Can linux be used as anonymous server? If yes, which distribution and
how is it configured?

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Request for Question Clarification by maniac-ga on 12 Oct 2004 17:29 PDT

Hello Linuxgirl,

As noted in Kaaja's comment, the phrase anonymous server is most often
associated with anonymous ftp access [usually to download files to
clients]. All the major distributions have an ftp server that can be
configured for anonymous ftp access - usually in a chroot jail.

In a previous question you indicate use of Red Hat 9, there is a nice
summary of this kind of configuration at
  http://www.siliconvalleyccie.com/linux-hn/ftp-server.htm
or a more step by step example (for Red Hat 7) at
  http://www.faqs.org/docs/securing/chap29sec294.html
[be sure to click the next links to go through each step]
or a more comprehensive "pocket ISP set up" at
  http://www.chuvakin.org/ispdoc/
which includes ftp access [though is a little dated]

Please clarify your question to include:
 - which distribution you want to use
 - the specific type of access you want
so a more complete answer can be produced.

  --Maniac

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Clarification of Question by linuxgirl-ga on 13 Oct 2004 16:12 PDT

Thank you maniac and kaaja for your response. When I say anonymous
server, I mean can linux be used to anonymizes aLL internet activities
(i.e hide my real IP address). I want to protect my office privacy
from being hacked by hackers and most especially my ISP from spying on
me with their special software.

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Request for Question Clarification by maniac-ga on 14 Oct 2004 17:05 PDT

Hello Linuxgirl,

Hmm. That sounds more like a firewall / network address translator
(NAT) server. Something like...

  (your private LAN)  ---  Firewall  --- Internet
   A   B   C   D   E

where you have:
 - one or more machines on a private LAN using address like
192.168.0.2 through 192.168.0.254
 - the Firewall machine has two network interfaces, a private one
(e.g., 192.168.0.1) and a public one
 - the Firewall runs NAT software and perhaps a proxy server, and Port
Address Translation (PAT) software

The firewall protects all your local machines from any access from the
outside - even your ISP (unless the inside machine initiates the
access). You can also restrict the inside machines from accessing
sites or services that are not relevant to your business. Literally -
the "real IP" addresses for your office systems are not accessible to
systems outside.

That is certainly something that can be set up with several good
guides on line. If this is what you want, please make another question
clarification and I will be glad to answer your question.

  --Maniac

Yhat do you mean by term anonymous server?
You want to run anonymous ftp server?
Every major distribution contains ftpserver (ftp daemon).

If you are linux beginner I recomend you to install Mandrake Linux 
www.mandrake.org.

Hi Linuxgirl,

what you're describing sounds kind of like the anonymizer service
http://www.anonymizer.com/index.cgi

or the rewebber project (google search: rewebber)

I think a key problem of running your own anonymizing server is the
main things they do are:
make you anonymous to the server sending the data to you.
make the data moving between the anonymizer server and you unreadable.

Essentially, they prevent your boss, ISP, etc. from seeing what URLs
you visited, and prevent the web server from knoing YOU visited.

Major drawbacks:
the URL you type in is still transmitted
the actual data is still transmitted
is the anoymizing server was local, your ISP could still monitor all
traffic between the anonymizer server and the web servers you're
visiting.

I believe that with some skill it is actually possible to "sniff" the
data being sent between you and the anonymizer server if it's remote
and still see what's being viewed. It's just a lot harder then simply
monitoring the URLs being visited.

Also, there's always the possiblity of the anonymizing server's logs
being inspected by federal authorities in whatever country it is
located.

Unless you need to look at something super-illegal that you cannot
risk your ISP reporting to the authorities, I wouldn't worry about it,
and in any case, if you use an anonymizing server, it's got to be
remote from your network/ISP.

If the spying being done by your ISP is that bad, you could always switch.

sparky4ca-ga