Pseudo-anonymous Email

Previous Next

Pseudo-anonymous Email Preparation and Installation Section
I. Create a pseudo-anonymous email address to receive email messages
anonymously at 'alt.anonymous.messages'
Purpose of this document: This document will attempt to explain through step
by step instructions how to manually set up a pseudo-anonymous email account
with an nym server. The instructions that follow will provide a way to receive
messages send through your nym address at the news group:
'alt.anonymous.messages'.
Preparations:
1. Go to the 'QuickSilver' topic found in the help index and following the
instructions on installing and setting up QuickSilver.
2. Next, go to the links below and download the following program:
http://www.gpg4win.org/download.html
(Click on the top wide orange box containing 'gpg4win 1.1.3' to download the
GnuPG program (The version numbers could be different ('gpg4win ?.?.?')).
3. Next, get the nym's key by sending this email to the following nym server:
remailer-key@nym.mixmin.net
Make the subject: remailer-key
The key will arrive back from: nobody@nym.mixmin.net
and will look something like this (except it will be larger):
-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.5 (GNU/Linux)
mQGiBEVp0UcRBAC+/Ct68pcaubMbOyrL3HWZdXKhfhPJdoznaLGiHxtieNrl0zm0
SgIbDAAKCRBWJhnCeCR8OwF8AJ0QYsivwLpNroJlFzRvWata4aYZMACfan/JxTy+
8rX9ACvPpESyWwm6cjI=
=wma8
-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
4. You could also use a different nym by sending this email to its nym server:
remailer-key@nym.borked.net
Make the subject: remailer-key
The key will arrive back from: nobody@nym.borked.net
Keep in mind that the instructions below pertain only to nym.mixmin.net. You
can substitute nym.borked.net if you like.
Note: Of all the information that might be sent back to you from these
nym servers, the only part you want to concern yourself with is
the key itself. The key is from the '-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----'
line through the '-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----' line.
5. Next, get the nym's 'list of used nyms' by sending this email to the following
nym server:
list@nym.mixmin.net
Make the subject: list
You can also get the list from nym.borked.net:
list@nym.borked.net
Make the subject: list
Installations:
Step 1: Install GnuPG by double clicking on the 'gpg4win-?.?.?.exe'. I suggest
you install it in C:\GnuPG.
Step 2: This suggestion is not required but recommended. Open the 'gpg.conf'
file found in the 'GnuPG\GnuPG Keyrings' folder. If you need a file editor
to make this modification, this one should suffice:
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/staff/steveb/cpaap/pfe/
Place the line below, including the quote marks, without any leading
or trailing blanks, as the last line behind any other data in this file:
comment ""
-- End of program installation section. --
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The following instructions will show you how to set up:
GnuPG Setup Section
GnuPG Setup:
Step 1. You now want to incorporate the key(s) you acquired above into
GnuPG's key ring. Start the GnuPG program by double clicking on
the WinPT.exe program that can be found in your 'C:\GnuPG\' folder.
Copy the key you received by email into the clipboard. Remember
the key is from the '-----BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----' line through
the '-----END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----' line.
Step 2. Next, right click on the 'Windows Privacy Tray' tray icon and click on the
'Key Manager' menu item to bring up the Key Manager window. Now
right click anywhere on the main list window and then click the
'Paste Key from Clipboard' menu item. Your nym's key has now been
incorporate into GnuPG's key chain.
Step 3. You are now going to need to generate a public and private GnuPG key
for yourself. On the 'Key Manager' interface, click the 'Key' menu item
found at the top and then click the 'New' and 'Normal' menu items. A
'Key Generation Wizard' window will then appear. Where it says to
enter 'Real name:', enter a FAKE name¹. You do not want to identify
yourself in any way. This fake name can be anything (IHide, OnlyIKnow,
etc). Use this same name where it says 'Email address:', except append
to the name the nym's address you are going to use.
Example: IHide@nym.mixmin.net
Make sure that 'Prefer RSA keys' is not checked.
Next click 'OK' and an 'Enter Password' window will appear. Choose a
password that you will always be able to remember. Twenty six
characters is the minimum length for exceptional strength. If this
password is lost, you will not be able to decrypt messages coming to
you from the nym server. You will be asked to re-enter the password
again for verification. Then a 'Key Generation - Progress Dialog' window
will appear and will then automatically close after your public and private
keys have been generated. It is important to backup you keys
somewhere other than on your computer disk. Now you can close the
'Key Manager' window.
¹(Be sure that the name you choose is not in the 'list of used nyms' that
you obtained in Preparations:/Step 5).
-- End of GnuPG Setup section. --
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Creating an Nym Setup Section
I. Create a pseudo-anonymous email address to receive email messages
anonymously at 'alt.anonymous.messages'.
Nym Creation:
Config:
From: IHide@nym.mixmin.net
Nym-Commands: create +acksend +signsend name="IHide"
Public-Key:
-----BEGIN OF YOUR PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
-----END OF YOUR PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Reply-Block:
::
Anon-To: mail2news@bananasplit.info
##
Subject: Your alt.anonymous.messages static subject line.
Newsgroups: alt.anonymous.messages
**
Step 1. Since messages sent to you through you nym email address are going to
be sent to the news group 'alt.anonymous.messages', you only have to
rely on one level of encryption. Sending you messages to this news
group makes it very easy to set up an nym. All you are going to have to
do is make a few modifications to the code above. The code must be
exactly written and spaced as above with no leading spaces.
A. Change the two 'IHide' above to the fake name you chose in
GnuPG Setup: / Step 3 above.
B. Start WinPT.exe again if it is not running. Right click on the
'Windows Privacy Tray' tray icon and click on the 'Key Manager' menu
item to bring up the Key Manager window. Next right click on the
(public/private) key you generated for yourself earlier in GnuPG
Setup: / Step 3. Then click on the 'Copy Key to Clipboard' menu item.
This will place your public key (doesn't including your private key) into
the clipbboard.
C. Replace the two lines below found just under the 'Public-Key:' label
with your public key that you have just copied into the clipboard.
-----BEGIN OF YOUR PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
-----END OF YOUR PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
D. If you are using nym.mixmin.net as you nym (see 'From: ' statement
in code), then change the
Anon-To: mail2news@bananasplit.info statement to
Anon-To: mail2news@dizum.com
E. Now choose a static 'Subject: ' line whereby you will be able to
identify any message(s) on 'alt.anonymous.messages' that are sent
to you through your nym. Anytime someone sends an email to
your chosen nym address (example: IHide@nym.mixmin.net),
you will be able to identify it by this static 'Subject: 'line because
it will never change.
F. Now copy everything above, from the 'Config: ' statement
through the ** (double asterisks), into the clipboard. Right click
the 'Windows Privacy Tray' tray icon and click on the 'Clipboard' and
the 'Sign and Encrypt' menu items. Check the check box next the key
with the User ID of 'Bananasplit Pseudonym Server ...'. Then check
the check box at the bottom left corner of the interface entitled 'Select
key for signing' and choose the public/private key you created (in
GnuPG Setup: / Step 3) from the dropdown box. A window will pop
up requesting the password you chose to use in GnuPG Setup: /
Step 3. After clicking 'OK', a new encrypted block will have been
placed back into the clipboard.
G. Next you need to send this encrypted block to the nym to be
processed. You could send it directly to the nym, however, it would
be best to never go near the nym yourself. This way no one would
know that you had ever had anything to do with this or any other nym.
A. If you want to send your encrypted block directly to the nym using
your personal email client, simply paste the encrypted block into the
message window and send it to: config@nym.mixmin.net with a
subject of 'config'.
B. If you want to safely send your encrypted block to the nym through
the remailer system, then the sample QuickSilver coding below
should be sufficient.
Host: smtp.myisp.net
From: myemail@myisp.net
Chain: *,*,*; copies=3
To: config@nym.mixmin.net
Subject: config
You encrypted block here
~~
H. Now you are going to have to watch 'alt.anonymous.messages' for
your 'static subject' line and wait for the conformation telling you that
your new address has been created. Once you see a message,
copy the encrypted block (do not include the two asterisks at the
top) to the clipboard, right click the 'Windows Privacy Tray' tray icon
and click on the 'Clipboard' and the 'Decrypt/Verify' menu items. a
'Decryption' window will appear where you will need to enter your
password (see: GnuPG Setup: / Step 3). Disregard the error box
message that always pops up. Your decrypted message is now in
the clipboard and can be pasted into a word processor for viewing.
There will be a message in this confirmation informing you that you
will have to send an enclosed confirmation email back to the nym
before it can be actually used. The confirmation email address will
look something like this:
confirm+12997b1590a2031@nym.mixmin.net
Send an email to the above confirmation address. You could use
'confirm' as the subject. Again, it would best to send to the 'confirm'
address through the remailer system with QuickSilver.
Host: smtp.myisp.net
From: myemail@myisp.net
Chain: *,*,*; copies=3
To: confirm+12997b1590a2031@nym.mixmin.net
Subject: confirm
can leave message blank
~~
I. You will again receive a message at 'alt.anonymous.messages' telling
you that your nym address is ready to use. Now you can communicate
with someone anonymously by sending messages through the remailer
system using QuickSilver directly to their email address. After you
have given them your nym email address, they can send email
messages directly to you via 'alt.anonymous.messages' (although they
have no way of knowing that this is where you are receiving your
messages). You will decrypt your messages again as described in
step H. There is a way for you to send messages to others through
your nym, however, it is best to stay completely away from your nym.
If you were to ever send an encrypted message to your nym email
address, you could thereby be tied to it. The nym is strictly for the
convenience of others to use to send you messages.
Note: All nyms keep track of the addresses that have been set up on
their system to determine if they are being regularly used. If an
nym address goes without use for a period of time (usually 90
days), the nym server will send out a message informing you
that you are about to be deleted. To keep this from happening,
send your own nym an email once a month. However, be sure
you send the message through the remailer system using
QuickSilver.
-- End of Creating an Nym Setup section. --
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++