Protection from PRISM - the best anonymization tips

Don't give the NSA a chance and protect yourself from PRISM. With a few tips and tricks, you no longer need to fear data espionage.

What is PRISM and what data is stolen?

• Prism is the name of an American NSA surveillance program. This is used to tap numerous servers from large American companies in order to collect and evaluate data about users.
• In order to receive as much data as possible, the information is tapped directly from the servers of large companies such as Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, Facebook, Skype, Apple and Co. You do not have to protect your own PC against PRISM. It is much more important to use certain services correctly.
• The potentially spied data is sensitive unless you are involved in criminal activity, but it remains with the NSA. You do not have to worry about the transfer directly. Nevertheless, the authority can have your data.

How do I protect myself from PRISM?

• Your data on non-American servers is largely secure. However, it became known that the German Federal Intelligence Service is also cooperating with the NSA.
• Nevertheless, if your data is on American servers, it is delivered to the NSA virtually without protection. However, many German services also allow your data traffic to go through American servers so that it is not protected.
• You can only protect yourself effectively by turning away from American services and encrypting your data. You can read how to do this in the following paragraphs.

Alternative programs and services to protect against PRISM

Since the data is mainly spied on American servers, it is most effective to no longer use American services. However, it is difficult to get rid of Android, Google, Facebook, Windows, iOS and Co. All these services have their servers on American soil and can therefore be spied on.

• Google: The search provider Google stores your data and analyzes your surfing behavior in order, among other things, to personalize advertising for you. The search engine DuckDuckGo, on the other hand, promises to encrypt the user data on its servers.
• IE, Chrome, Safari: As an alternative to browsers that can monitor and analyze your surfing behavior, there is the Tor Browser. Above all, it stands for anonymity on the Internet and leaves virtually no traces.
• Facebook, Google Plus, Instagram and Co: All known and popular social networks are on American servers. Unfortunately, there is no sensible counterpart here that would entice you and your friends to switch.
• iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive: All of these online storage devices are unprotected. The MyKolab.com service, which has its servers in Switzerland, could serve as an alternative here.
• More alternative software and websites to protect against PRISM can be found on Prism-Break.org.

Secure encryption: protect data from the NSA

• Encrypt files: In order to send your files securely, it is advisable to protect them with a password. Here, however, you should bet on numbers, letters and special characters and not use a simple password, as this can be cracked quickly. The free programs WinRAR or 7-Zip are available for encryption. We have provided you with instructions here.
• Online storage: You can encrypt your online storage on Dropbox, Google Drive, SugarSync or SkyDrive with the BoxCryptor. This encrypts the data from your cloud storage on your computer, uploads it again and only decrypts it when you download it again.

Secure emails: No chance for the NSA

• With the free tool Gpg4win you encrypt your mails so that only you and the recipient can read the content.
• A prerequisite for this is a mail program such as Outlook, Thunderbird or the supplied "Claws Mail". In addition, it is not enough if only you use the program. The recipient must do the same.
• Each user receives their own key. It can be compared to an address. Only if the mail also reaches the recipient, i.e. the correct address, can it be opened and the content read. If strangers intercept the mail, you cannot read it without the key.
• Unfortunately, the program for computer newbies is not that easy to set up. However, if you are somewhat concerned with the manual supplied, you can also overcome this hurdle for data security.

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Conclusion

• If you want to be completely protected from PRISM, you unfortunately have to do without many amenities. For most people, completely renouncing American services is inconceivable and often simply and simply not feasible.
• However, pay attention to what data you reveal on the Internet and encrypt sensitive content on your computer and in your emails. In this way, the NSA obtains as little and unusable data from you as possible.

You can find more information about PRISM in this video.