Do You use a VPN? (E.g., to Thwart Big Brother?)

[Onomea]

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It is a software which encodes to make private your internet browsing and communications. My former employer, a major defense company, used it for all email communications when traveling, or when in an office abroad.

Since retiring, I use a VPN when I bank online, or when accessing streaming content which is geographically limited. Don't want my financial info compromised, and like to watch, what I want to watch, where I want to watch it.

But, thinking about the Wikileaks thread, and those who worry about being tracked and their privacy compromised, I wonder how widespread VPN usage is among our membership, some of whom seem very technically savvy.

It seems a simple solution for those who are concerned about their privacy.

Do you use a VPN? If so, why? How do you like it?

I have also read that VPNs need to be chosen carefully for security. E.g., some of the free ones will sell your data. AKA, ya get what you pay for.

(And for those who are unfamiliar with VPNs, here is one VPN provider, link below, explaining what it does.)

TAKE CONTROL - F-Secure Freedome VPN - YouTube

 

[cougar14]

I've been using mine for a couple years. It slows things down a little, but the security of knowing your IP is hidden is definitely worth it. For now, the VPN's that keep no records at all seem to be safe. I suppose if this is ever compromised we'll hear about it.

 

[bigwheelzip]

But, thinking about the Wikileaks thread, and those who worry about being tracked and their privacy compromised ......

I never use public WiFi, and I turned off WiFi at home, after the neighbors, very smart and well funded college kids, kept cracking longer and longer network passwords.
I maxed out the 32 character limit with something like this 184 bit strength password, an$I14$08p628r5@BLd!U5d209&KnRMp, and it took them less than three weeks to crack it.

The potential merits of VPN aside, a determined hacker will get your account passwords with enough time, absent other steps. 2-factor authentication seems a simple way to gain security.

 

[peachhead]

I have in the past but I do not anymore. Not because it's not a good idea but because my DSL is slow enough as it is.
I also don't have a problem with my wifi at home, due to the fact that I live 1/2 mile off the road and the nearest person is 1/2 mile away. Also what was mentioned before: if someone is determined to get to my stuff, they are going to do it one way or another. Fortunately I have had very few issues and the ones I have had were not because of anything I did or didn't do.

 

[StakeOut]

I use Hotspot Shield Elite.

 

[johngalt]

How do you use a VPN with a financial institution? I make sure I have a secure HTTPS connection before entering any login information for my accounts. The usual purpose of a VPN is to give you access to the internal company network from the outside, so you can operate as if you are on the inside - with access to mail, printers, company file servers, etc.

Do you mean that you have a server at home that you connect to remotely over a VPN, and then connect to your financial institution through your home server? That isn't a bad idea, I knew people at work who used to do that.

Some of the 'secure' network encryption methods have been defeated and are no longer considered secure (for example RC4).

 

[Old TexMex]

My buddy John McAfee set a special, one off system for me..... Then stole all my stuff.

Honestly, we use some system (on our own server) I don't understand to use internet in Mexico. But up here in US, nothing.

 

[shouldazagged]

Privacy is a myth these days.

 

[Onomea]

How do you use a VPN with a financial institution? I make sure I have a secure HTTPS connection before entering any login information for my accounts. The usual purpose of a VPN is to give you access to the internal company network from the outside, so you can operate as if you are on the inside - with access to mail, printers, company file servers, etc.

Do you mean that you have a server at home that you connect to remotely over a VPN, and then connect to your financial institution through your home server? That isn't a bad idea, I knew people at work who used to do that.

Some of the 'secure' network encryption methods have been defeated and are no longer considered secure (for example RC4).

John, your questions are beyond my understanding. Re VPN for company use, you describe exactly what my former company did, and maybe still does.

For an individual's private use, my understanding is that it scrambles/encodes the info one is sending out -- for example, to the bank -- and the info that is coming back from the bank, so that it cannot be evesdropped upon, and private data stolen, in transit. It also prevents the tracking of what sites the individual visits.

How that compares to, or plays with an https site, I haven't a clue. Maybe someone knowledgeable could comment?

Nowadays I use IOS (Apple's mobile operating software) pretty much exclusively and use VPN apps for the purposes described above. Nothing that I am doing with a server at home, nothing beyond using the VPN app.

To date I have turned on the VPN when I think I need it, and then off again when I am done with whatever I wanted it on for, but I am thinking about just leaving it on 24/7.

 

[StakeOut]

I bank online through my router's hardware firewall with my PC wired to it.I don't trust any wireless connection.

If you comnnect to a public network in a coffee shop or airport use something like Hotspot Shield to protect everything on your phone,tablet or laptop from being stolen.

In my router setup I have SSID broadcasting turned off.

I have inSSIDer free version installed to find best open channel and to see the number of devices in range that can be hackers or trying to take a free ride on my networks.

If broadcasting your SSID,you can see your WiFi signal strength while using the inSSIDer program.

 

[cmort666]

If you're using it to access your own network from the outside, it's faster and more stable if the endpoint on the network side is a hardware device, ie. a router/firewall with hardware VPN capability built into it. You can install the remote client on a PC, tablet, phone, etc.

I use these connections to vehicle dealerships all day long and they work great.

I don't allow direct access to my home PC. Instead, I SSH into my Linux server and use VNC. If there's anything to which I need outside access, I put it on the server. I've done this both with my laptop and my phone.

 

[Old TexMex]

Privacy is a myth these days.

Agreed....



400 Bad Request)

 

[federali]

VPN

I've been exploring VPN and I'm more confused than ever. Besides financial transactions, I would also like to eliminate any record of the sites I visit, especially from my internet service provider. But then, does the VPN store this information?

 

[CH4]

I have to use it when in China to access this and other blocked websites.

 

[Onomea]

I've been exploring VPN and I'm more confused than ever. Besides financial transactions, I would also like to eliminate any record of the sites I visit, especially from my internet service provider. But then, does the VPN store this information?

Apparently, some do and some don't. If it is free, my understanding is they may retain and sell your data as the provider needs to make money somehow.

Reputation, have they been around for a while, is important.

I am still reading up on it. Here is one useful article: The Best VPN Services of 2017 | PCMag.com

And another specifically about record keeping: The Best Anonymous VPN Services of 2016

These guys are looking better and better to me: NordVPN Reviews 2017 - Why 0.0 Stars?

 

[vt_shooter]

Use a VPN to thwart Big Brother? How do you know who owns the VPN you’re using?

 

[Whitwabit]

I've always wondered about VPN's and really how secure they are ..

Military secure communication channels encryption is changed every 8 hours .. There is a reason for that !!

If you knew only a small portion of a governments capabilities to monitor its citizens you would probably be shocked at what they are able to do !! I was and that was a long time ago .. I'm not saying they use them .. but they do have the capabilities ..

 

[Onomea]

I think if the (or a) government targets you specifically, they are probably gonna get your info. But if the issue to you is having your search info monitored and sold for commercial purposes so that advertisers can sell you stuff, or if your concern is hackers getting ahold of your private info, then VPNs offer a pretty good level of protection.

 

[rwsmith]

A little different, but still about security....

Does anybody use the Epic browser? It doesn't save anything from sessions and supposedly blocks tracking I'm sure it's not very sophisticated. I'm just asking opinions.

Also, do VPNs slow down anything other than financial transactions? I've never really heard or one.

 

[kmyers]

We use Oracle here and have the VPN option checked. Whether it makes a big difference or not we can't tell but it doesn't seem to slow anything down or have any negative issues.