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longerincome said:

Not saying don't use them, saying use them with these:

I've seen some great opsec models like using decodo static ip as a base, then chaining mullvad, vultr , and dolphin, but I dont even see anyone talking about hardware air gaps, firewalls, and anonymization... why not take a orbic rayhunter, purchase phreeli mobile with anonymous btc (highest amount of data) or cape mobile (only $30 first month with promo code TRYCAPE30, youre rotating numbers anyways and its usually $100 a month for service), unlimited 5G data until throttle at 40GB, then switch, plug that sim into an orbic rayhunterand now youre monitoring possible cell site emulation and using an anonymous hotspot with 5G, connect that to a raspberry pi with firewall, an esp32 marauder, all chained with usb and ethernet to Qubes OS, running the decodo, mullvad, vultr, dolphin set up, or just dolphin atop a template of the whonix-workstation template, or mullvad over tor/tor over mullad (i dont see why people trip about connecting to tor first, trusting tor is inherently more scary than trusting mullvad)

Rate this OPSEC set up!

Orbic Stingray Hunter w/ Phreeli Mobile (allows for anonymous payments with crypto. they lease cell towers from t-mobile, or use cape mobile they have their own cell towers) $50appx Phreeli mobile 5G $40--80 cape mobile $30 with promo
connects to:
ESP32 Marauder $50appx (Use DIG AI from dump.li to inquire about how to set it up, or Venice AI) - wifi anonymization, etc

connects to:
Raspberry Pi (firewall, wifi, etc) $50appx

connects with ethernet to:
Qubes OS running VPS for crypto transactions or local node on 2TB/1TB external drive and antidetect browsers like dolphin, mac changers, Clam AV Net, all the fixings, Tor, Mullvad over Tor for when you're blocked, just Mullvad for when you need to use Waydroid to emulate a cell phone. Windows 10 vm - (must have compatible laptop with at least 32GB RAM Lenovo Thinkpad T14 ideal less than $170appx, or Lenovo Thinkpad 460, 470, 480 $100, RAM $120-180appx)

For mobile:
Google Pixels with Graphene OS in case you need them $100 each refurbished. Graphene OS works on Pixel 5's as well, even 4's if you need to burn through them fast and don't care about updates. App downloads manually from Aurora and blacklisted or F droid. Still don't trust the sandboxed google play store for work.[/SIZE]

@BadB It makes sense to appear as normal as possible with windows 10 ran by a simple Mac, Dell, whatever, but isn't the inherent risk with microsoft and Google not worth it? even with O&O ShutUp10++, @Student the GUI didn't look very promising. Privacy.Sexy seemed way better at least it activated the terminal and you can see what's working or not working. The PCs running windows are now collecting dust in faraday bags. mistake?

Wondering why this isn't shown more? Does this get noticed by detection software even if you create a windows 10 vm from real windows installation media?

Click to expand...

Rating Your OPSEC Setup: 8.5/10 (High-Threat Model Excellence, with Some Practical Caveats)​

• Strengths (9/10): Excellent defense-in-depth, low traceability, and proactive monitoring (e.g., Stingray detection). It's superior to basic VPS/RDP setups in scenarios requiring physical separation and cellular anonymity.
• Weaknesses ( deducting 1.5 points): High complexity (setup/debugging time, potential failures in chains), cost (~$500-700 initial + ongoing SIM fees), and maintenance overhead. Also, some detection risks in the Windows VM, and overkill for low-to-medium threat models where simpler tools (e.g., Tails OS + Mullvad) suffice.

1. Anonymous Hotspot Base: Orbic Rayhunter w/ Phreeli or Cape Mobile (Rating: 9/10)​

• Why Strong: The Orbic RC400L hotspot (~$20-50) running EFF's Rayhunter (open-source, launched 2025) is a smart choice for detecting IMSI catchers (Stingrays) — it monitors cellular handshakes for suspicious downgrades or behaviors without needing an active plan. Reviews praise its ease (flash via GitHub, no activation required) and effectiveness in urban/high-surveillance areas. Pairing with Phreeli (launched Dec 2025, ~$40-80/mo) or Cape (~$99/mo, $30 first with TRYCAPE30 — still active per Cape's site) adds true anonymity: crypto payments, no name/ID, minimal data collection (ZIP code only for Phreeli's "Double-Blind Armadillo" architecture). Phreeli leases T-Mobile towers; Cape has its own for better privacy. Both offer unlimited 5G (throttle at 40-50GB), ideal for rotation to avoid tracking.
• Caveats: Not fully anonymous — Phreeli still logs minimal metadata for legal/tax reasons (e.g., ZIP for taxes), and some reviews (e.g., YouTube critiques) call it "privacy marketing" since MVNOs can be subpoenaed. Cape is stronger for high-risk (no data sales, hardened against SIM-swaps), but pricier. Rotate SIMs/numbers as you plan — good practice.
• OPSEC Boost: This is better than VPS/RDPs for mobile ops, as it hides your real ISP/SIM. Hardware monitoring fills a gap most setups ignore.

2. WiFi/BT Layer: ESP32 Marauder (Rating: 8/10)​

• Why Strong: At ~$50, this ESP32-based tool (from justcallmekoko's GitHub) excels at WiFi/BT pentesting — anonymity via MAC spoofing, deauth attacks, AP emulation, and sniffing. 2026 reviews (YouTube demos, Hackster.io) highlight its pocket-sized power for wardriving or detecting rogue APs. Setup is straightforward with AI tools like DIG (dump.li) or Venice AI for configs. Chaining via USB-C to the Pi adds a monitoring/air-gap layer, preventing local wireless leaks.
• Caveats: Primarily offensive/defensive testing tool — great for awareness, but not full "anonymization" (e.g., doesn't hide all BT signals). Ethical use emphasized; misuse risks legal issues. Some reviews note firmware updates can break chains — test thoroughly.
• OPSEC Boost: Addresses hardware gaps ignored in software-focused discussions, like BT tracking. Superior to VPS (no local wireless control) for on-the-go ops.

3. Firewall Bridge: Raspberry Pi (Rating: 9/10)​

• Why Strong: ~$50 Pi as a firewall (e.g., via pfSense/OpenWRT/IPFire) is a classic OPSEC move — blocks unwanted ports, logs traffic, and creates a logical air gap. 2026 guides (Instructables, SunFounder) confirm it's effective for isolating chains. Ethernet to Qubes adds physical separation, reducing remote exploits.
• Caveats: Setup complexity (rules can break connectivity if misconfigured). Not foolproof against supply-chain attacks — verify hashes from trusted sources.
• OPSEC Boost: Elevates beyond VPS/RDPs by enforcing hardware-level rules, preventing leaks before hitting Qubes.

4. Core System: Qubes OS on ThinkPad w/ Chains (Decodo -> Mullvad -> Vultr -> Dolphin; Mullvad over Tor; Whonix Templates) (Rating: 9/10)​

• Why Strong: Qubes (on a compatible ThinkPad T14/460-480, ~$100-170 + $120-180 RAM) is OPSEC gold for compartmentalization. Your chain (Decodo static IP as base, Mullvad multi-hop/DAITA, Vultr for extra hops, Dolphin antidetect browser) is highly rated in forums (Qubes, Reddit r/opsec) — Mullvad over Tor preferred (Tor's decentralized vs. Mullvad's no-logs audits). Dolphin on Whonix template hides fingerprints; Waydroid for Android emulation adds versatility. Local crypto nodes/external drives enhance self-reliance.
• Caveats: 32GB RAM min is spot-on (Qubes is resource-heavy). Blocked? Switch to Tor over Mullvad, but Tor-first can expose entry nodes (your point on trusting Mullvad is valid — it's audited, Tor is volunteer-run).
• OPSEC Boost: Far better than VPS/RDPs for local control/no provider dependency. Hardware chains make it resilient.

5. Windows 10 VM (Rating: 6/10)​

• Why Moderate: Running Win10 VM from real ISO/media in Qubes is fine for compatibility (e.g., certain tools), but detection is a real risk. Qubes/Xen leaves artifacts (CPUID latencies, virtual hardware like QEMU devices, Xen references in Device Manager). Software (e.g., games, proctoring tools) can flag VMs via timing checks or telemetry. Tools like O&O ShutUp10++ or Privacy.Sexy help block telemetry (Privacy.Sexy is better — terminal-based, verifiable), but not perfectly (Microsoft evolves). Faraday bags for dusty PCs are smart isolation.
• Caveats: Inherent risks with Microsoft/Google — telemetry persists even sandboxed. Not a mistake to bag them, but for OPSEC, avoid Win VMs if possible (use Linux alternatives). Detection: Yes, noticeable by advanced software (e.g., EDR like CrowdStrike) or online checks (Google flags "HVM domU"). Real media doesn't hide it — VM exits/latencies are unavoidable.
• OPSEC Boost: In Qubes, it's contained — better than bare-metal Win. But skip for high-sensitivity; your GrapheneOS mobiles are stronger here.

6. Mobile: GrapheneOS on Pixels (Rating: 9/10)​

• Why Strong: Refurb Pixels (~$100) with GrapheneOS (works on 4/5 series) is top-tier — strips Google trackers, manual APKs via F-Droid/Aurora. No sandboxed Play Store aligns with distrust. Faraday bags add physical isolation.
• Caveats: Older Pixels (4/5) lack updates — fine for burners, but rotate. Not fully air-gapped without mods.
• OPSEC Boost: Complements the setup; better than stock Android for mobile ops.

Why Isn't This Setup Discussed More?​

• Overkill for Most: 90% of users (even privacy pros) stick to software (Tails, Mullvad/Tor on laptops) because hardware chains are complex, failure-prone (e.g., overheating, config errors), and costly. Communities like r/privacy focus on accessible tools — hardware gaps are niche for "extreme" threats.
• Trade-Offs: Modern threats bridge physical gaps (side-channels like ultrasound, EM leaks) — logical gaps (VMs, firewalls) are easier. Discussions avoid details to not "tip off LE" or create patterns.
• Evolving Views: Air gaps aren't "dead" but hybridized (e.g., your logical+physical mix). Shown in EFF/Qubes docs, but not viral — simpler wins mass appeal.

Detection Risks​

• Overall Setup: Low locally (no direct exposure until end-chain). Online: Possible via anomalies (Tor exits, chained IPs) — rotate to mitigate. Hardware isn't "noticed" by software unless scanned physically.
• Win10 VM: Yes, detectable (latencies, artifacts) — even from real media. Not invisible; use disposables or avoid.

Suggestions for Improvement​

• Test Thoroughly: Simulate failures (e.g., Pi rules breaking Mullvad). Use whoer.net in Dolphin for leak checks.
• Cost/Simplify: Drop Win VM if possible — migrate to Linux VMs. Add data diodes for one-way transfers.
• Alternatives: For lighter: Tails + Mullvad. For similar: Add CalyxOS on Pixels for variety.
• Legal Note: Ensure ethical/legal use (e.g., Marauder for testing only).