<nettime> re: the logfile conspiracy

[brian carroll <human@architexturez.com>]

  thanks jesse and scot. for your info on the 'gw' found
  in utexas.edu and other domain names in website logfiles.

  had me thinking a few things. one, conspiracy theories
  and lack of information, and the need for answers to what
  are sometimes enigmatic situations.

  second, i wish there was some resource for understanding
  IP spoofing and whatnot for the layperson. if anyone knows
  of such info, please forward. i use 'whois' engines to find
  the domain names of IP addresses in my logs that do not
  translate, and sometimes come from unusual places. one
  that i never can figure out is when it is the IANA address
  or something such. it says it is part of the old arpanet
  or something like it network. i forget at the moment. but
  basically, there are many 'invisible' addresses that in
  my opinion, are hidden by this outdated IP, or unmapped,
  or 'private' IP. don't know who is visiting, those domains
  that have access to that part of the IP numerology.

  the other thing i'm contemplating, as someone living in
  nettime, is a fence, to see who is coming and going from
  my domain. that is, to keep unwanted visitors at the gate
  and not to have the key to my server doormat, with the
  expected emergency key, left underneath in unencrypted
  ftp username and password transfers in plain-text, from
  what i've heard. thus, in defense of defense of ideas,
  anyone have any ideas on secure tools, like pgp, ssh
  (i think it is for ftp), and other things that one can
  do in tough times, to protect one's data, and ideas,
  and the (virtual) freedom to speak...

  also, the whole firewall issue, soft and hardware. i've
  heard one can set up a hardware router and scramble an
  IP address, or close ports or whatnot. but that is also
  expensive, it seems, and sounds viable only if using a
  broadband dsl/cable/fiber network connection. and then
  the software monitoring of snoopers and sniffers and
  port scanners. and how to defend oneself against those
  whom are maliciously troublesome in that they have an
  unofficial mandate to meddle, individual rights or not.

  any resources are available. i'm still laughing at my
  paranoia check. but, living in the US is the disneyland
  of mind, and here, in california-land, especially so.
  the mind is a themepark, the network an extension of it.
  nightmares are of the variety of trying to find the exit,
  and having the white light-duty Ford pickup truck with
  requisite searchlight catching those trying to leave on
  the 18 mile parking lot, 2 miles out from the park. the
  park guards with walkie-talkies call back to headquarters,
  saying they've caught more escapees... back to the scary
  rides, where people pay to play...






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