Vpn Security

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Just wondered if anyone on here runs a Vpn on their pc and other devices and if there are any benefits to me who is just a regular browser at home?
Besides browsing the web the only other thing i do is occasionally download music from YouTube.
I was looking at Nord Vpn which also incorporates malware and password protection.
Its okay going online and getting expert reviews but i would like some real user intake.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Ghost VPN here - mainly for use when we are using the laptop away from home and the mobile phones when connecting to eg Pub WiFi.

£66 for 2 years.

Very few problems in the 3 years we have used it.

Quick responses to the occasional minor hiccup.

 

[Cycleops]

Recent thread here which deals with the subject quite comprehensively.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/vpn-for-android-and-chromebook.289476/

 

[si_c]

I've used ExpressVPN for years.

When browsing I regularly (read a lot of the time, and always when on a mobile device) use a VPN to mask my IP and location. There are benefits even if you don't do more than browsing.

I also use LastPass for password management, which I've used since long before I used a VPN, again significant benefits to using a password manager, not least of which is that you can use a different, very secure, password for every website and app.

Nord VPN has been around a while and seems to have a good reputation, their over-sponsorship of youtube videos notwithstanding, and are a good option. Personally I prefer to keep password management and vpn separate rather than rely on a single provider, but you probably wont' go wrong if you want to keep your life simple.

 

[Cycleops]

I've also used express VPN @si_c and very good it was but didn't have a huge number of servers, but maybe that's not important.
I know that Apple offer you a secure password when signing up to a site, not sure Android does this. Any disadvantage to this?

 

[si_c]

I've also used express VPN @si_c and very good it was but didn't have a huge number of servers, but maybe that's not important.
I know that Apple offer you a secure password when signing up to a site, not sure Android does this. Any disadvantage to this?

Express VPN offers locations, I'm unsure if that translates to a single server or multiple, but if the former that works out as an advantage for privacy as more people will be running through a fewer number of IP addresses so will better mask your location and identity.

Apple have a better built in password option than Android it would seem, which leaves a lot of these additional options to third party software rather than including it themselves. Later versions of Android (I'm using 13) work better with these password managers though than they used to. So props to apple there, but it does lock you into their ecosystem more, so maybe no props.

You should always use a secure password (I use more than 12 characters, a mix of upper and lower case, numbers and special characters - the more the potential options and the longer, the less likely it will be to be cracked if someone tries to brute force it) and you should never re-use your secure password.

For reference my Lastpass password is about 30 characters long and when I set it was estimated at 200 trillion years to crack - but keep in mind that this seemingly ridiculous number assumes a regular computer from a year or so ago trying to crack it and doesn't account for computers specifically set up to crack passwords which will do it in much less time and this may come down over the next few years to a year or so as the hardware at the top end gets better. Whether your secure password will still be secure within your lifetime is not an unreasonable question.

 

[newfhouse]

 

[Psamathe]

I do. Most of the time. I'm one of those people who have nothing to hide but if somebody was standing by my letter box writring down where every letter was from then I'd stop them - which is how I view a VPN.

I've used several different ones over time, generally smaller providers. Curently with OVPN and very happy with them.

Few comments:
1. Some sites block VPNs e.g. Sainsbury when you want to place a home delivery order block sources they identify as VPNs (not 100% but enough to be a nuisance and they do update). But disconnecting, placing order and reconnecting is trivial).
2. Google works but will sometimes assume you are in an Arabic country and give you search results in Arabic (or Russian).
3. Depending on your reasons for wanting a VPN, some providers declare you can use servers (pretend you are in) many different countries but they use "virtlay servers" which just pretend to be in some country (so you are subject to laws for the country the server is in rather than the country it is pretending to be in.
4. Sometimes SPAM and hackers use VPNs amnd Google detect this and when you do a Google search you'll get a "We've detected anomalous activity from your IP" and you'll have to do a CAPTCHA thing to prove you are a person (rare)
5. Chose a provider that really has no logs (otherwise you are just trtansfering your logs from you ISP e.g. BT to some overseas company).
6. Chose a provider that uses the Wireguard protocol. This is far faster and connects far quicker than other protocols. I avoid providers that use their own protocol as you are again placing a lot of trust in that provider.
7. BBC (iPlayer, podcast downloads, etc.) block a fair number of VPN (even those based in the UK). They are frequently updating their lists so if it works OK now, it might not next week. But again, disconnecting, watching/listening then reconnecting is trivial.

Probably loads of otherr considerations I can't think of right now

Ian

 

[Tenacious Sloth]

 

[CXRAndy]

I use Private internet access

 

[welsh dragon]

I uses SurfShark VPN. Have done for a few years now and get a 2 year subscription for around £50.

I also use DuckDuckGo browser instead of Google. Haven't used Google for 4 or 5 years now.

 

[Psamathe]

... I also use DuckDuckGo browser instead of Google. Haven't used Google for 4 or 5 years now.

Other than their better privacy, another aspect I like (and use a lot) about using DuckDuckGo is their "bangs". For those who don't know nor use them they can be a great shortcut for getting the search you really want. Prefix your search clue with an ! and a code and your search is redirected directly to the site based on the clue. e.g. !w global warming will not do a DuckDuckGo search but will redirect to Wikipedia and you'll immediately get the Wikipedia search results. !gten Bonjour will automatically divert to Google Translate into English (the "gten") to get you the translation.

Also, given most browsers will submit non URL text in the address entry to the default search engine, set it to DuckDuckGo then just enter !auk GPS and you'll get Amazon UK's search results for GPS.

There are thousands of "bangs" but you very quickly get to remember the few you find useful.

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

Depending on reasons behind OP's interest in VPNs, other things to consider are privacy/ad/nuisance blockers, outgoing firewalls, etc. I run several (1Blocker to block ads in browser, including ads on youtube as well as getting rid of many other "annoyances"). Also Little Snitch (outgoing app firewall) which allows you to block specific applications from specific internet sites. Little Snitch is excellent as it means you can e.g. browse to many newspaper web sites without providing loads of information to Facebook, Twitter, marketing metrics companies, trackers, etc. - all of which happen without your knowing. With Little Snitch (depending on how you configure it) an application wanting to access a domain without permission will pop-up a dialog asking for permission (Allow/Decline with Once/Limited time/Forever and how broad the "Allow" is).

What options available for such privacy depend on that device you are using (above for Mac).

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

How many people have blocked AMP pages on their mobiles? - given that browsing to some sites on a mobile will divert to Google using their AMP delivery system allowing Google to track you when you thought you were going nowhere near Google.

Ian

 

[si_c]

How many people have blocked AMP pages on their mobiles? - given that browsing to some sites on a mobile will divert to Google using their AMP delivery system allowing Google to track you when you thought you were going nowhere near Google.

Ian

AMP pages don't necessarily have to go via google, they mostly go via a generalised CDN such as cloudflare, which is no different than most websites operate without using the framework. I think it's less in use now than it used to be as most web pages now use a responsive web framework such as bootstrap as well as mobile devices having far better connectivity than when AMP was first released.