Ntrepid: What is it?

Ntrepid: What is it?

by Susan Basko, esq.

See also: Anonymizer: What is it?

see also: Ntrepid ION: More stuff for the spy crowd

see also: Trapwire: What the heck is it?
see also:  The Human Audit

This is the 4th in a series of articles on spyware sold by private companies.

Ntrepid is a corporation that, as of mid-2011, owns Anonymizer, Inc.  Ntrepid has the following products.  I will do a separate, detailed post on some of these:

Anonymizer - Anonymizer is an online service that provides anonymous web surfing through SSL (secure sockets layer) to people at home, businesses, governments, and spy agencies.  Anonymizer, Inc. is the name of the company (subsidiary of Ntrepid) that holds Anonymizer and Nyms. See post on ANONYMIZER.

Nyms - Anonymous, disposable email accounts so people do not know who is really sending the email or who is really registering to comment.

Tartan - a crude modeling program that is used to map out who is connected to whom from among a set of data entered into the program.  Silly stuff.  We are all no more than 3 connections away from Kevin Bacon.

Ntrepid Timestream - software for mobile devices that is used to track events and evidence and links users belonging to the same organization so they can collaborate.

Nfusion - an online software service that masks the online identity of the user and protects against malware.  Sounds similar to Anonymizer, but marketed heavily to governments and spies using fear of terrorists as a selling point, and the subscription probably costs 1000 times as much per month.  Lots of scary-looking photos in the ads.  "Digital Armor for Online Missions," say the ads.   A full post will be done on this product.

Virtus - a software that translates the language of large amounts of data, such as that which is found in databases and spreadsheets.  

Elusiv - This is a device that works with the Sendum PT200, (Sendum PT200 company info) (more info on Sendum PT200 size, battery life, tracking capability, etc.) which is a gps tracking device that is put into packages, onto vehicles, etc., to track them.  The Elusiv is a remote switch that senses light, motion, or elapsed time and turns the Sendum gps tracker on.   These are sold to the FBI.  The PT200 is always on, but the battery life is 7 to 15 days.  I assume the Elusiv is used either to extend battery life or to warn if the PT200 gps tracker has been discovered and/or removed (light and motion sensor).  See the post on CAR SURVEILLANCE.

ION - Online software service marketed to the spy crowd. Data encryption, computer proxy service, anti-spyware (how ironic), anti-virus, anti-phishing.  Provides fake IP addresses and online identities.   It is called "Ion Secure Virtual Desktop" and gives a "clean, non-attributable, virtual work environment."  It helps organize files downloaded from "the enemy" and scans them for viruses and malware.   See post on NTREPID ION.