Protect yourself
...because unless you've taken precautions, the regime records every movement you make online. And without VPN or Tor you can't access to all websites on Chinese Internet. Your information is personally identifiable to you: your social media, your Kaixin, QQ, Douban, Renren, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Skype, everything. Deep Packet Inspection Technologies is used to watch your entire internet life. Your internet life is being stored, permanently, for state intelligence to analyse. Be careful with social networks and social media ! Social networks and social media can turn against you, it is certain that the Chinese government uses this information well to get your information and spy on you.
Political activists and ordinary people are already disappearing for sharing their opinions online so it's essential for the sake of you and your family that you are using a safe connection. Whoever you are, it's time to brush up on your personal security basics:
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Always use HTTPS where available, especially on social media (QQ, Douban, Facebook, Twitter for example), and email (GMail, Hotmail). Anything containing passwords, confidential or personal information. Before you log in to a website ensure you see https:// and not http:// as illustrated below in Firefox (but it is the same principle with Internet Explorer). This one simple rule will prevent most spying (however, it does not prevent them from knowing the site you went to).
Move your mouse over these images and spot the differences. The third image illustrates a phishing attack, with a page pretending to be China Internet Network Information Center. Be careful with the links posted on social networks, some of them can redirect to phishing pages.
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Next, if you are using Internet Explorer, you should get a newer and safer web browser! We recommend you install Firefox due to the extensive range of security plugins, fast response to new threats, and protection against phishing.
In addition, Firefox makes it clearer you have a secure connection by displaying the owner of the certificate in a blue or green box next to the address. It also helps you spot phishing pages by fading the less relevant parts of the address. Always look for the darker part to identify a website.
We strongly recommend you install the excellent Firefox plugin HTTPS Everywhere (direct link) by the Electronic Frontier Foundation. It will automatically use a secure connection on over 1000 websites.
Also, you can use HTTPS Finder (link) : HTTPS Finder automatically detects and enforces HTTPS connections when available. It also provides one-click creation and in-browser editing for HTTPS Everywhere rules. -
If you're undertaking risky
activities like planning protests, reporting on events, or assisting
the wounded, you should invest time in setting up a fully anonymous connection. If you can get
a VPN
- awesome! Use it and you will be well hidden. For most
of us though - Tor is sufficient.
Put simply, Tor is a volunteer network of servers which bounce your
communications around the Internet, hiding where you are. It's
important that you still use HTTPS, in case of
man-in-the-middle attacks, but combined with the steps above, it provides good
security. When the onion logo is green on your web browser, everything is OK.Tor has guides to help you install it. Unfortunately as part of their censorship effort, Tor is probably blocked by the Chinese government, so you will need a bridge to access the network.
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i2p (Invisible Internet Project) is an anonymizing network, offering a simple layer that identity-sensitive applications can use to securely communicate. All data is wrapped with several layers of encryption, and the network is both distributed and dynamic, with no trusted parties. Download : https://www.i2p2.de/
Be vigilant, and look after one another online!
There are groups that will help you exercise your right to free expression. They are not affiliated with us, but they have our respect:
First source : www.hacktivist.me