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VPN and the Importance of Internet Security (SPONSORED) - MMORPG.com
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
VPN and the Importance of Internet Security (SPONSORED) - MMORPG.com
Security online is very important. Why wouldn't you want to protect something where all the precious data you have is placed? Modern smartphones and laptops are more than just communication tools. We read, shop, order, communicate, do banking, and run a business online. All of this make hacking into your computer even more attractive for a cyber criminal than it was a couple of years ago.
Comments
I had fun once, it was terrible.
I have used a couple VPN's, just to get access to games that are region locked or to download something, and depending on the provider you can get decent speeds at all times. I just can't use one 24/7 because I want to get my 500 down instead of 20 down that you might get on a VPN connection.
This is my concern as well... VPNs only encrypt traffic between their end points (e.g. your PC and the VPN provider), so there is nothing stopping the VPN provider from spying on you, and since you'll be sending them literally all of your traffic...
Also, nothing stops the endpoint (e.g. website) itself from knowing exactly what you’re doing… so if your searching via Google, logging in with Facebook, or just visiting dodgy websites (including those public Wi-Fi 'login' pages) a VPN isn't going to help.
Encryption generally is important though, but that's why HTTPS is a thing, or using your Banks purpose built App.
And if you want to prevent being 'hacked' then no VPN is as good as setting a strong password on your router, using NAT, turning off any form of remote access / admin (assuming your ISP lets you, which is 99% the reason I always use my own router) and just generally not doing stupid stuff like installing random software, opening random emails, and visiting shady websites.
NB. Also the work thing makes no sense… as in yes you should use a VPN when working remotely, but that should be a private VPN setup by and connected directly to your company, not just some random free VPN service (again, you will be literally sending them your files!).
government tried to sue them about it a couple of times i think.
either way i like em.. the only connection downtime i've had was like 6 months ago or something and they even told me about it in advance.
I had fun once, it was terrible.
I use ProtonVPN (by the same people that do ProtonMail), they have a free tier for their VPN service which serves me well although all the good stuff is on their paid tiers. They're Swiss based, they seem to be very transparent and their service is very good. NordVPN are way better than they used to be, they used to have quite a bad reputation for performance but seem to have turned that around, good annual deals as well. Mullvad is another decent one, no identifying information used when signing up and you can pay by cash in the post if you really want
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
VPNs are secure? Riigghhtt. Doesn't matter if the tunnel is encryped (a favorite marketing smokescreen), it can be accessed and therefore hacked. You can't truely be safe unless you cloak the communication and that can't happen with existing networking. You need to decouple identity and location, the fatal flaw of TCP/IP, a technology from the 1960's with NO built-in security.
TL;DR If you think you're suddenly safe using a VPN, then you're a fool. The only thing they're good for is accessing region-locked endpoints.
~~ postlarval ~~
After reading this paragraph, I still have no idea "WHY" I can't keep all my data safe without a VPN. Nor, why I need one when playing MMORPGs. This article was terribly written.
Based on the quality of the article, I feel less safe clicking on the links, than I do with my current VPN-free setup.
A lot use various methods to obfuscate VPN traffic against deep packet inspection, obfsproxy being a commonly used one, disguising the packets as https is another and is also very effective at circumventing DPI, sure there's ways to detect the origin type but it's pretty expensive to do so.
a) people who live with you (use private browser mode and/or clear your browser data, and never let anything auto-save your passwords)
b) cyber criminals (anti-virus and secure passwords for anything important)
c) your government (depends on the government and whether they need and can get a search warrant for what you're trying to hide from them)
d) hostile foreign governments (also depends tremendously on the details)
There's also an enormous difference between hiding:
a) the particular information that you're sending to and from a particular web site (simple encryption will protect the data as it goes over the Internet)
b) the fact that you're connecting to a particular web site at all (this will at minimum require a VPN or TOR or something)
c) information that is on your local computer and will never be sent over the Internet (sufficient to keep malware off and to keep adversaries from getting physical access)
There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution to Internet security because different people have wildly different needs.
http://twitch.tv/woetothevanquished
VPN's can be really useless especially if connected to public WI-FI, all that data has to be sent to someones router or cell tower first (Unless encrypted) on the users end.
Search Warrants, are only good assuming "Data" is left on your PC for the Police, or Government to find, there are other methods of encryption, and secret messages which are very easy to hide in plain view but places they would never think to even check, but not on a persons drive or pc.
VPN, and Proxy, are mostly used IMO to Grief Others, Evade Bans, Troll Others, Do illegal activity, otherwise truly without the proper encryption methods no data is truly private, but being behind multiple proxies, VPN, public WI-FI, and even TOR should be a must when doing something you absolutely can't live when being traced back to you.
Creating your own "Secret Codes" is also a great way to hide things when only the other person on the other end has the Cipher.
The only exception to all of this is if the NSA has a computer watching you like in the TV series "Person OF Interest" or "Eagle Eye", then all can be flawed should these truly exist.
https://www.quora.com/Is-using-a-VPN-safe-Is-it-possible-that-my-personal-information-can-be-caught-by-some-technical-methods-during-the-time-I-am-using-a-VPN-If-it-can-be-done-how-does-it-work
Some guys there explained it better, sorry I am not at my home computer with those security reports... but you can do some digging for them. Do your research and don′t use free ones.
This is really bad advice or understanding of the matter. A vpn client running on a laptop will handshake with the vpn server and create a secure connection allowing you to mask your data, there is no sending it to someone's router or cell tower unencrypted. The whole point of a vpn is to securely share information from one endpoint to the other so by default it is encrypted making it great for using on public wifi. A GRE tunnel is your basic point to point connection and I doubt anyone sells that as a vpn.
However, just like an anti virus, or firewall, its useful.
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AN' DERE AIN'T NO SUCH FING AS ENUFF DAKKA, YA GROT! Enuff'z more than ya got an' less than too much an' there ain't no such fing as too much dakka. Say dere is, and me Squiggoff'z eatin' tonight!
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#IStandWithVic
The way they advertise a VPN on commercials and the internet is false advertisement to the fullest!
Main thing a VPN is good for is if you want to be somewhat untraceable while on the web. The average person has no need for one. How many of you have been targeted by a hacker and had your system compromised without first downloading a virus or malware? Maybe .05%?
Have fun wasting your money on a VPN!
I believe Google has an option to encrypts open wifi-data as part of their service on phones.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
This. VPNs are only for encrypting traffic. But that traffic info is reported to the VPN, so if you don't control that VPN then it's completely worthless. VPN services are a complete joke. If you aren't running your own server with openVPN then you are wasting your time and money. Plus every streaming services eventually blacklists every VPN's IP so after a while you can't watch Canada's Netflix or local MLB games from across the country.
I have a VPN I fire up in Sao Paolo, Brazil through AWS running openVPN. Even that I would never do illegal activity with because I don't know for sure that Amazon isn't seeing my data, even though I'm pretty sure they don't.
If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey