Lets Protect the Software Privacy and Software freedom from theft and Surveillance/spying
Posted by anhad on 2024/05/29
Data theft and Spying done by popular technology companies through Proprietary or spy Software :
Data Theft Google, Yahoo, Apple, Microsoft, Skype, AOL, Adobe, Paytalk, Facebook, Amazon, Intel, Zoom
{A Tribute to Richard Stallman sir, Founder of Free Software Foundation & GNU-LINUX Operating System}
{Tribute to Edward Snowden}
{Tribute Abhas Abhinav sir, Mostly Harmless, Bangalore}
{Tribute Ravi and Praveen from Free Software Community of India, F.S.C.I}
Trust is the most important aspect of life. When we purchase a service or a product, we trust the service provider or product manufacturer to serve us honestly and efficiently. But, we blindly trust the advertisements seen on television, social media, newspaper or radio.
“SMART Gadgets” or SPY Gadgets and SPY Sevices :
CCTV cameras on roads, airports, railway stations are necessary for surveillance. But, what if such CCTV cameras are inside your bedrooms and offices. The mobile, laptops, desktop, tablet devices and emails services running on software and hardware provided by the above companies are like CCTV cameras collecting your data. This stolen personal data is either send to NSA for surveillance or sold to Amazon for e-commerce marketing.
We have invested thousands to lakhs of rupees in purchasing smartphones and laptops for personal use or Office.
“You are being spied inside your bedrooms and offices 24×7 !”
(as long as you use gadgets/devices manufactured by above dishonest corporations)
d
Edward Joseph Snowden (born June 21, 1983) was a former computer intelligence consultant who worked at NSA. He exposed popular technology companies and their way of working as he got fed up with its unethical/evil work practices. .
These technology Companies are a threat to your privacy and freedom. They have been selling your personal data as spying data or as marketing data to Amazon :
- Google (Google owns gmail, you-tube)
- Yahoo (yahoomail)
- Facebook (Facebook owns meta, instagram, watsapp)
- Paytalk
- Microsoft (Microsoft owns hotmail)
- Adobe
- Skype
- Apple
- Zoom
- Ubuntu
Interview of Edward Snowden on NSA policies :
https://yewtu.be/watch?v=0hLjuVyllrs
News coverage by Empire diaries news :
https://yewtu.be/PcCnxDJBdiY?t=2
Speech given by Edward Snowden at Libreplanet conference organised by Free Software Foundation :
https://media.libreplanet.org/u/libreplanet/m/libreplanet-2016-the-last-lighthouse-3d51/
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Their are 2 types of softwares :
a) Proprietary software – Source code is not available to users for checking
Imagine a car whose bonnet is locked and you cannot access its engine. Similarly, the source code of proprietary software is locked by the companies which creates it like Microsoft, Google, Facebook, Apple. Proprietary software is the software whose source code is locked and users cannot study it or get it checked. The source code of this software is blocked by the company that creates it. The source code has backdoors for stealing our personal data and office designs/documents stored on our mobile phones, laptops, desktops, servers, smart watches.
If we use proprietary softwares, then our documents and bank account details get stolen through backdoors created by programmers of proprietary software.
b) Freedom or Swatantra software whose source code is available
To protect our documents and bank account details, we should use Freedom software and Freedom respecting hardware.
“Free software” means software that respects users’ freedom and privacy. Roughly, it means that the users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study the source code of software, change the source code of software and improve the software. Thus, “free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. We use GNU-Linux Operating system and its softwares to provide our professional services. Richard Stallman sir is the co-founder of GNU-Linux Operating system. Richard Stallman sir is the owner of Free Software Foundation located in Boston, USA.
Philosophy of Freedom software or Swatantra software :
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html
These freedoms are vitally important. They are essential, not just for the individual users’ sake, but for society as a whole because they promote social solidarity—that is, sharing and cooperation. They become even more important as our culture and life activities are increasingly digitized. In a world of digital sounds, images, and words, free software becomes increasingly essential for freedom in general.
Website of Free software foundation, USA :
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/philosophy.html
Proof of malwares present in Proprietary Operating System & Softwares created by these popular Tech Corporations :
Proprietary software, also called nonfree software, means software that doesn’t respect users’ freedom and community. A proprietary program puts its developer or owner in a position of power over its users. This power is in itself an injustice.
Power corrupts; the proprietary program’s developer is tempted to design the program to mistreat its users. (Software designed to function in a way that mistreats the user is called malware.) Of course, the developer usually does not do this out of malice, but rather to profit more at the users’ expense. That does not make it any less nasty or more legitimate.
https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary.html
Trap of Open Source software:
Most software users have confusion related to the difference between Free software (Free means ‘freedom’ or ‘swatantra’) and Open source software. This confusion results in wrong selection of software.
I had studied the research journal/white paper written by Richard stallman sir on the topic ‘Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software’. For helping software users across the world in understanding this difference, this is the summary of the above White Paper written by Richard sir which will help you understand the difference between Free software and Open source software. Please click on the link below :
Companies like Google and Microsoft sell proprietary software use the term “Open Source” softwares to cover-up the Back-doors present in them :
In Mozilla Firefox browsers also, which claims to be “Open Source”, there are backdoor entries. “Open Source” is just a technical term that these companies use as a cover-up to gain Trust of the users.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Threat to Freedom – Sealed frame of mobile phones :
Imagine that when you go to the car dealer to purchase a new car and the dealer offers you a car with a sealed hood/bonnet. As a user of the car, you have the freedom to open the hood/bonnet of the car and access the engine. The user has the freedom to get the car repaired from anywhere. Also, the user has the freedom to modify the car. For example, an Indian citizen named Om modified his Honda Activa scooter by mounting a solar panel on top of the scooter and connected it with the battery. This is the video of the modified scooter :
https://peertube.bgzashtita.es/w/8V3e5M5mvxDHF6QMfoCip6
When we buy a new smartphone, its frame is sealed and the manufacturer states that warranty will get void if the frame is opened by a local technician. At any moment, these companies can turn the microphone or web-camera of your gadget connected to the internet through backdoors without permission.
Even after a Smartphone is turned off, it is still working in sleep mode and you are under surveillance as long as the gadget is connected to the Internet. The latest smartphones come in a sealed body and the user can no longer open the back cover to take out the battery.
“These smart gadgets only appear to be under User’s control. In reality, they are under complete control of the dishonest corporation”
- Reasons not to use Google :
“Why are personal chats in Text messages under spying ?” The settings of good old Text message on the phone is also controlled by Google through a User agreement with Jibe company which states that all text message data will be collected by Jibe and shared with Google servers :
https://jibe.google.com/intl/en_IN/policies/terms/
Malaware of Google discovered by Richard Stllman sir :
https://stallman.org/google.html
…………………………………
Learn how Google, Microsoft, Apple tracks your location using Wifi Triangulation :
https://www.lifewire.com/wifi-positioning-system-1683343
………………………
2. Reasons not to use Microsoft by Richard sir :
https://stallman.org/microsoft.html
Short documentary on Microsoft was sued for anti-trust violations :
https://peertube.bgzashtita.es/w/sEVnc96oA8MhJCZwFJtFTX
3. Malwares in Facebook :
Please open Facebook settings named “Your Off Facebook Activity”, other Apps which we use on the mobile sends data to Facebook. All the data entered using mobile apps on android phone is sent to Facebook :
– List of web-series you watched on Netflix
– Details of ticket booked using Redbus
– Mobile banking using ICICI mobile banking app
– Cab booked through Uber
– Caller data through True-Caller
– Train ticket through irctc app its all with Facebook.
Reasons not to use Microsoft by Richard Sir :
https://stallman.org/facebook.html
…………………………………………
4. Malware in Intel :
Intel Management Engine: Intel Management Engine is a backdoor which can be used by Intel to remotely access the computers running Intel ME. Quoting Libreboot project on Intel ME:
“The Intel Management Engine with its proprietary firmware has complete access to and control over the PC: it can power on or shut down the PC, read all open files, examine all running applications, track all keys pressed and mouse movements, and even capture or display images on the screen. And it has a network interface that is demonstrably insecure, which can allow an attacker on the network to inject rootkits that completely compromise the PC and can report to the attacker all activities performed on the PC. It is a threat to freedom, security, and privacy that can’t be ignored.”
Web-link to related article by Free Software Foundation :
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/the-management-engine-an-attack-on-computer-users-freedom
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
5. Reasons not to buy from Amazon :
This is an article on the reality of Amazon written by Richard Stallman sir :
https://stallman.org/amazon.html
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
6. The Reality of Zoom :
a) Zoom lied to users for years its software’s encryption capability and security. It also installed malware to override security features of some browsers.
Those actions bespeak an attitude towards users: treat them as prey. No matter what the company might promise not to do, with that attitude it will look for some other nasty thing to do to users.
b) Zoom sends users’ personal data straight to Facebook.
The article is shocked that it does this even for users that don’t have Facebook accounts, but is it acceptable to do this for users that do have Facebook accounts?
c) Zoom is developing geographically-fenced account blockage so as to satisfy repressive governments such as China.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
7. Reasons not to use Apple by Richard Stallman :
https://stallman.org/apple.html
8. Problem with Whatsapp :
Since WhatsApp is proprietary software, there is no way to independently verify their claim that the messages are end to end encrypted. Proprietary software means software whose source code is locked. We can only do a blind trust on their promise and that is bad. With Prav App being Freedom or Swatantra Software, our claims of end to end encryption can be independently verified.
So the actual problem is that WhatsApp is a monopoly since it forces users to accept any privacy policy WhatsApp sets without any choice. This is the research of cyber-security against watsapp done by Richard Stallman, founder of GNU-Linux Operating system.
https://stallman.org/whatsapp.html
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
The Man with an Honest and Ethical Approach :
Richard Stallman who has been working for freedom on the WEB since 1990’s and created the GNU Project.
Richard Matthew Stallman, also known as RMS in the free software community, was born in New York in 1953. He is a physicist, computer scientist, philosopher, and a passionate champion for software freedom. He is the founder and leader of the Free Software Movement (often mistakenly referred to as “open source.”)
In 1971, while still a student at Harvard, he started working as a programmer at the MIT Artificial Intelligence Lab (currently, CSAIL.) In 1983, he launched the GNU Project
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/20140407-geneva-tedx-talk-free-software-free-society“Free software” means software that respects users’ freedom and community. Roughly, it means that the users have the freedom to run, copy, distribute, study, change and improve the software.
Thus, “free software” is a matter of liberty, not price. To understand the concept, you should think of “free” as in “free speech,” not as in “free beer”. We sometimes call it “libre software,” borrowing the French or Spanish word for “free” as in freedom, to show we do not mean the software is gratis. When users don’t control the program, we call it a “nonfree” or “proprietary” program. The non-free program controls the users, and the developer controls the program; this makes the program an instrument of unjust power.
He was invited by the President of India A.P.J Abdul Kalam for installation of GNU/LINUX Operating system in Government office computers.
https://www.linux.com/news/richard-stallman-meets-president-india%C2%A0%20%C2%A0
Technical Talk/presentation of Richard sir at Tedx :
https://www.fsf.org/blogs/rms/20140407-geneva-tedx-talk-free-software-free-society
Blog & Talk by Richard Stallman on User-Privacy & Surveillance at Global Forum :
How Much Surveillance Can Democracy Withstand?
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/surveillance-vs-democracy.html
About Richard Stallman :
https://stallmansupport.org/who-is-richard-stallman.html
Become a member of Free Software Foundation :
Join with over 5,000 active members in 76 countries, representing a diverse membership of computer users, artists, software engineers, students, and activists.
When you donate as an associate member, you are part of an informed society working together to make a better world: respectful of individual freedom, social solidarity, personal privacy, and democracy — built on free software.
The Free Software Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, so your member donation is tax-deductible in the US.
https://www.fsf.org
Replace Microsoft windows operating system by GNU-Linux Operating system on your Desktop/laptop. Try Trisquel GNU-Linux Operating system on your Desktop/Laptop :
8 types of GNU-linux Operating systems invented by Free Software Foundation :
https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-distros.html
Please call Kuber at +91-8448855021 for installation of GNU-Linux on your laptop/desktop 🙂
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mostly Harmless, Bangalore :
Mostly Harmless was founded in 2016 by Abhas Abhinav with the goal of (somehow) building a sustainable business out of providing affordable, accessible hardware solutions that could complement the extensive body of free software tools that already existed. Starting with hackable, mechanical keyboards, this ‘obsession’ with do-it-yourself, hackable hardware has broadened to include a whole lot more.
The core values espoused here are the most fundamental values that he personally lives my life by. He doesn’t sell or offer anything that he is not using himself. He doesn’t sell or offer anything that not first used by him (and suffered through!) sufficiently.
He doesn’t intend to build or use anything that would use proprietary software, spy on its users or surveill them, take advantage of them or disrespect them in any way. Looking forward to working with you in sustaining this wonderful world of ethical and hackable products and solutions!
https://mostlyharmless.io/about/
E-commerce store of Mostly Harmless for purchasing Mobiles, laptops, desktops, routers, smart watches, Home automation systems running on GNU-Linux Operating system :
a) It provides installation of GNU-Linux Operating system and Coreboot service for mobiles, laptops and desktops
b) It sells liberated products like routers, mobiles, laptops, desktops, home automation solutions etc. with pre-installed GNU-Linux
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Free Software Community of India :
Free Software Community of India is a collective of Free Software* users, advocates and developers.
- We maintain communication and collaboration infrastructure for everyone that respects their freedom and privacy.
- We depend on donations and volunteers to run the infrastructure.
- We maintain a list of Free Software communities and offer sub domains of https://fsug.in or https://fosscommunity.in
- We mentor Free Software enthusiasts to become Free Software contributors.
- We provide GNU/Linux installation and configuration support via online messaging groups.
Services offered by F.S.C.I :
Prav App –
Prav is a messaging app which works on XMPP protocol. Users can communicate with other XMPP users. Prav app has support for messaging, file sharing, voice messages, audio and video calls. The algorithm used for encryption at Prav is called asymmetric cryptography.
How to choose a good instant messaging app betwen watsapp, telegram, signal, quiksy or prav ? Lets find out the answer with the help of this seminar presented by founders of Prav app. Please click on this link below :
https://prav.app/
Comparison of different instant messaging apps :
- Non-free software client and server + centralization (Example WhatsApp): does not respect user’s freedom and creates vendor lock-in.
- Free Software client but non-free server + centralization (Example Telegram): client software respects freedom, server software does not respect freedom and creates vendor lock-in.
- Free Software client and server + centralization (Example Signal): respect user’s freedom but creates vendor lock-in.
- Free Software client and server + federation (Example Matrix and XMPP app like Prav app): respects users’ freedom (as a user or as a community) and no vendor lock-in.
Features of Prav app:
1. Software Freedom in Prav – Prav is Free Software or Swatantra software (please click on this hyperlink to read more). Users have the freedom to run, study, modify, share and share the modified versions. The source code of Prav app is accessible to users so that they can get it checked with the help of any programmer. Every car owner has the freedom of access to the engine of the car by opening its bonnet. Similar to the accessibility of engine of a car, Source code is like the engine of a software. Please view the source code of Prav app by clicking on the link below : https://codeberg.org/prav
2. Software Privacy in Prav – Unlike watsapp, no personal data is collected or stolen in Prav app. XMPP means Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol. It is an communication protocol designed for instant messaging (IM), presence information, and contact list maintenance. It provides OMEMO encryption for chats which runs on asymmetric cryptography algorithms. Practical applications of asymmetic cryptography include e-commerce based payments, chips payment based debit and credit cards, digital currencies, computer passwords, and military communication done by armies, communication done by journalists.
3. Cyber-security of Prav – Asymmetric cryptography, is the field of cryptographic systems that use pairs of related keys. Each key pair consists of a public key and a corresponding private key. Key pairs are generated with cryptographic algorithms based on mathematical problems termed one-way functions. Security of public-key cryptography depends on keeping the private key secret; the public key can be openly distributed without compromising security. Prav App will generate a cryptographic key pair and private key will be stored on the device and public key will be shared with contacts so they can use the public key to send encrypted messages and these can be decrypted only with the secret key present on your device. This also means if you lose your device, the messages can never be decrypted (but if you want to save messages, you will be able create backups and store them separately).
4. No vendor lock-in in Prav – Prav App is convenient without vendor lock-in. Many mainstream messaging apps allow you to talk only to people who use the same app, other apps which provide choice have many manual steps and people complain they are inconvenient. Most popular messaging apps require users to download the same app and have account on the same service. Prav is interoperable with other XMPP services, which means you can switch providers and still talk to your contacts. For example, SIM cards are interoperable. If you switch from Airtel to Vodafone, you will still be able to make calls with your contacts. Similar thing is not possible with popular apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal etc. If you uninstall the app, you lose all your contacts.
5. No lock in of Prav – You are not locked into our service. You can move out of our service without losing any of your contacts. We don’t stop users to talk to users from other XMPP services. …………………………………………………………………
Benefits of Prav app :
1. Create your family group for staying connected with each-other through difficult and good times.
2. Share your latest vacation photos on your family group.
3. Easy and convenient to use.
4. Good quality audio/video calls and file sharing.
5. Democratic Decision Making – All changes to the Privacy Policy will happen only with approval of those users who join Prav app cooperative society. These decisions will be made by Prav app cooperative society and users can join the cooperative society if they wish more involvement in the decision making process. Which features will be developed first will also be made democratically by the cooperative society members.
6. Elegant user interface
To experience the free of cost Beta version of Prav app, Please click on the tab named ‘Beta Invite Form’ in this web-link to open the form and enter the details :
https://prav.app/beta-release-party/
To install Prav app on your android phone, please download the fdroid and apk file and install it. A pop-up will ask whether to allow installation from unknown source. Please open the settings web-page and click Yes on fdroid :
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/app.prav.client/
Payment Details for Prav app :
We are using https://razorpay.com/docs/payments/subscriptions/
200 INR 1 year subscription
500 INR 1 year family/group subscription
Offers:
600 INR with 100 INR off if you buy 3 years (with UPI)
1500 INR with 300 INR off if you buy 3 years (with UPI)
Members of FSCI and Prav app :
Praveen :
Social emergency campaigning to remake this world as he sees fit (a pirate). For a world where everyone have enough to survive and can do what they really love to do as opposed to what pays them the most.
A Debian Developer, privacy advocate and a politician. Mentors students to contribute to Free Software.
Ravi :
Ravi Dwivedi is a Free Software activist who promotes and uses Free Software. He is very strong privacy advocate.
He is a very active member of Free Software Community of Indiaand is a part of Debian India community. He started LibreOffice Community in India.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Ethical Softwares –
The name of Kuber’s company is Ethical softwares. The services of Ethical softwares are :
- Cyber-security websites for business owners : The source code of this website is provided by us so that you can get it checked from a security expert that provides a CODE AUDIT which checks the source code for backdoors which are used for data theft. No data theft of office documents, bank account details is possible from this website.
2. GNU Privacy guard encryption of email address – This service of GNUpg key encryption is important so that no surveillance can be done on the communication that is done in emails.
3. Script writing for Video advertisments and Ad films – He writes scripts for video advertisement for businesses to increase sales of your business. Video type selected by the customer will be created using professional script, DSLR camera with Rode mic, Video editing by Kdenlive software running on Debian GNU-Linux software.
Video type selected by the customers will be created using professional script, DSLR camera with Rode mic, video editing by Kdenlive software running on Debian GNU-Linux software.
Video type selected by the customers will be created using professional script, DSLR camera with Rode mic, video editing by Kdenlive software running on Debian GNU-Linux software.
The video advertisement produced by Ethical softwares will be provided to you for uploading on your website and video streaming channel like Framatube or Peertube (safe alternative for you-tube). Video reels will be provided to you for uploading on Pixelfed (safe alternative for instagram) .
Website : https://ethicalsoftware.noblogs.org/ourservices/
This is the link of Ethical softwares on global business platforms :
1. Fiverr https://www.fiverr.com/kuber_kapoor
2. Freelancer https://www.freelancer.com/u/kuberkapoor11
3.Upwork : https://www.upwork.com/freelancers/~0178834c5cf3aab2cc?mp_source=share
This is business sales video of Ethical softwares :
https://peertube.bgzashtita.es/w/fAm9HQy9g9z5xvSrFVDRAT
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Please try the following services to experience the Graphical user interface and services of Free Software :
- Search engine : https://search.libretech.io
2. Instant messaging : Prav app
3. Social media : Mastadon
https://mastodon.social/explore
4. Photo sharing : Pixelfed app
5. Maps : Open street maps app
https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=5/21.843/82.795
https://f-droid.org/en/packages/de.storchp.opentracks.osmplugin/
6. Video Streaming :
7. Libre Office :
Please install Libre office on MS Windows
8. Web Browser :
Try epic privacy browser on Microsoft Windows
Try GNU icecat browser on GNU-Linux Operating system
9. Safe Email service :
Please stop using gmail, yahoomail, hotmail. Please use paid email service of Safe-mail. For registering your email account, please click on the link below :
……………………………………………………………………~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have written a book titled ‘Guide to Software Privacy and Software Freedom’. This book has the complete list of Freedom or Swatantra softwares and privacy respecting hardware for personal and professional purpose.
Please purchase this book by clicking on the link below :
https://ethicalsoftware.noblogs.org/books-shop/
For any querries, please contact on the email or contact no. mentioned below.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
References :
‘Why Open Source Misses the Point of Free Software’ research journal by Richard Stallman
https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/open-source-misses-the-point.html
Thank you
Kuber
Contact Details :
Email : kuberkapoor@inventati.org
Calls : +91-8448855021
Filed under General
टेक्नोलॉजी कंपनियों द्वारा जनता का डाटा-चोरी और जासूसी – अमेरिकी शासन का डिजिटल राज |