Ecosyste.ms: Awesome

An open API service indexing awesome lists of open source software.

Awesome Lists | Featured Topics | Projects

https://github.com/nicksieger/sheepsafe

Keep safe from FireSheep
https://github.com/nicksieger/sheepsafe

Last synced: 6 days ago
JSON representation

Keep safe from FireSheep

Awesome Lists containing this project

README 

        
Sheepsafe

=========



http://github.com/nicksieger/sheepsafe



## Description



Sheepsafe is a small utility to keep you safe from [FireSheep][]!

It's a tool for mobile geeks.



We all know the cookie-stealing issue has been out there for a while,

but now with [FireSheep][], it just got way too easy. If you're like

me, I don't want to get exposed at the next gathering of techies at a

conference or even at a local coffee shop with this thing out there.

So I built Sheepsafe for myself.



Sheepsafe was built to automate the task of switching your network

configuration to use a SOCKS proxy whenever you join an untrusted

network.



Sheepsafe works by keeping a configuration of known safe wireless

networks. When you join an untrusted network, Sheepsafe switches to a

network location that has a SOCKS proxy configured and starts a SOCKS

proxy by SSH'ing into a remote server, thus protecting your browsing

traffic from FireSheep and other snoopers on the local network. When

you switch back to a safe network, Sheepsafe switches back to the

default, trusted location and shuts down the SOCKS proxy.



You could probably use something like [Marco Polo][polo] for this too,

but this setup Works For Me. 



## Requirements



- Mac OS X. That's what I run. You'll have to cook something else up

  for a different OS. Tested on 10.6.

- An SSH account on a remote server that can serve as a SOCKS proxy

  through which to tunnel traffic. Typically this can be an EC2

  server, a VPS, or some other cloud instance.

- Ruby 1.8.7 or greater. The Mac OS X system-installed Ruby is

  preferred as the OS will be launching Sheepsafe in the background.



## Install



- First install the gem:

      sudo gem install sheepsafe

  It's recommended to install using the system Ruby to minimize

  difficulties informing launchd about an [RVM][] or some other

  package manager.

- After installing the gem, run `sheepsafe install` and follow the

  prompts for configuring Sheepsafe.



## Usage



- `sheepsafe`: when run with no arguments, this checks your current

  network and updates settings if necessary.

- `sheepsafe install`: Run the command-line installer. Fill out the

  prompts and you're ready.

- `sheepsafe update`: Run when you've upgraded the gem to make sure

  launchd is running the most recent version.

- `sheepsafe add`: Add the current network to your list of trusted

  networks.

- `sheepsafe list`: Show the list of trusted networks.

- `sheepsafe proxy up`: Manually start the SSH SOCKS proxy.

- `sheepsafe proxy down`: Manually stop the SSH SOCKS proxy.

- `sheepsafe proxy kick`: Manually restart the SSH SOCKS proxy.



## Growl



If you wish to receive Growl notifications when Sheepsafe is switching

your location, be sure to install the `growlnotify` utility from the

"Extras" folder in the Growl .dmg. Then install the `growl` gem:



      sudo gem install growl



## Post-install



Be sure you configure your applications to use system-wide proxy

settings for making connections, where applicable.



## Uninstall



- Run `sheepsafe uninstall` to unregister the Launchd task and remove

  Sheepsafe vestiges from your system.



## Give back



I'll gladly accept [pull requests][pr] and [bug reports][issues].



[FireSheep]: http://codebutler.com/firesheep

[RVM]: http://rvm.beginrescueend.com/

[polo]: http://www.symonds.id.au/marcopolo/

[pr]: http://github.com/nicksieger/sheepsafe/pulls

[issues]: http://github.com/nicksieger/sheepsafe/issues