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richarddd Sep 11, 2019 9:04 am


Originally Posted by lewinr (Post 31490867)
I have no doubt that many (maybe even most) of the biggest VPN services are run by the security services of various interested governments, and the US is no exception.

Is there any technology that will effective to prevent the security service of a major government from monitoring what you're doing on the internet if they have a high level of interest?

KRSW Sep 13, 2019 12:31 am


Originally Posted by richarddd (Post 31513930)
Is there any technology that will effective to prevent the security service of a major government from monitoring what you're doing on the internet if they have a high level of interest?

There are. BUT at that level you have to take a more holistic approach. Even using the best technology available, many people (including the spooks themselves) have been caught due to human factors.

In general:
1) Watch the privacy & security folks online. They're constantly poking & prodding software and hardware, looking for exploits. There's a reason there are feds at DefCon and BlackHat conferences.
2) See what human rights groups are using. When you've got people embedded in places like China and are putting their lives at risk for their actions, you better believe they're using some decent stuff.
3) Encryption. Use it. Preferably open source. The details of encryption are a whole field in and of itself.
4) Don't trust anyone but yourself. No one will care about your data as much as you do. Your data in someone else's data center = easy subpoena material. Your data in your possession = getting into self-incrimination laws/rules. Even your company / agency isn't to be trusted fully. Spooks have been hung out to dry by their own agencies.
5) You're dumber than you think you are. Learn how not to be dumb.
6) The enemy is smarter than you think they are. Learn how they work and think.
7) 5 & 6 may not be true, BUT keeping your thought pattern like that keeps you out of trouble.
8) Greed and Pride are not compatible with privacy and will get you caught and possibly sent to places you don't want to be.
8a) Complacency also can get you sent to places you don't want to be.
9) Don't mix business with personal stuff.
10) Study failures of others in this area. Don't be THAT guy. For a great example of how even the big boys get it horribly wrong, take a look at the botched CIA Abu Omar operation:
.

If you're truly hiding from the big boys (CIA/MI5(6)/Mossad/FSB):
11) Don't run anything mainstream -- they likely have a drawer full of zero-days at their disposal. Windows is a no-no. Same for common infrastructure equipment like Cisco.
12) Study con men. If you're up against the big boys, you're going to have contact with them sooner or later.
13) Don't forget physical security. The big boys still physically follow people, still wiretap phones, enter buildings, and engage their mark.
14) Hollywood isn't reality.

wco81 Oct 21, 2019 7:15 pm

So Nord was hacked. It was done last year and they've been quiet about it until recently.

That means your traffic could be intercepted.

But does that imply that while you're on Nord, your computer could be hacked?

And presumably anything sensitive you'd use HTTPS anyways.

PackingIt Oct 21, 2019 7:18 pm

This is their response.

“The server itself did not contain any user activity logs; none of our applications send user-created credentials for authentication, so usernames and passwords couldn’t have been intercepted either,” said the spokesperson. “On the same note, the only possible way to abuse the website traffic was by performing a personalized and complicated man-in-the-middle attack to intercept a single connection that tried to access NordVPN.”


Originally Posted by wco81 (Post 31653128)
So Nord was hacked. It was done last year and they've been quiet about it until recently.

That means your traffic could be intercepted.

But does that imply that while you're on Nord, your computer could be hacked?

And presumably anything sensitive you'd use HTTPS anyways.


wco81 Oct 21, 2019 7:34 pm

I thought they didn't keep logs?

In any event, fact that they kept quiet about it for over a year does not make them look good.

Unfortunately I bought 3 years of subscription so I'm stuck with them.

PackingIt Oct 21, 2019 7:35 pm

I think they're saying that there are no logs to steal. But they could have theoretically worked in a MtM attack to track your traffic real time and collect it.


Originally Posted by wco81 (Post 31653185)
I thought they didn't keep logs?

In any event, fact that they kept quiet about it for over a year does not make them look good.

Unfortunately I bought 3 years of subscription so I'm stuck with them.


tmiw Oct 21, 2019 8:45 pm

I mainly bought NordVPN to get around the TfL website blocking US visitors, not really for any extra security (I go through my home VPN server for that). While the hack is unfortunate, I'm not sure it's going to cause me to stop using them--assuming they actually fix the hole and take steps to help prevent others moving forward.

PackingIt Oct 21, 2019 8:48 pm

I'd be more concerned about the fact that they didn't say anything about this sooner.

kennycrudup Oct 27, 2019 6:00 pm


Originally Posted by KRSW (Post 31511930)
Does anyone use a VPN service with Wireguard?

Mullvad does; I use them. I also run WG at home, and at a friends' place who has symmetrical upload/download fiber.

freecia Nov 25, 2019 12:52 am

PIA is in process of selling to Kape Technologies, the owner of Cyberghost.
https://www.techradar.com/news/cyber...eate-vpn-giant
https://www.reddit.com/r/PrivateInte..._your/f87fn6q/

h/t https://slickdeals.net/f/13608757-ps...chnologies?v=1

I was just billed for another year on recurring payment and had meant to cancel as I don't plan to use it for a several months. Cancelled and submitted a support request for a refund which can only be done within 7 days of the last payment. We'll see if a recurring payment counts or if it is only new accounts.
"Note: Refund requests are only available within the first 7 days of the last payment per our terms of service. Further information pertaining to our refund policy can be found in our Terms of Service."
https://www.privateinternetaccess.co...quest-a-refund

ng1265 Jun 1, 2021 5:45 am

Apologies for bumping this old thread, but looking for VPN advice here: I'm looking for a VPN to specifically use on Amazon Prime Video or Netflix.
The reason? English-speaking TV programmes are abysmal here in France, and so are cartoons, where most of the English ones are in French.
Since our kids are bilingual, we want to keep their level of English, and found it's the easiest solution. I have contacted Amazon Prime and Netflix to see if there was a way to display movie/cartoon by language, and so far there's none

Connection possibilities:
1. Express VPN directly on the Smart TV
2. FireStick with a VPN provider allowing fast enough connections to UK servers (where most of the English-speaking content we usually watch would be located)

Any thoughts or ideas?
Thanks in advance!

StuckInYYZ Jun 1, 2021 9:35 am

The problem with commercial VPNs is that it will be a constant game of cat and mouse. Many streaming providers constantly filter out IP ranges of known VPN providers at random intervals. This is due to copyright issues. To get around this, one of my friends (when he was travelling) hosted a VPN on his home network. That way he wasn't constantly concerned about whether it would get blocked or not as his usage pattern wouldn't change and would still come from his address.

GUWonder Jun 5, 2021 1:25 pm

Licensing issues — as in regional licensing restriction issues — more so than copyright issues.

I was under the assumption that Netflix had a lot of English-language kids cartoon programming in many or all of its major European national markets, and that some of it just requires toggling to English. Actually I am certain that I’ve been able to toggle from Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish — not exactly major markets for Netflix — to English audio for the Smurfs. And I’m certain that without a VPN, Thomas & Friends was stuck in Danish, Finnish, Norwegian or Swedish with no option to be toggled to English. But still a lot of English language children cartoon programming on Netflix available in these Nordic markets If toggling to English. Still, there is indeed a benefit to be had by setting up — if you can — a fixed station private VPN in the country of convenience for the streaming media feed.

exp Oct 17, 2021 4:11 pm

What does the VPN landscape look like in late 2021?

You still see a lot of advertising for various services.

I'm finishing up a 3-year sub to Nord and they've been okay but looking to see if there's anything better.

For one thing, when connected to Nord, some sites will absolutely not load, for instance BofA.

I haven't tried using it for circumventing geo-restrictions for streaming that much.

Makes it hard to use it for daily use if some sites load really slowly or not at all.

StuckInYYZ Oct 17, 2021 4:30 pm


Originally Posted by exp (Post 33652757)
What does the VPN landscape look like in late 2021?
You still see a lot of advertising for various services.
I'm finishing up a 3-year sub to Nord and they've been okay but looking to see if there's anything better.
For one thing, when connected to Nord, some sites will absolutely not load, for instance BofA.
I haven't tried using it for circumventing geo-restrictions for streaming that much.
Makes it hard to use it for daily use if some sites load really slowly or not at all.

Depends on what you use it for. I know some financial institutions block consumer VPN addresses as attackers have hit them while hiding behind them. That said, most of the big boys are still around. You do need to do your research however. There is pressure from the entertainment industry to force them to log information (at least in the US). So far it's still in the courts.

Anyway, there are a few sites that do yearly reviews of some of the bigger players, might be worth it to check out before renewing to see if any fit your needs better.


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