Pseudo-anonymous Email
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     Pseudo-anonymous Email Preparation and Installation Section


     I.  Receive email messages anonymously at 'alt.anonymous.messages' via a
         pseudo-anonymous email

    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. --


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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. --


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                                        Creating an Nym Setup Section

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. --


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