VPN - More secure Internet access?

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iapperley

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#114374 17-Feb-2013 21:03

Hi all,

With the increasing security problems o the net, I'm keen to find out if a VPN is going to offer better protection?

I'm a mixed user; a lot of cloud based services, spotify, Steam, Xbox movies, and just general email and surfing.

I also use multiple devices, tablet, a couple of laptops, android phone and from multiple hotspots and mobile providers.

Is it more secure than a bog standard connection and can anyone recommend a good VPN for New Zealand users? I've seen Astrill mentioned.

Thanks in advance.

nakedmolerat

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#763911 17-Feb-2013 21:45

Astrill is a good VPN.

What kind of 'protection' are you looking for?

freitasm

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#763929 17-Feb-2013 22:19

I think you need to understand the problem to find protection.

A VPN will encrypt your traffic on the Internet so that others can't see it. In itself this won't add much protection at all. Your browser still needs to be updated, you still need antivirus, you will still use antispyware.

Really, the VPN will slow down your conncetion but unless you have someone looking specifically at your traffic, nothing changes much.

One case where a VPN is a good idea is when connecting to the Internet on a network you have no control. For example a WiFi service. Once you connect other people might be "listening" and if for example you don't use a secure connection to a service such as Facebook then, potentially, the cookies associated with your session could be used by someone else to impersonate you.

But at home or at work, a VPN would just add an extra layer that won't protect you.

Zeon

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#763960 18-Feb-2013 00:21

I can tell you first hand that even if you use Astrill, someone can still be checking your traffic. It will be much harder to distinguish since it will be mixed in with all other users traffic but its quite easy. If you are using secure protocols anyway like HTTPS its not a huge problem.

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iapperley

15 posts

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#763962 18-Feb-2013 07:07

Thanks all, freitasm hit the nail on the head, I'm less interested in hiding my traffic and more interested in protecting myself. Most of my Cloud based stuff is HTTPS based, so VPN sounds best suited when I am mobile and using unknown hotspots.