VPN - Virtual Private Network - Please Explain.

Can you please give me the basics if you would and some advice if you have a VPN account,but I do have just one question.

Changing email addresses - do you just send your "friend" an email using your new VPN email address or :/

Thanks in advance.

Happy New Year

 

Also looking for a good vpn myself

 

I can't say much, but don't trust your VPN service provider if it is based in USA or Australia or have NODEs in any extradition countries.

Think if it like this, if authorities wanted your phone records they get court authority and get it, quite easily.

You might protect yourself from pesky movie companys but if you are in trouble with authorities than it is quite easy to get your records with court order.

Also what records an carrier might have is much more that what you think.

 

The VPN that I use guarantees that it deletes all traffic data after 2 weeks. VPN's are also fantastic for using public wifi as all data between your device and the VPN server is encrypted end to end.

 

and would you like to share it with us please

Happy New year

 

A VPN does not make you anonymous though, it just gives you an encrypted pipeline to a server in a country of your choice so that the only traffic that your local ISP ever sees is between you and the server that you choose overseas (or in the same country) and therefore it cannot see which sites you actually visit, no metadata. Don't think that sites that you visit can't identify you just because you are using an anonymous IP address, modern phones, tablets and computers are snitches and give away loads of private and identifying information as you browse. To be anonymous on the web would take much more than just a VPN.

 

Just like google, Facebook and Microsoft guaranteed it wouldn't divulge your information?

If you read carrier licences and SP licences in USA and Australia deleting information every two weeks is laughable.

Th edirectors of those companies would be in jail in USA or Australia, as that is not a civil violation but criminal offence.

I have operations in both countries and have carrier licences for both.

 

Going on the premise that you get what you pay for I would avoid TOR browsers (glacially slow) and free VPN's. look for one that has decent Apps for desktop and IOS or Android. Be prepared to pay each month. I will PM the one that I use.

 

^^ note though if they don't have servers, routers or infastruture in USA or Australia (other countries you need to investigate what the laws a are) that it could be true.

But if you operated these kind of infastrurefrom middle of no where countries I would worry about quality and vetting of human resources too.

 

I use NordVPN very user friendly & has a good FAQ page.

 

Thay are not classified as carriers, I went through that with them and I am confident that they do as they say. Whatever, you have to have some level of trust or you will have to set up your own private VPN on a leased cloud server overseas, it would be utterly pointless setting up your own hardware VPN other than for internal corporate use.

 

Indeed, that's the big problem.

 

Another thing to note, hiding your activity from prying eyes and hiding from authorities is very different.

If you are very paranoid than there are ways of doing it, but paying a provider and providing your credit card and personal details is not the way to start.

Your vulnerability that you need to be aware off....

1. Your ISP has your credit card, addresss and personal details ie email
2. You vpn provider has your credit card, and personal details ie email
3 Any websites your member have your email address or credit card detail.

 

Absolutely. I see a VPN as an essential part of a personal internet security plan that is one component to help protect against password and identity theft, to allow use of public wifi when necessary and to help flumox marketers and corporate data gatherers.

I don't see it as a way to circumvent governments or legitimate authorities, therefore I don't need to be concerned about credit card records.

 

If I required a hardened VPN I would set up a personal VPN server on a leased cloud server in an appropriate country. If I was dealing with serious corporate data that I knew was a target for industrial hacking I wouldn't be using a general VPN service.

I actually would be interested to set one up just for the educational aspects of learning how to do it, it would be kind of cool to have a VPN server that is owned and used solely by yourself. Tricky to pick a country though, I would be inclined to use Japan.

 

Just wanted to highlight to members that a vpn service is not a magic bullet. I don't have a personal problem with them but people should think it through.

Too many people watch movies and listen to half truths on the internet and think getting a vpn service is some kinds of invisible cloak.
Though why I am not sure, because even in movies all the bad hackers get caught because for som reason there is a smarter nerd at the government agency lol.

 

Thankyou very much to all contributors so far to my VPN question which has given me some first hand and basic knowledge about what a VPN is and is not.

Question Please - is it more likely that a virtual money user like bitcoin would use a VPN or would they just use "the normal" channels ?

Thanks

P.S. thanks in advance Shaddam IV for your VPN user name (when you are able)

 

Pm'd

 

I use private internet access. (Pia) Works very well with my tablet but i can have problems connecting with my pc using win xp.

I paid with bitcoin, $60 per year, and set up a temporary email address with hidemyass for a bit of seperation. Reasonable doubt my friends.

I use it for torrenting and accessing public wifi.

As far as i know, it won't hide your email or make it more secure

 

Anyone using Surfshark (AUD $66/ 2 year contract) or NordVPN( AUD $125.64 3 year contract)
Any advice gratefully accepted