I don't have a VPN. Do I need one?

Bouton Aide said:
I didn't say they where an encrypted messaging platform. I know what a VPN provider is thanks. :)
Click to expand...

This gets better :D The pages of data leaks you refer to were bottom feeders who anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn’t have used, they were in effect just re-skins of the same service and not - as I clearly said - providers with a proven track record that were worth using. I at least expected you to try ‘Nord were hacked’ or HMA handed over details to the feds, perhaps even the recent case where Facebook and the FBI targeted a specific user using a 0day exploits in his media player to identify him, but either way, no.
 
pp111 said:
I think you have to be insane to use the internet for such things. Sure, a VPN is safer, but it's not bulletproof. Nothing is out of reach of a government. To my mind a VPN stops things like Amazon, Google and so on, and it greatly increases your security, but if you are a criminal it only delays the law, and if you are a terrorist it doesn't make much difference.
Click to expand...

Sorry - what are we talking about here? I was just pointing out that handguns and drugs are illegal yet people still have, use and sell them.
 
Bouton Aide said:
Updated the link for you - many pages of VPN platform data breaches revealed user logging info and much more. :)
Click to expand...

I think you’ve missed the fact that anyone with two internet endpoints can have a VPN. Like businesses with users at home. With the correct encryption they’re pretty robust.
 
Avalon said:
This gets better :D The pages of data leaks you refer to were bottom feeders who anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn’t have used, they were in effect just re-skins of the same service and not - as I clearly said - providers with a proven track record that were worth using. I at least expected you to try ‘Nord were hacked’ or HMA handed over details to the feds, perhaps even the recent case where Facebook and the FBI targeted a specific user using a 0day exploits in his media player to identify him, but either way, no.
Click to expand...

Indeed. "Oh noes, random Chinese reskinned/resold VPN company isn't legitz" is hardly something to stop the presses for. Meanwhle:

VPN provider OVPN has emerged victorious from legal action initiated by movie companies hoping to get closer to the operators of The Pirate Bay. After a back-and-forth process, the court agreed with OVPN's claims that as no-logging provider, it had no useful data to hand over.

Private Internet Access’ “No-Logging” Claims Proven True Again in Court.

And many more. OVPN, Mullvad, AzireVPN et al. are all blind operator, zero log providers. Since many of them run only their own dedicated hardware with no non-volatile storage in them (i.e. no hard disk is installed and they run in RAM from signed PXE boot), I'm not sure quite where they would keep the logs. As they often point out, it's actually easier and legally beneficial for them to keep no logs. They aren't required to in law, and as such having no logs effectively leaves them as a dumb carrier. If they keep logs, they then pick up a ton of extra legal obligations regarding monitoring, reporting etc. Why bother when you can just not keep them and save the time, money and loss of reputation with your customers?

A quick read of the Ed Snowden dossier (or better yet, his book), RIPA ('Snoopers Charter') or simliar would be enough to convince anyone to be careful of their online footprint. Fancy your local council dosgbody looking into your last 2 years' browsing history and communication/correspondence without a warrant, based on a random malicious allegation of dog fouling or a late night noise? The line is so blurred these days it hardly exists. You don't need to be a mafioso to be concerned for your digital freedom and your right to privacy. The UK ISPs have been mandated to keep several years' DNS and connection logs for all customers. The High/EU courts have deemed this illegal several times, but it still continues. No thanks. Not to mention some of them (eg Sky) have been proactively keeping logs to monitor and pursue those watching IPTV streams threatening their other revenue sources.

As Snowden said, saying you have nothing to fear because you have nothing to hide is like saying you don't support free speech because you don't currently have anything to say. The old adage of "If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" is all very quaint, albeit staggeringly naive - but when you consider the phrase was coined by Joseph Goebbels in 1933 it does rather make you think.
 
WJA96 said:
I think you’ve missed the fact that anyone with two internet endpoints can have a VPN. Like businesses with users at home. With the correct encryption they’re pretty robust.
Click to expand...

I know this I never said that. The op said does he really need one.

We have gone way off topic.

@Avalon you seem to be a pro at this VPN stuff lets leave it too you. :)
 
Last edited:
Bouton Aide said:
I know this I never said that. The op said does he really need one.

We have gone way off topic.

@Avalon you seem to be a pro at this VPN stuff lets leave it too you. :)
Click to expand...

Disregarding all the other stuff, Avalons main point was disagreeing with your comment about everything being logged.

Reputable VPNs pride themselves on not logging, it's a big trust factor to its userbase, something that you can't verify nor have any control over. Major VPN companies will even pay for an external auditor to verify their claims.

VPNs don't just hide naughty people from doing naughty stuff. Journalists/whistle-blowers lives absolutely depend on ultimate privacy. Any journalist reporting on the Chinese or North Korean government will likely be executed if they get found out due to their movements being logged.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom