Steps on Setting Up a New Anonymous Account at Nym.Alias.Net Using Private Idaho

Last Updated on Nov 9, 1996

1. You need Grab a copy of Private Idaho, if you don't have one already.
2. Before you go through this process you should probably check to see, if someone has already taken the anonymous name that you want to use. This can be accomplished by sending an email to:
   • list@nym.alias.net
   • Do NOT include any text in the subject or message fields.
3. Before Loading Private Idaho copy ALL of the Remailer PGP keys that are included in a file called RMKEYS.TXT. These keys should be added to your Public key ring. Add all of them. If you are looking for a program that will facilitate adding these keys, then you may want to get a copy of Aegis's PGPSHELL program. Really nice Windows based program. This Windows based shell can be obtained at http://www.aegisrc.com/
4. If any text is in any of the fields of the Private Idaho screen, select Clear All from the Edit menu.
5. Select Auto-close PGP from the PGP menu.
6. Select Remailers | Advanced Cyperpunk and ensure that Encrypt to Remailers is the only option that is checked.
7. Select Newsgroups from the menu and ensure that None is the only option that is checked.
8. Before setting up an account with alias.net you MUST have created a public and private key JUST for the alias name that you will be creating in Private Idaho.
9. In addtion, the key that you are about to create will ONLY be used with the alias name that you will be creating with Private Idaho.
10. This is done by selecting Create Key Pair from the Keys menu in Private Idaho.
    • Follow the prompts from PGP which will first ask you how large your public key should be. Select number 3 (1024 bit key)
    • Enter a User ID for your new alias account. For example:
      • AlterEgo <snoopy@nym.alias.net>
      • You will next be asked for a passphrase. Select something that is different from your default public key, is easy to remember, yet not to easy to crack.
      • PGP will ask you to enter your passphrase a second time.
      • You will then be asked to enter random characters at the keyboard to generate your public and private alias keys.
      • You should also SIGN the key that you just created, so it can be verified by you at a later date, should you need to. This is accomplished very easily by using a program like AEgis Shell by clicking on the Admin Tab and selecting Sign a Key. If you don't have a copy of this program then you will need to sign the key at the DOS prompt using PGP. The command is:
        • PGP -ks snoopy@nym.alias.net
        • You will be asked: READ CAREFULLY: Based on your own direct first-hand knowledge, are you absolutely certain that you are prepared to solemnly certify that the above public key actually belongs to the user specified by the above user ID (y/N)?
        • Enter Y and PGP will sign you new key.
11. Click on Update PUBKEYS.OUT from the Keys menu.
12. Select Create Nym from the Nym menu.
    • After reading the instructions, click on the Next button.
    • Your are now at step number 1, select config@nym.alias.net and then select the Next button.
    • You are now at step number 2. Enter your new alias name in the Nym box. For example purposes, I'll enter snoopy
    • Enter AlterEgo in the Expanded nym box and then select the Next button.
    • Read the instructions and click on the Next button.
    • You are now at step number 3. Private Idaho will ask you whether you have created a public/private key pair for this nym. Since you did this already, just click on OK button. After doing this, click on the Next button.
    • You are now prompted for your REAL return address. So in my case, I would enter wussery@dnai.com in the To: box in Private Idaho.
    • You are now at step number 4 and you are asked, if you want to route your messages through one or more remailers. I recommend you select no more than two when you are setting up your account. For example purposes, I will select remailer@replay.com and then click on the Next button.
    • You are now at step number 5 and are prompted for a passphrase, which can be different from the one that you used when you set up your alias public/private keys. However, to keep it simple you may want to use the same passphrase that you used when creating your alias name. After typing in your passphrase, click on the Next button.
    • You are now at step number 6 which will create an encrypted message to be mailed to the nym server to create your account. However, you must have the public key for config@nym.alias.net. This key should already be in your public key ring, if you followed the steps above, regarding UPDATE PUBKEYS.OUT.
      • If you aren't sure, select Add Key.
      • If you are sure the key is on your ring, then click on the Next button.
    • Private Idaho will exit to DOS and encrypt a message. You will then be asked to select the Public key to be used with your new nym. For example purposes, I would select AlterEgo from the list of keys that are presented to me. You of course, would select the new public key that you created earlier in this exercise. Select the OK button when done.
    • Private Idaho will exit to DOS and encrypt the message further, but you will be asked for the passphrase for the newly created key pair that you created above. Please note that this is the passphrase that you created in PGP, not the one that you may be using in Private Idaho. As I said earlier, these passphrases may be the same, but it is important to note, that PGP is asking the question and not Private Idaho.
13. The To: box will have config@nym.alias.net and the text in your message window will be ENTIRELY encrypted. It is this ENCRYPTED message that should be mailed to config@nym.alias.net to open up your account. If the message window does not have encrypted text within it, then you will probably have to select the PGP DOS session windows that are created by Private Idaho. Just click on these instances and you will be returned to Private Idaho.
14. If you are online just click on the Send button. If you are not online, click on the Connect option in the File menu and subsequent to connecting, select the Send button.
15. You will now have to wait for email confirmation from alias.net BEFORE you can start to use your anonymous name. This can take a day or two. However, you can confirm that your anonymous name has been added by sending an email to:
    • list@nym.alias.net
    • Do not include a subject and do not enter anything in the message window.
16. If you are not notified within one day, then I would redo the whole process again or
    • For Help on how to use the anonymous server at nym.alias.net, send an email message to:
      • help@nym.alias.net
      • Do NOT include any text in the subject or message fields.

For instructions on how to send anonymous posts to newsgroups via an EMAIL GATEWAY account, read News3nym.faq

For instructions on how to send anonymous posts to newsgroups via a MAIL2NEWS GATEWAY read Newsnym3.faq

For instructions on how to send Anonymous Email using Private Idaho's Nym Funtion, read Mailnym2.faq.

Graphic Ideas' Home Page

PGP Page

Cool Links Page