Silk Road forums
Discussion => Security => Topic started by: Omega Rushmore on August 25, 2012, 06:28 pm
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This question is directed to all the Bitcoin experts out there...
I am currently using Blockchain.info's MY Wallet online BTC wallet and right now I have been accessing it via Tor. It was also set up / opened while I was in Tor-land.
My question is whether or not there are any issues or concerns with accessing that same My Wallet through the Clearnet or through my cell phone.
I've been sending some coins to this My Wallet from an Instawallet, a Torwallet and from SR a few times, so I don't know whether or not I should be concerned with security or worried that there may be some traces back to any possibly "shady" transactions,
Everywhere I read its a big NO-NO to do this with Mt.Gox, but how about in this case...???
Thanks for the input!
Omega Rushmore
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...Bump...
Anyone got some input for me??? Pine??? GURU???
Thanks again!
Omega
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It's not a big deal. Some people are really paranoid.
When you pay for stuff, the coins get tumbled. I don't know how SR's tubler works, but I would assume it makes it so your own SR address has no connection to the vendor's SR address. Nobody knows what the coins were for.
Plus, Blockchain.info runs over https, which is encrypted.
Tangent:
That's the thing about bitcoin, it's psudo-annoymous. All you see is address to address transactions. It's not like a bank where you send money to an account and there's info attached to the account. A bitcoin address is just an address, not a person. It becomes less annoymous when you yourself can be linked to an address. But imo, that's not a big deal because nobody know what the coins were for. Only that you had ten coins and you sent them to another address. That's all you know and that's all anyone, LE included, could ever show. Who these other addresses are? Who knows? Not your job.
In order to get caught using SR, a lot of very very improbable things have to happen. Actually, I'd be willing to say there's no way you can be caught. BY BITCOIN, that is. I don't think that's even a feasible way to catch somebody. All you see are addresses. You have to link people to addresses and it's so easy to use multiple addresses. I alone have probably received coins to 20-30 different addresses. And I'm one person. It just seems wayyyyyy to difficult to prove anything via Bitcoin. It's a well designed system
Also, know that using blockchain.info isn't illegal. Neither is sending money to SR. How someone would ever know that your SR address is even a SR address? No idea. It may not even be possible. But lets say shit hits the wall and LE knows you sent money to SR. The coin tumbler will obscure where the coins went. You don't have to admit where it went. Not your job/5th. Worst they have is conspiracy or some shit. But even that situation is pretty much impossible. Again, linking people to bitcoin addresses is very difficult.
Not claiming to be an expert, but this is from my understanding.
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If blockchain.info uses https, then you are only at risk if the operators of the site are either malicious or there's a warrant against them.
And then again, the fact that they know a wallet (probably) is yours doesn't prove anything because the SR tumbler makes it hard to link you to a vendor. (however, if there's for thousands of dollars in BTC on it, then maybe it's interesting for the IRS).
So in short
- it's only a small risk
- the information that can be obtained is not all that useful
So what you do now:
- create a new wallet for future transactions
- if you are really paranoid, use bitcoinfog to launder the btc. (huge overkill, unless you're a real big fish for LE)
- stop worrying
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Thanks Madera and Angelkiller for your fantastic input. It puts things into perspective for sure.
I'm not new to buying from SR using bitcoins, and in general I'm not paranoid about that. I was just concerned with accessing Blockchain.info's MY WALLET through the Clearnet, which would then give them a real IP to where I'm at. Currently, I've only accessed this MY WALLET through Tor, so I know that way I'm clear of any identifying info.
But yeah, you're both right, BTC's are not illegal (yet...), so who the hell cares how I access them...!!!
I just might start a new MY WALLET via the Clearnet and send the coins there, then if I feel like it I can send some coins to a Torified Instawallet then to SR...that is if my paranoia gets inflamed a bit...!!!
Again, thanks, and that's some great info...
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There is an argument that if the police have the circumstantial evidence of drugs coming through the mail addressed to you (or an address linked to you), and they also have the circumstantial evidence of you purchasing or using Bitcoins, then these two things may harm your defense. Therefore you accessing your Bitcoins from your mobile or through any other clearnet route, would identify you as a user of Bitcoins and possibly harm your defense if any drugs were intercepted on-route to any address linkable to you.
It's all circumstantial evidence, but evidence non-the-less, that you could do without having to defend.
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...so ZEN, that sounds to me like I should just stay in Tor-land with all my bitcoins, right??
That sucks, simply because one day I may want to use some coins outside of SR...or not...
But seriously, one reason I am asking this question is that I may want to buy coins in person via www.localbitcoins.com.
I think it's still a pretty anonymous way to get coins (similar to buying MP's or doing CVS deposits), other than the fact that I'll have my smart phone and QR reader on hand to get the coins instantly from the seller who I meet in person.
Otherwise, I guess I can just access my coins via Tor, like I access the 'Road and never touch them on the Clearnet.