If you thought using a proxy server would protect your anonymity or privacy, think again. Steve Ragan writes:
The logs maintained by HideMyAss.com, in addition to other evidence, has led to the arrest of another LulzSec member in Arizona, The Tech Herald has learned. Cody Kretsinger, 23, allegedly used the anonymity service during his role in the attack on Sony Pictures.
[…]The indictment states Cody Kretsinger used a VPN from HideMyAss.com to scout Sony Pictures’ website for SQL Injection vulnerabilities. Based on statements made by the group at the time, Kretsinger’s efforts were successful. In an attempt to cover his tracks, he formatted his hard drive.
Sources at the U.S. Department of Justice told The Tech Herald this afternoon that depending on the methods used to erase the drive, it was entirely possible that data would be recovered. Computer Forensics has come a long way in the last decade. Aside from outright destroying a disk, it’s hard to wipe a hard drive in a short amount of time. In addition, the source suggested that server logs presented by Sony and the anonymity service helped with the investigation.
Read more on The Tech Herald.