this post was submitted on 10 Nov 2024
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Do you have any advice, recommendations, and/or tips for someone wanting to host a public/non-personal Lemmy instance? (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works to c/selfhosted@lemmy.world
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[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

[Using a hosting service] makes you a more difficult target for attacks but also involves your information getting out into the world in direct connection to your instance.

I'm not sure I understand how one's data would be leaked by the hoster.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (3 children)

Same way things get leaked by Equifax, Twitch, US Bank, etc. You're most responsible with your information by not having unnecessary accounts or transactions.

Also, most hosts have WhoIs and ICANN registrations for Domains, but you still need a domain regardless. And further than that they might allow subpeonas from various companies who request the info.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

they might allow subpeonas from various companies who request the info.

"Allow" is an interesting choice of words. A subpoena is legally binding (depending on the jurisdiction). One could circumvent this by purchasing a domain anonymously, but I'm not currently aware of a reputable domain provider that allows anonymous purchasing of domains.

—

Addendum (2024-11-11T23:38Z):

I just found Njalla which seems to allow anonymous purchasing of domains, but idk how reputable they are.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

It comes down to the individual company on whether or not to fight requests for user information. A lot of precedent exists for not complying.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

A lot of precedent exists for not complying.

Would you mind citing a case? I'm curious.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

NY Times vs Njalla

Njalla does comply with some requests, and was forced to shut down some pirate bay instances at one point, though. Ghost is another privacy domain seller.

Theres also a term for companies called "Bulletproof Registrars." For example, some Malaysian Registrars apparently don't have an address and cannot actually recieve most subpoenas.

Mostly VPNs, I don't know too much about similar cases with server hosts or domain sellers.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

NY Times vs Njalla

Do you have an official record of them not complying with an official court-ordered subpoena? I looked into "NYT vs Njalla", and it seems like it was the NYT making a private request to Njalla under threats of legal action, but no legal action followed [1][2].

References

  1. "About those threats". Blog. Njalla. Published: 2018-01-25. Accessed: 2024-11-12T00:33Z. https://njal.la/blog/about-those-threats/.
  2. "Njalla gives New York Times The Pirate Bay treatment". Staff Writer. Mybroadband. Published: 2018-01-26. Accessed: 2024-11-12T00:36Z. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/internet/246265-njalla-gives-new-york-times-the-pirate-bay-treatment.html.
    • ¶10

      TorrentFreak reported that Njalla did not hear back from the New York Times after sending the response.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

It comes down to the individual company on whether or not to fight requests for user information.

Wouldn't this simply be obstruction of justice?

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Not every court order is a criminal case.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

Sure, but (in the USA) an investigation precedes a criminal case [2], and a court order is part of that. I directly cite, for example, 18 U.S. Code § 1509 - Obstruction of court orders [1]:

Whoever, by threats or force, willfully prevents, obstructs, impedes, or interferes with, or willfully attempts to prevent, obstruct, impede, or interfere with, the due exercise of rights or the performance of duties under any order, judgment, or decree of a court of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

References

  1. "18 U.S. Code § 1509 - Obstruction of court orders". Legal Information Institute. Cornell Law School. Accessed: 2024-11-12T00:42Z. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1509.
  2. "A Brief Description of the Federal Criminal Justice Process". FBI. Accessed: 2024-11-12T00:46Z. https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/a-brief-description-of-the-federal-criminal-justice-process.
    • §"I. The Pretrial Stage". §"Investigations, Grand Juries, and Arrests". ¶1.

      If a crime is brought to the attention of federal authorities, whether by a victim of the crime or a witness to it (e.g., a bank robbery), a federal law enforcement agency will undertake an investigation to determine whether a federal offense was committed and, if so, who committed it. [...]

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago)

Same way things get leaked by Equifax, Twitch, US Bank, etc. You’re most responsible with your information by not having unnecessary accounts or transactions.

This would be low down on my concern for threat levels. At any rate, the only way to get around this would be to either host it on one's own hardware on one's own network, or to somehow anonymously purchase a VPS (I am currently unaware of a trustworthy VPS that allows anonymous hosting. I have heard of BitLaunch, but I don't know how trustworthy it is — do they have the ability to intercept control of the DO Droplet?).

—

Addendum (2024-11-11T23:40Z):

I just found Njalla which seems to allow anonymous purchasing of VPSs, but idk how reputable they are.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Also, most hosts have WhoIs and ICANN registrations for Domains, but you still need a domain regardless.

I'm not sure exactly what you are referring to. I don't exactly follow how the VPS provider would have any privileged insight into one's domain registration.

[–] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 2 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (2 children)

I'm saying if you payed for a service to host your instance remotely. The domain, the site pages, the the database, everything. Then, everything on the domain would be tied to your person and the service providers have a certain power over your instance aside from just turning off your domain. There are more options to not list or to delist from the WhoIs registry for simple domain purchases.

I just have trust issues, you don't need to mind my crazy ramblings.

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago

I just have trust issues, you don’t need to mind my crazy ramblings.

Concerns about privacy and anonymity are perfectly valid. Ideally, I would want my involvement in a venture like this to be completely anonymous, but there are practical limitations (generally limited by how much added complexity/added risk one wants to put up with).

[–] Kalcifer@sh.itjust.works 1 points 4 days ago

I’m saying if you payed for a service to host your instance remotely. The domain, the site pages, the the database, everything. Then, everything on the domain would be tied to your person and the service providers have a certain power over your instance aside from just turning off your domain.

Ah, okay, I was under the assumption that the domain was purchased through a separate, independent provider, rather than through the same provider as that of the VPS.