Connecting to tor anonymously in a rural area : OpSec | Torhoo darknet markets
I live in a very rural environment (maybe a few 100 people within 100 miles). How would I connect to tor using internet not in my name in the case of a deanonymization attack? I've heard of antennas to get public wifi but the nearest other internet connection to me is over 5 miles away.
Satcom and Starlink are options, but must be registered on some local goal keeper that does not know you.
Is there any ham radio that can be used? Be aware that encryption is generally not allowed, so you need to pack encryption into some radio or video broadcasting or similar.
Another option is to setup a radio link your self, this is costly, but an viable option. The endpoint of the radio link needs then be connected to internet in an anonymous way, but place this in a urban area so you have more options.
Then you have the cell phone network, you need an eSIM and SIM-router that are bough anonymously. In such rural areas you need to travel many miles to different locations to not reveal your home location.
Other options could be to use old phone lines if you are able to jack-in there. This also requires an internet connection at the endpoint.
You pointed out the options very well. I'd only add options like Starlink have a multi year log saving policy.
A lot of wavelengths and frequencies are passively and actively in some instances collected by the military. Usually they wouldn't be interested in what you are doing (ie darknet) but it wouldn't be uncommon to pass the information down to intelligence.
Yeah exactly, fixed locations are the biggest liability in rural environments. Once you connect from the same physical spot more than once, you're creating a pattern and in a place with barely any signals, that pattern stands out like a beacon. If the feds are your threat model, they don’t even need to crack Tor. RF triangulation, spectrum analysis, or even low tech surveillance (just a guy with binoculars) can be enough if you’ve established a signal fingerprint tied to your geography.
Starlink might feel anonymous at first but it’s not the dish’s MAC, your payment method, activation zone, even the beam patterns they track all leave trails. And since they log years worth of data, it’s just a matter of when, not if, that info becomes useful to someone.
Cell networks with eSIMs help a bit but only if you're mobile. If you keep pinging towers in the same remote area, they’ll eventually tie it to a property especially if other data like heatmaps, roads, or delivery services overlap with your use.
Best option is distance. Never operate from your living zone. Build layers: new gear, new locations, rotate everything. And if your connection method needs hardware like antennas or dishes make sure they're temporary, mobile, and never reused.
Deanonoymization attacks are performed against servers, almsot exclusively. Are you running a market from your bedroom's gaming machine? It's totally possible to do, btw. And so, if that's the case, I will recommend that you find a different physical location to host your market from. Otherwise you're fine. Unless the feds deploy a 0day against Mozilla that sucessfully pierces the veil of your OPSEC but it's not like they can afford $800,000 for a Mozilla RCE.
Is there any ham radio that can be used? Be aware that encryption is generally not allowed, so you need to pack encryption into some radio or video broadcasting or similar.
Another option is to setup a radio link your self, this is costly, but an viable option. The endpoint of the radio link needs then be connected to internet in an anonymous way, but place this in a urban area so you have more options.
Then you have the cell phone network, you need an eSIM and SIM-router that are bough anonymously. In such rural areas you need to travel many miles to different locations to not reveal your home location.
Other options could be to use old phone lines if you are able to jack-in there. This also requires an internet connection at the endpoint.
A lot of wavelengths and frequencies are passively and actively in some instances collected by the military. Usually they wouldn't be interested in what you are doing (ie darknet) but it wouldn't be uncommon to pass the information down to intelligence.
Starlink might feel anonymous at first but it’s not the dish’s MAC, your payment method, activation zone, even the beam patterns they track all leave trails. And since they log years worth of data, it’s just a matter of when, not if, that info becomes useful to someone.
Cell networks with eSIMs help a bit but only if you're mobile. If you keep pinging towers in the same remote area, they’ll eventually tie it to a property especially if other data like heatmaps, roads, or delivery services overlap with your use.
Best option is distance. Never operate from your living zone. Build layers: new gear, new locations, rotate everything. And if your connection method needs hardware like antennas or dishes make sure they're temporary, mobile, and never reused.