i should admit that im a newb about security and anonymity, but recently i read many articles about how the gov and the big sites like google etc are controlling our personal info and i really really hate that. So its 2 weeks im trying to learn as much as possible to protect myself against this anti democratic mess and i really love this forum, its full of interesting things.

What i wanted ask you today is what is, in your expert opinion, the MOST secure way to direct download a file from sites like depositfile, rapidshare, filefactory etc etc.

Lets assume i have the link of a file such as a pdf or a telefilm and i dont want my isp knows what im downloading, what i should do? (i know its quite impossible to be 100% anon but what i should do to be close to that?)

I read that download files from Tor browser isnt safe, moreover its not fair cause it slow the net.
It's a server proxy enough? I was thinking to download a file via "Freegate" but i think its very similar to Tor right and they can know what im doing right?

Other ways? Using a free proxy from gatherproxydotcom?
Or i should buy a VPN service like AirVPN to be safer?

Please help me to increase my knowledge about this, i would really appreciate your help (and sorry for my bad english im not from usa)

 

Well, if we dont get into the debacle if you are downloading copyrighted files etc. I guess a VPN that does not log much (essentially all VPNs store some logs to prevent abuses and not to get into any legal fiasco) and uses encrypted connection should be sufficient for this if host also uses encrypted connection. And you need to be sure your DNS isnt leaking. Remember the hosts still store the IPs from the files are being downloaded and they might be shared with third parties.

 

Thank u mate, what u mean with "if host also uses encrypted connection"? I mean how can i be sure if sites such as depositfiles, filefactory etc etc use encrypted connection?

So not just the vpn but also those sites can see and store my real ip?

Is it true that downloading a file from Tor or Freegate compromise anonymity? Thanks a lot

 

By encrypted I meant using HTTPS, if you look at Filefactory and Rapidshare, they both uses both HTTP and HTTPS and allows over transfer files over any of them. So obviously using HTTPS is a better idea. I dont know about other hosts but hotfile and mega does too. Also these sites store AT LEAST the IP from the file was uploaded and downloaded, maybe alongwith other logs, to prevent abuses and in case they might need to provide them to law agencies.

I dont have any idea about freegate but there are concerns about if downloading files over TOR compromises the anonymity and if so how much. TOR was made to circumvent standard browsing, not download files from hosts. Also these pages from the hosts included lots of javascript and in cases flash. Using javascript and flash over TOR doesnt exactly help to go with anonymity.

 

Thank u subhrob, so if i understood correctly its better i only use sites with httpS intestead of http because the first cant be decrypted right? Its because they use the SSL protocol?

And last question, i searched and read a lot about VPN and some of the best like AirVPN assure that when we surf the net, we download a file or we use torrent, no one can see our Real ip unless there is a court order which force them to reveal our ip. But some of those VPN providers neither keep the log of the users so anyway they cant know what we are downloading, thats what i read, of course if there are suspects that we are doing something against the European conventions for Human rights the VPN provider says that it will work together with the competent authority to xxxx us.

So, i think using a VPN to download (i will never upload nothing) the host (depositfile,mega etc) CANT track our real ip if we use VPN, unless there will be an order from the court etc etc etc

What i said its right? (sorry again for my english)

 

Yeah, basically files transferred by HTTP can be monitored by your ISP and anyone in the middle (network admins, law agencies etc.) without any real effort. When you use SSL, it would take at least some effort to break through that or manipulate, if at all possible.

Well, if you use VPN then use something that has a solid userbase, and has been around for quite sometime. AirVPN or any other decent VPN service should be sufficient for standard usage like downloading files from hosts, browsing youtube or netflix etc. But remember to check your DNS isnt leaking.

 

U mean i should set my firewall (i have comodo firewall) to block all the connection which doesnt go trough my VPN right? This way if my VPN has some problems i wont reveal my real ip anyway cause my firewall will cut the connection, right?

Last question, if i use my AirVPN plus Tor Browser from a VM, to download from a normal http site, i would be pretty safe in your opinion?

 

This tutorial allows you to block non VPN access on a per application basis ie, browsers, torrent clients etc, it's written for CIS/CFW 5x but still works for CIS/CFW
http://www.bolehvpn.net/forum/index.php?topic=5798.0

 

Thank u Gitmo : ) i guess it should works even with other VPN
well i read bolehvpn is a good one, i still have to choose between him, AirVpn and few others.

So guys u think if i use my AirVPN (or Bolehvpn) plus Tor Browser from a VM, to download from a normal http site of from torrent, i would be pretty safe in your opinion?

Thank u : )

 

The OP's question was something I also had a problem with. Thanks for postulating this question OP. I need to post MOAR questions for this.

 

VPN plus TOR should be more than sufficient for your activities.

 

I concur. One thing to note that the downloading speed will be slower definitely.

 

for sure, this method will work with any (open)VPN.

 

Thanks Subhrob, just a curiosity i read many people like to use a program such as polipo or privoxy together with Tor, if i already have a VPN you think this is useless or could be usefull and safer?

Yes that's true i read i will probably loose a good 30-40% of speed but if this help me to stay safer and anonymous i think i will deal with this.

In your opinion, (i know that its wrong to torrent from Tor) but if i would like to give it a try, how should it work? It is correct the procedure below?
I first start my VPN, then i have to start Tor, then i have to open utorrent, i should select preferences-connection and in "Proxy Server" i should select: Socks5 Proxy: 127.0.0.1 Port 9150? (thats the port number i have by default on Tor).

Can you tell me if its the right way or i made it wrong? I still havent tried it, i just read something on the net so if u or other guys could help me about this i would really appreciate it, thanks a lot : )

Thanks for the guide : )

 

Polipo or privoxy is a bit overkill in my opinion. Just so know, it differs to everyone but here I use around 90% of my bandwidth when I use VPN. I don't even notice any difference in download speed, but the ping is a bit higher. I am not so sure if torrents work with TOR but using them only via VPN should be enough.

 

Hey HungryToLearn, have the DownloadThemAll add-on for Tor Browser Bundle if you doing to download many files at once.