Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
20-12-2024, 14:09
|
#2
|
|
Smeghead
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Glasgow
Age: 44
Services: Sky Q 2Tb, Sky Q mini, boxsets and Sports & Movies HD, Sky Fibre unlimited
Posts: 14,501
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Not American so I don't really care what they have to say.
__________________
AMD Ryzen 7 7700 | 32GB DDR5 6000 | RADEON 7900XT | WD 2TB NVME
|
|
|
|
20-12-2024, 14:33
|
#3
|
|
Trollsplatter
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: North of Watford
Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests
Posts: 38,028
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen
Not American so I don't really care what they have to say.
|
Their advice has nothing to do with being American. They are warning that a VPN service provider with weak security policies or obscure ownership structures is unsafe. Just because it’s a VPN doesn’t mean it can’t be hacked and your data can’t be intercepted. Their argument is that you’re not making your communications more secure, you’re just shifting the burden to protect you from your ISP to your VPN provider.
They are giving this advice mainly to high value targets who would likely be of interest to attackers, especially state sponsored ones. They’re saying nothing about using a VPN to obscure your IP address and get cheap overseas streaming or to download ripped TV shows without getting caught.
|
|
|
|
|
20-12-2024, 15:44
|
#4
|
|
Dr Pepper Addict
Cable Forum Team
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Nottingham
Age: 62
Services: Aquiss FTTP (900M), Sky Q TV, Sky Mobile, Flextel SIP
Posts: 29,514
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stephen
Not American so I don't really care what they have to say.
|
Thats a very silly attitude, the advice is sound.
__________________
 Baby, I was born this way.
|
|
|
|
|
20-12-2024, 20:08
|
#5
|
|
cf.mega poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,660
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
I imagine using those based in places like Russia is a bad idea for obvious reasons.
Would it be fair to say that free VPN's are potentially less secure than paid for VPN's? My logic is that they have to make their money from somewhere and could be more open to selling data or not have the money to make their service particularly secure.
I think it's probably better not to use a VPN for things like banking as long as it has secure encryption and just use it for things like accessing overseas streaming services.
|
|
|
|
|
20-12-2024, 23:31
|
#6
|
|
laeva recumbens anguis
Cable Forum Team
Join Date: Jun 2006
Age: 68
Services: Premiere Collection
Posts: 43,444
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
This is why I use SurfShark (other VPNs are available)
Quote:
|
In November 2018, Surfshark’s Chrome and Firefox browser extensions underwent an external audit by a German cybersecurity firm, Cure53. Following the extension audits, in April 2021, Surfshark’s server infrastructure was audited, again by Cure53. In January 2023, Surfshark underwent an independent assurance procedure by Deloitte where they verified Surfshark’s "no-logs" statement.
|
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfshark_VPN
__________________
Thank you for calling the Abyss.
If you have called to scream, please press 1 to be transferred to the Void, or press 2 to begin your stare.
If my post is in bold and this colour, it's a Moderator Request.
|
|
|
|
|
21-12-2024, 12:03
|
#7
|
|
XIV
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Crawley
Age: 35
Services: Three Unlimited
Posts: 14,759
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Surfshark is owned by Nord. Nord has had its own security issues. Do you believe the companies will ever merge?
|
|
|
|
|
21-12-2024, 13:17
|
#8
|
|
Woke and proud !
Join Date: Jun 2004
Services: TV, Phone, BB, a wife
Posts: 9,776
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
I use Proton free vpn. Its fine when I occasionally have to pretend be abroad to watch a football match.
https://uk.pcmag.com/vpn/116478/protonvpn
|
|
|
|
|
21-12-2024, 13:39
|
#9
|
|
laeva recumbens anguis
Cable Forum Team
Join Date: Jun 2006
Age: 68
Services: Premiere Collection
Posts: 43,444
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thenry
Surfshark is owned by Nord. Nord has had its own security issues. Do you believe the companies will ever merge?
|
Are you talking about the breach six years ago?
If they ever merge, I will review the situation, and act accordingly.
__________________
Thank you for calling the Abyss.
If you have called to scream, please press 1 to be transferred to the Void, or press 2 to begin your stare.
If my post is in bold and this colour, it's a Moderator Request.
|
|
|
|
|
21-12-2024, 14:02
|
#10
|
|
XIV
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Crawley
Age: 35
Services: Three Unlimited
Posts: 14,759
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hugh
Are you talking about the breach six years ago?
If they ever merge, I will review the situation, and act accordingly.
|
Yeah I searched Wikipedia for NordVPN after seeing your post
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/NordVPN
It says it was a data center which Nord ceased relations with soon after. So not totally at fault on Nords behalf.
Recent telegram changes like that of Nord to comply with authorises has raised eyebrows but I guess we have to submit to some form of authoritarian.
|
|
|
|
|
09-01-2025, 18:00
|
#11
|
|
cf.mega poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 10,660
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
|
|
|
|
|
09-01-2025, 18:32
|
#12
|
|
XIV
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Crawley
Age: 35
Services: Three Unlimited
Posts: 14,759
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Popular apps meaning Nord, Express, SurfShark, Proton, Cyberghost, PIA.. etc. ?
Or the unknown low profile play store junk?
I've never heard of LetsVPN and I like to think I'm aware of popular brands.
Last edited by thenry; 09-01-2025 at 18:36.
Reason: Grammar mistake
|
|
|
|
|
09-01-2025, 20:31
|
#13
|
|
Trollsplatter
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: North of Watford
Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests
Posts: 38,028
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thenry
Popular apps meaning Nord, Express, SurfShark, Proton, Cyberghost, PIA.. etc. ?
Or the unknown low profile play store junk?
I've never heard of LetsVPN and I like to think I'm aware of popular brands.
|
Popular as in any of the above. The article is a warning against assuming the result you get on a search engine links to the authentic version of the product. You can end up on a scam website with a counterfeit version of the software riddled with spyware.
However that isn’t a problem specific to VPNs by any means. Any piece of software can be counterfeited and compromised.
|
|
|
|
|
09-01-2025, 20:35
|
#14
|
|
XIV
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Crawley
Age: 35
Services: Three Unlimited
Posts: 14,759
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Have any of the well known VPN ever been cloned?
|
|
|
|
|
09-01-2025, 20:43
|
#15
|
|
Trollsplatter
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: North of Watford
Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests
Posts: 38,028
|
Re: Why using a VPN may not be such a good idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by thenry
Have any of the well known VPN ever been cloned?
|
I don’t know, but there’s no reason why they couldn’t be. It doesn’t have to be a brilliantly executed clone as long as it’s superficially similar and functions as a VPN. If you were downloading it from a fake website, it’s likely because you’ve not used the product before, or not enough to easily spot a fake. All they need to do is get you to install it.
But, I repeat, this is not a problem unique to VPN products. Any app can be copied and there will always be unwary users out there to download it. With reference to the thread title, the article Richard linked to is not proof that using a VPN may not be a good idea.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 00:52.
|
Join CF
You are here: 
