Breakthroughs In Mobile Device Anonymity

Perhaps some of you are aware of the amazing changes
in cell phone anonymity that are being made available for the Android Platform on smartphones.
The development seems very fast-paced. As the world becomes more mobile,
these are very timely, indeed.

Just to name a few:

The Tor Project/Orbot

http://guardianproject.info/apps/orbot/

http://guardianproject.info/

Surf the web anonymously using Tor.

IM using Tor:

http://guardianproject.info/2010/05/10/mobile-im-over-tor/

Redphone:

Encrypted Voice for Android:

http://www.whispersys.com/

Encrypted SMS for Android:

http://www.whispersys.com/

PGP for Android:

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/communication/apg_fqdy.html

I suspect we'll see more in a short period. I'd guess that anonymous VPN providers such as Xerobank will develop their own tools for mobile as well.

 

FYI: Anonymizer Universal supports the iPhone.

 

I have a Nokia N900 which runs Maemo 5 and you can run OpenVPN on it. I am assuming that if I copy over my Xerobank config files then I can get it to work - I shall report back if it does.

 

I don't use my cell phone to surf the web. Am I the only one? I like my phone to be a.....well.....a phone. I'm a huge proponent of lessening technology overload - beautifully written about in the new book The Shallows by Nicholas Carr.

 

Even if you were running Tor or an anonymous VPN, wouldn't cellular base stations still know your phone's ID and location?

Although one can use directional antennas and booster amps to access distant sites, there's still the ID problem. Perhaps those with experience using ID-free phones could post their experiences. In particular, are there any ID-free web-capable phones?

Perhaps WiMax will be a better shot?

 

That's what I think. They would know who you are and where you are but I guess they would *not* know what websites you went to. Or who you spoke to on IM. And of course there are always traces of everything left on your cell phone so if you are in Iran or China that could be a serious problem.

The other thing too is as slow as Tor is on a computer, I would hate to see what it's like on a cell phone. I think I'll just wait for Xerobank. I bet they come out with a browser too for Iphone that will eliminate all of the personal data that would ordinarily be left behind. Now THAT would be cool.

 

Indeed - I think of it as something that is more suited to just hiding your browsing habits as opposed to hiding your identity and location.

My Nokia N900 is now hooked up to Xerobank btw - means I can now use XB with my corporate wi-fi network through my mobile.