A communications group seeks the most secure form for consistent and diverse communication over the internet...
My original title was too long. It went like this: What is the most secure form of CONSISTENT communication and information, over the internet? Would specific network protocols (which I know little of) be necessary to achieve it?
If a group wanted to communicate their thoughts and ideas and information back and forth with one another, across borders and without limitation on the materials used to exchange that information (documents, texts, discussions, videos, audio files, Word/Excel/Powerpoint, you name it)...
...what would be the most secure method of keeping those communications private from ANY parties who might try looking in? Is this even possible in today's world, and if by degrees, to what degrees?
Thanks!
If a group wanted to communicate their thoughts and ideas and information back and forth with one another, across borders and without limitation on the materials used to exchange that information (documents, texts, discussions, videos, audio files, Word/Excel/Powerpoint, you name it)...
...what would be the most secure method of keeping those communications private from ANY parties who might try looking in? Is this even possible in today's world, and if by degrees, to what degrees?
Thanks!
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Right on, Dave! However, it appears to be the only real way to establish a communications network of unlimited diversity, unless there's some other way I don't know about. And, as you mentioned earlier, attempts to mask ones communications are actually targeted for closer inspection, defeating the entire purpose of the masking in the first place. This is good knowledge to have, going into any efforts to create such protections. In other words, careful consideration may not plug all the holes, but may help.
What I wonder is, just how prevalent is corporate espionage, and are there all sorts of pirates finding ways into my system for the purpose of extracting data?
I will explore Rich's response further after i check out his links, but I am intrigued by these VPN suggestions you've all made, along with his "Pidgin" option. Great stuff!
What I wonder is, just how prevalent is corporate espionage, and are there all sorts of pirates finding ways into my system for the purpose of extracting data?
I will explore Rich's response further after i check out his links, but I am intrigued by these VPN suggestions you've all made, along with his "Pidgin" option. Great stuff!
ASKER
PS: I love and want to see the big picture, it's how i prefer to think of concepts such as this. It helps me assess the potential of my actions. Any suggestions to this end - such as Dave has made clear - for a country bumpkin like myself are further welcomed!
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ASKER
Hey, listen you guys, I gotta say thank you for being so up front with your thoughts. I have such a better foundation now, truly great info. Not that the path is clear of debris – clearly it isn’t – but at least I see it so much more clearly. Trappings, dangers, steps available to me… there’s so much worthy info throughout this post, I couldn’t possibly award enough points.
Off to the next question, but before closing, I got through about 20% of that first link you sent, Rich, and it's enormous! Lol. And virtually everything is well over my head – it is a completely different language - but I got a sense of it all through the patterns. I saw a completely different manner of communicating in order to cause an effect, depending upon a choice, and get a result. Completely unique terms and conditions, systematically placed (coding) in order to make software (or hardware?) run. But the patterns indicate to me quite a systematic process of communication, one idea building upon the other, and gaining complexity as it advances. Making errors would likely be the bane of all existence. In my mind, it's something you would want to get right in the first place, that would be a hell of a lot easier than trying to find the needle in the haystack. Clearly that, too, would be easier said than done, though.
I’m going to award the points, but there’s not enough to suffice for the valuable understanding you’ve all given me. Funny thing is, I may have gone from a complete imbecile on the subject, to understanding more than about 70% of the people out there, in a matter of a few intelligent responses. Thanks!
Off to the next question, but before closing, I got through about 20% of that first link you sent, Rich, and it's enormous! Lol. And virtually everything is well over my head – it is a completely different language - but I got a sense of it all through the patterns. I saw a completely different manner of communicating in order to cause an effect, depending upon a choice, and get a result. Completely unique terms and conditions, systematically placed (coding) in order to make software (or hardware?) run. But the patterns indicate to me quite a systematic process of communication, one idea building upon the other, and gaining complexity as it advances. Making errors would likely be the bane of all existence. In my mind, it's something you would want to get right in the first place, that would be a hell of a lot easier than trying to find the needle in the haystack. Clearly that, too, would be easier said than done, though.
I’m going to award the points, but there’s not enough to suffice for the valuable understanding you’ve all given me. Funny thing is, I may have gone from a complete imbecile on the subject, to understanding more than about 70% of the people out there, in a matter of a few intelligent responses. Thanks!
ASKER
I couldn't have possibly asked for more; in fact, I got more than enough to keep me busy in understanding what I was seeking. These "Experts"? Awesome!
The wiki link was only to show the protocol (jingle) that is built-upon XMPP's own protocol. The point being, with a web-front end, like some IM clients, you can transfer files and communicate at the same time. The front end helps tie the functionality together. The trusting of others is the next part, do you trust Google/M$/DropBox/Box.net with your data? They are in a position to look at it, do they, will they? If you can't allow that, you have to run your own. Even then you have to start trusting the software or the protocol at some point.
I'm glad you got your fill and then some on this question, I have a few articles that I put up last year, they seem to cover quite a bit in the security area, questions that come up here often, so I made them. I'm linking below:
Bring your own device
Duality of security tools
How secure are passwords?
2-factor authentication
Choosing the right encryption for you
-rich
I'm glad you got your fill and then some on this question, I have a few articles that I put up last year, they seem to cover quite a bit in the security area, questions that come up here often, so I made them. I'm linking below:
Bring your own device
Duality of security tools
How secure are passwords?
2-factor authentication
Choosing the right encryption for you
-rich
ASKER
Therefore, no insult intended, I believe I will await any other responses of note in the next 24 hours or so, and then provide everyone with a share of the "points." If questions arise for me in that time, I will post them here, if that is acceptable... or post them as new questions on their own, which may be the better and fairer manner of proceeding. I truly appreciate this information, thanks to each of you for your offering. My education on computer/communications networking is about to begin...