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On the topic of VPN'S

allennova

allennova

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Posted

I've seen lots of threads about VPN'S in the time I have been here,
this is just a thread explain some misconceptions that people may have (no disrespect to anyone).


First, no free VPN is good, most if not all will sell your data to some 3rd party.


https://thebestvpn.com/how-free-vpns-sell-your-data/


This article talks about this topic of free VPNs and in the middle section, lists off common/popular VPNs that (according to their privacy policy) can sell your data. While the VPN provider might say that this data is anonymous, it's surprisingly easy to track someone through searching habits and browsers that said person uses. Because of this, free VPNs should not be used to browse around for more than accessing suspicious links. For small-time use, it is fine to use them as you won't be building enough of a profile that a 3rd party would find valuable. (This is assuming that you are not browsing a frequent website that you use, for example, if you browse a specific small subreddit and use a VPN to access it, a tracker could infer that you are one of the small group that browses that sub.)


Next, you should be considering what alternatives you should be using instead of free VPN's. There are a few that you could use, and I will be talking about positives and negatives for each. Some alternatives are; Proxys, TOR, VPN trials and buying a VPN outright.

A proxy is simple enough to use for just changing your IP address but I personally don't recommend this approach unless you are using it for a very short time. Using something like elite proxy switcher and a proxy list will give you tons of options for changing your IP to, but there are some drawbacks.

 

Elite proxy switcher: https://www.eliteproxyswitcher.com/

Proxy lists can be found by googling, if you want a link, reply to this thread and I'll include one.

 

Securing your privacy should be one of the top priorities when using stuff that routes your data, and proxies are not very strong in that aspect. Attacks could be carried out on a few places, the server could be infected, as proxies are usually hosted by the public, not data centers. The connection to the proxy could be intercepted and used to piece together who you are (assuming the proxy connection is encrypted in the first place) or the data could be read in plain text. If it is in plain text, whoever intercepted the packet would be able to know the source-destination (your IP address) and the destination (your target proxy server or site that you are trying to visit.) These points are also assuming that the proxy provider isn't just doing the same thing free VPN's are doing, as in, selling your data to a 3rd party. With all of this combine, you can see why proxies are not very high on my metaphorical list.

 

Next, you could theoretically use TOR to browse everywhere, but this is not recommended, but not for the same reasons as a proxy. The issue with TOR is that its encryption/anonymity method routes your data through 3 different hops forward to your target server and again back to you. Your packet is encrypted 3 different times, forwarded to an entry node, routed through 3 different hops to an end node, who then forwards your packet to its destination. If you cant tell, doing this 2 times to all of your packets, forward and back, is a lengthy process, and will slow down your connection considerably. This is also one reason mythical red rooms are not feasible on the dark web, as streaming a live video would be very slow if not impossible. The same would be when you play something like Roblox as games require a good, fast connection to a game server. A slow connection would lag your game, preventing you from doing anything useful. TOR does still have its uses when using the browser, you are routed to a server somewhere in the world and can swap servers whenever you want. Combine this with its strong encryption and you have a strong browser that protects you when you are casually browsing. This does limit videos and big pictures however, as they would buffer/load slowly when you browse. I recommend TOR to anyone who just wants to see a sketchy link or browse casually for a short to medium period of time.

The next method/trick you could use is VPN trials. All you need to do is get a throwaway email and use a fake identity generator to make up some fake credentials and use them to sign up for a free trial. These trials usually last for about 30 days and you are allowed to use premium servers that the provider has. These servers are located at data centers and have very high network speeds. What this means is your speed is only capped by how much you/your guardian pays for. There are still some drawbacks to VPN trials, however. By using their service, you are trusting a few people with your data. Whoever has physical access to the server could be attacked or just look at your data as well. The VPN provider is also susceptible to the same flaws, looking at your data or getting hacked. Before using a trial, you should research the VPN provider before trusting their service with your data.

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Added

The last option that in can think of right now is to just buy a VPN service outright. This minimizes the threat of logging but keep in mind, anyone could be looking at your data, even if the provider says they don't log. Lots of VPN names have been thrown around as the "best" but trusting someone's option without at least some reasoning behind it is not a good idea. Googling "best VPN" also yields similar results, articles can be swayed by money, which large VPN providers have. If you see the same copy paste lists on big corporate news articles, there is a chance that the list is being paid for. A trusted VPN comparison chart is published by "That One Privacy Guy" and also updated by him/her. This list has been cited as one of/if not the most unbias comparison to date. It contains most if not all VPN providers and is categorized into simple columns for easy viewing.


https://thatoneprivacysite.net/


This list allows anyone to search for a specific feature that a VPN has and lets you compare with other providers. While I said before that you should not trust what a random person behind a keyboard recommends, I do promote a specific VPN when I get asked about this topic. Mullvad VPN has some of the best features I've seen for a VPN provider and scores high on the list I previously talked about. I am not saying Mullvad is the best VPN out, nor is that what I'm trying to say, I am just including somewhere to start your search on paid VPNs. I encourage anyone who is interested in this topic to look online for yourself before handing over money for a faulty/insecure service.


This is not a foolproof writeup on VPN's and their alternatives. At the end of the day, I am not a certified professional on this topic, and despite what others might say, I am not claiming to be. Internet privacy is not something a person can just explain to you fully in a random thread, however you literally have the world's biggest library at your disposal to research from. A person cannot tell you what is best, with the fast growth of technology, how dependent we are of it, and human greed, our online privacy is being violated every day with or without our consent. The best way to combat this is to stay informed on this topic and do your own research on it, and not beliving you hear along the way.




Stay Safe

-Allen


(Note: This thread is 1,328 words long, I literally did not expect to write an essay on this topic but it is what it is.)

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tl;dr           

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Finally, someone who understands a Virtual Private Network doesn't make you 100% anonymous on the internet and someone who knows that a Virtual Private Network actually can sell your data to third-party services and they DO log your information as a VPN company did lose in a court case and all of a sudden went from "having no logs" to having logs all of the sudden then handing it to the Government.

 

 

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allennova

allennova

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@ogredale Tl:dr, the only way to be 100% anonymous is to get off the web, always wear a mask in public, frequently change identities and always buy in cash.

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