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One of the biggest news stories to break over the past week
has been the revelation that the U.S. government has been accessing the phone
and email records of its  citizens in the name of counterterrorism. Since 2001,
the National Security Agency has been extra-legally (but not exactly illegally)
monitoring constituents' telecommunications as a means of protecting them from another
horrific terrorist attack. I'll point out the obvious, that as of this writing
several large terrorist plots have been thwarted, while smaller ones have gone
unabated. It's also been revealed that the United States is far from alone in
this practice.
Since this is CR4 however, that's about as far as I'll take
the political rhetoric. In no shape am I prepared to offer you my opinion on
the policies of my government, no matter how George Orwell-ian they seem.
 The U.S. has made it no secret that it intends to levy
criminal - and possibly martial - charges against Edward Snowden. Snowden was
employed as a systems administrator at an NSA facility in Hawaii before fleeing
to Hong Kong in May so he could disclose his classified knowledge. He chose
Hong Kong because, despite its extradition treaty with the U.S., it has a very
liberal freedom of press policy and a slow-moving extradition process which
would involve the Chinese. Snowden has stated he will seek asylum in Iceland
but stay in Hong Kong until no longer welcome. As such, he has gone into
hiding, thereby setting up a very Jason Bourne-like manhunt
where he must rely on his acumen
to stay one step ahead of his pursuers.
But how do you hide your electronic fingerprints, and then your
physical fingerprints, from the most powerful and technologically
advanced spying agencies in the world? Here is a beginner's list to
'getting off the grid.'
- Go cell phone anonymous. If you insist on
retaining your current phone, remove the battery when it's not in use so your
movement cannot be
triangulated. Otherwise, buy a no-contract cell phone from a store without
closed circuit surveillance. These 'burner phones' are typically cheap, so it's
best to dispose of them after just a few days.
- Get
e-smart. Apple has stated that in a period of six months it receives about
4,500 NSA requests, while Facebook received 10,000 and Microsoft 6,000 within
the same time period. If you use a commercial email like Outlook, Gmail or
Yahoo!, then you should check the security settings to see if you can encrypt
your messages. This will translate your messages into ciphertext, which remains
unreadable once intercepted. If email encryption isn't available, don't use it,
or instead pay for an encryptable email such as Hushmail. Web browsers Chrome and Firefox offer an
add-on called HTTPS Everywhere, which will encrypt your connection to nearly
every website. Web browsers expose similar weaknesses as email, and encrypting
your connection to websites is typically very easy. In the website address, try
switching "http" to "https" to provide a secure connection.
- Disappear quietly. When you disappear, it
shouldn't be as a surprise to anyone. Don't fake a kidnapping or anything else.
In the same vein, don't falsify documents or plans - it will only lead to more
attention and speculation.
- Get rid of your car. Don't ditch it in the lake
because it will be found.
 Instead, leave it unlocked in a poor neighborhood, possibly
with the keys in the cupholder.
- Get rid of your friends and family. While not
exactly the easiest thing to do, slowly phasing yourself out of the social
setting of those closest to you is a must. Even more important: permanently
eliminating social network accounts. It's easy for investigators to comb
through electronic records, but much more costly to track down hard leads.
- Go cash-only. Credit cards create a paper trail,
as do ATM cards.
- Misinformation is critical. It can still be
almost impossible to eliminate important clues as to where you are going or
what you're doing. Therefore it can be essential to skew personal records. This
can be done by establishing false addresses, purposefully misspelling your
name, and tell misleading stories. Providing too much information, if
incorrect, is as effective as no information.
- Find an off-grid settlement. Whether a transcendental
compound or an abandoned wasteland, finding a place to hang your hat is
essential. Consider Slab City, Calif.,
a WWII-era abandoned Marine base where several thousand squatters live without
plumbing, local government or mains electricity. There are a variety of reasons
to move to Slab City (retirement, idealism, hiding), which is located in the
middle of the Colorado Desert. Living in a remote area where you're unlikely to
be found is best.
- Go alone. Edward Snowden seems to be travelling
with his fiancé, but doing so increases his risk of being found dramatically.
- Reinvent yourself. Change your hair, your name,
your wardrobe, your backstory, your habits. Commit them to memory.
This list may seem frivolous, but consider the most recent
manhunts conducted by the U.S. The Boston Marathon bombers were killed and
captured. Julian Assange is forced to live in cramped quarters after being
granted asylum by the Ecuadorian Embassy located in London. Osama bin Laden, a
fugitive for a decade, was eventually killed.
Once again…with feeling, I'm not defending the U.S.
government or Edward Snowden. I'm just presenting a very basic list for getting
lost in an era where it's nearly impossible, especially when the hunters have
an exhaustive list of resources. When you need this list you'll know where to
find it; just not me.
Resources
CNN - How to hide your data from Internet snoops
CNET - Apple details U.S. requests...
DPL Surveillance - Dropping Off the Grid...
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