Freebie VPN

Freebie VPN Internet Privacy It looks beautiful in Japan Mt Tsukuba Tsukub Rinrin Road, (user-masao) Bored.  Really tired, but bored. Checking out VPN Gate. VPN Gate is a University of Tsukuba, Japan, project involving public Virtual Private Network servers. I'm not too clear on how any of this works and I really don't care.   What interests me is the anonymity factor for 'everyday browsing' (ie where your ID's masked, even though you ultimately remain traceable).  I think.  I have no technical knowledge.  That's just my understanding. Not sure if this is worth the bother.  Right now, I feel like I'm over information.  I think I'm over it.  Either that, or I'm just tired and depressed. I've already hit a hurdle with the VPN Gate.  It doesn't look like Linux OS is supported. Went to VPN Gate's forum.  Forum user has posted link to VPN services.   The first service I looked at looks sh*t.   Paid service, I'd say, as it wants all your details. NordVPN sounds better: NordVPN is based in Panama, one of the small list of countries that has no data retention laws. This means the government cannot legally ask services on the Internet to hand over information on their users, allowing the VPN service to have a no-logging policy. But it's a paid service and I think I let my bank account lapse a while back, so I think I'll keep looking.   Malaysia is somewhere else where they don't have demands for VPN user data: "... based in Malaysia, simply because the government does not have any laws that allow them to take information from VPN users." [source] UK, US and Germany do not allow file sharing on P2P (peer to peer) servers ... whatever they are.   P2P make a portion of PC resources available to others in peer-to-peer network of 'nodes', says Wikipedia.  Nodes are devices (PC or other) in a larger network of what looks like information hook-ups.  It looks like you just use different servers to bypass the restrictions: P2P/Torrent P2P is available on most Hide.me servers, although the UK, Germany and US servers do not allow filesharing applications. Users will be able to move between servers to get onto P2P and there is servers in Canada for US users and plenty of servers in Europe, most of them offering P2P services. [source] I really don't care about that, as I'm not planning on sharing anything. LOL ... I'm not good at sharing anything. That's another paid service. ibVPN offers 6 hour free sign-up.  I'm bored, but not that bored. Windscribe have got a freebie service.  Wonder there's some catch like going through all the hassle of signing up, only to get hit with having to upgrade? "... increased global surveillance of ordinary citizens makes it an indispensable product for today's Internet user"  [source] They've got some scheme going, where you get paid in bitcoin if you get ppl to sign up.  I don't even have a bank account any longer, so I think I'd have a problem there.  LOL There is a freebie component with a 10 gig limit, which would probably do me.  Sounds OK so far: "What are these tools? There are 2 components: desktop VPN application, and browser extension. You can use them on their own, but for much greater protection, you should use both. How much does Windscribe cost? If you are a light user, you can use Windscribe for free. You get up to 10GB of data per month, and you can use all of the tools we offer. What does the desktop application do? The desktop application is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) client. It creates an encrypted tunnel from your computer to our servers, and all your activity is sent through the tunnel. This has 2 advantages: 1. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) IP address is masked ... 2.  Your Internet Service Provider cannot see what you do online. This is much more important than you think. browser extension provides a "Lite" VPN client, which does the same thing as the desktop one, but only in your browser. Any other applications you may be using on your computer will utilize your ISP provided IP address." [source] They're making me nervous.  I don't like the sound of the 'much more important than you think' part. It's a Canada-based company and you stand to gain 90% anonymity.  Which is better than none.  But Canada's just another Western totalitarian state.  Even so, it sounds good ... so far. Other freebie VPN services are here.  I've not check them out. Looking at real time Twitter feed, someone's asking for instructions on OpenVPN.   OpenVPN is open source software: "OpenVPN is available in repositories of most open source operating systems  .." A bonus, as it should be more secure.  Not sure where this fits in.   Algeria blocked social media on the 19th of June. Reddit has VPN discussion topic.  LOL ... it looks like some VPNs might be run by the FBI. Think I've had enough of this for now.  This is lovely .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdWvIBRVAMA

Free VPN Providers

Article SOURCE as marked Free VPN Providers Virtual Private Network ('VPN')   VPN = "Virtual Private Network" = protection of:  online identity, privacy etc. Free VPN Services Free VPN services available (some listed below, as at 2013) What's Needed for VPN Online [subscriber VPN provider example used] 1  VPN Server linking up to VPN Provider end of the business, at different locations 2  VPN Protocols VPN provider uses:  secure, encrypted communications 'Tunnel' Looks like this is what the VPN provider does: "VPN creates a secure tunnel using most powerful VPN protocols – hides your original IP behind one of its own – encrypts all your communication and passes through the secure tunnel allowing you to surf the web freely and anonymously"  [https://hide.me/en/] The https://hide.me/en/ provider, for example, offers:   -- free web proxy   -- Get new digital identity  connect (via VNP servers / via 'encrypted tunnel')   -- assigned new online anonymous ID   -- actual IP address -- record reportedly not kept     -- for access to blocked websites (ie censored)   -- access to geo-restricted content   -- to surf the web anonymously   -- to encrypt whole internet connection   -- unblock Skype and other VoIP tools    -- chat - inside & outside of country location   -- ISP for real IP address sees:  unreadable encrypted traffic  [https://hide.me/en/] 3  Encryption Makes communications unreadable to all, other than the receiver. ISP for real IP address sees:  unreadable encrypted traffic. LINUX  -  Uh-Oh: *Ubuntu's integrated VPN client only supports PPTP which has known security issues, according to hide.me. Hide.me recommends:   OpenVPN IPsec IKEv2 (StrongSwan) for security & speed. Source https://hide.me/en/ FREE VPN PROVIDERS Info as at 2013: OpenVPN -- SSL/TLS based VPN -- provides high security & privacy *need to install open VPN client software to use OpenVPN service *does not work on mobile services HOWEVER:  works on Windows, Mac & Linus http://www.openvpn.net/ VPNBook = VPNBook = Romania-based = 100% free VPN service = advanced cryptographic techniques = free & secure PPTP & OpenVPN service access * Note:  PPTP has known security issues [as at 2013] = claims: do not collect any info or log any internet activity http://www.vpnbook.com/ SecurityKiss -- tunnel service -- ensures data security & privacy  -- redirects all your traffic through an impenetrable tunnel -- everything in the tunnel is encrypted http://www.securitykiss.com/ Get US VPN -- Free VPN service client -- service in Fast, Secure, Convenient -- from both USA & UK data centres http://www.websitevpn.com/ Tor Browser - Privacy Browser Tor Browser -- privacy / anonymising tool -- by 'bouncing your communications' -- around 'distributed network of relays' around world -- prevents successful surveillance of internet connection re sites visited -- prevents sites you visit knowing physical location -- permits access to blocked sites LINK | Tor Project Tor Browser sounds a lot like the above tools, I think. Not sure what the difference is. Check out the difference.  Difference noted section below. LINK | Post:  Tor vs. VPN ---------------------- ---------------------- COMMENT Got curious about masking online ID after downloading the WikiLeaks freebie book from Verso, and realising that my fake e-mail address and fake registration isn't much good when my online ID etc isn't masked.  Didn't think to use Tor, though.  Doh!  But because the Tor communication would have maybe been linked to the e-mail used, maybe that option wasn't as secure as it could be?  Not sure about that.  But I'm guessing a freshie e-mail might have been better than the temp sort of partitioned one.  LOL ...  I'm not really good at hiding. Being a tech dumb-dumb I didn't really know what I was supposed to do and, so far, I've been too lazy to make the effort to find out more about online privacy. Got onto  the above information in a round-about way, by following a trail from a comment about some download site, to references about 'Tor', 'Open Proxy' and VPN. Tor I'm good for, but I still haven't checked out 'Open Proxy' and I didn't really know what VPN was until today ... LOL.  If I came across it in my travels, I didn't take in the info or take an interest.  Not sure what this proxy stuff is about ... might have a look at some point.  In a rush now. The Romanian VPN:  would probably check to see what their relationship is like with the US before playing with that ... & probably keeping fingers crossed in case it's run by cyber crooks or something ... LOL.  Quick check indicates that VPNBook has been referred to in court discoveries and indictments against hactivist group members, by the look of this July 2013 article.  I've not read comments. OpenVPN sounds the best to me. Found out today that if you CTRL-C copy files and then delete the source of the files, you're left with nothing but a 'source not found' type message.  Lucky it was only a boring photo of my porridge breakfast (again) ... LOL. I Tor a little most days, but I'm still hooked on normal browsing. Reverted to Google search engine when I changed my OS (again) and stayed there because I was too lazy to find alternatives.  Due to Google's provision of assistance to US-led multiple state actor aggression in the Middle East, I've ditched Google for https://duckduckgo.com/ (doesn't track), but I find myself hopping back onto Google frequently, as it's hard adjusting to being somewhere else and scrolling through search engine data, sort of feeling like you might be missing out on something vital (or missing what you think is quick and easy detection of key info).  But in terms of the organisation overall, not too sure how reliable Google would actually be in that sense.  With the US state being embedded in Google and Google being in bed with the US state, they're probably hiding info from us instead of helping us find it.  ;) I'm over looking at this stuff:  OPSEC etc. might have to wait for another time.

TOR vs VPN | WHICH TO USE

Source The Tin Hat ... lol https://thetinhat.com/tutorials/darknets/tor-vpn.html   TOR vs VPN | WHICH TO USE Tor & VPN described as often conflated -- but Tor & VPN are different -- which is more suitable depends on context Essentially: Tor:  for activists & 'secret squirrels' / not for video downloads [caution:  not bullet-proof] vs VPN:  for (not vital) everyday anonymity / good for downloads VPNs -- take connection -- encrypt connection -- pass connection through server -- contact goes via VPN server to connection site sought -- ie:  it provides encryption & diversion of your online traffic A.     -- what you are doing & who you are connecting with not visible     -- eg. public wifi:  those watching get jumbled info sent to random server     -- same applies to Internet Service Provider (ISP) B. -- site visited does not know your geolocation (privacy enhanced)     -- this permits by-passing geographic restrictions on services Note: * what you do through VPN is know by operator of the VPN * VPN services claim not to log activity  but this is only a representation that may be dishonoured * eg. if VPN provider is issued with a court order for info on your activities * VPN provider would likely find some way to link your activity back to you * So:  VPN = good for low risk situations * BUT not so good for anonymity against a state actor Tor Browser -- works differently -- instead of connecting directly to server -- your connection is encrypted, bounced around x3 servers ('relays' or 'nodes') -- before being decrypted & sent to destination -- FIRST SERVER - knows your location -- SECOND SERVER - only knows data from FIRST SERVER -- THIRD SERVER - only knows that data from SECOND SERVER -- anonymity is provided as the third server cannot know origin of data -- majority of Tor servers not 'malicious' (do not log activity) -- nearly impossible to associate end-data of chain to origin -- very effective / takes significant state actor effort to de-anonymise -- bonus:  encryption by Tor to prevent - eg. ISP from seeing your traffic -- caution:  decryption at last server ('exit relay')  = point of vulnerability -- it is at this point your data can be spied upon -- therefore regular HTTP unencrypted connection relay of data (a no-no) -- can be read in its entirety at the exit relay by the operator of the exit relay -- however, using an add-on like HTTPS-Everywhere -- equals safely encrypted data -- with HTTPS even malicious server could not de-anonymise     * unless content contains personal info (email, name, address, etc)   COMMENT: I'm confused.  If HTTPS is supposed to be an encryption add-on -- how can a malicious server de-anonymise if personal data is included -- if encryption is supposed to be in place? -- makes no sense to me:  that's not encryption TOR - HIGHER SECURITY PRIVACY BROWSING ANONYMITY vs SPEED -- much slower than VPN -- but far better re anonymity -- avoid watching videos or downloading torrents -- bad for entire network & extremely slow -- best for high level anonymity needs -- eg. high threat levels = law enforcement scenarios -- journalists dealing w. sensitive sources, whistleblowers, political activists -- those living under oppressive state surveillance etc [comment:  all of us under US empire mass surveillance oppression ... LOL] -- use Tor if adversary is "more dangerous than a DMCA complaint" (copyright) -- promises provided by VPN companies = not enough. Use Tor. -- *do not treat Tor as if it were bullet-proof -- with enough time, de-anonymization is possible by agencies such eg. NSA -- using Tor = best bet, unless you are an NSA high-value target -- using tor for low bandwidth static sites helps 'populate' the Tor traffic -- & providing cover for those who need Tor for vital reasons -- note:  Tor is only an ANONYMITY TOOL -- without operational security (see OPSEC), anonymity tools rendered useless -- watch bad habits - can reveal ID to the motivated adversary -- keep torrenting to VPN -- VPN - EVERYDAY BROWSING PRIVACY -- VPN good for low-risk/bandwidth-heavy purposes -- VPN's are good for VIDEOS & TORRENTS task OPSEC -- operational security https://grugq.github.io/ The Grugq -- teach operational security (OPSEC) -- ie good security habits http://grugq.tumblr.com/ Source:  The Tin Hat https://thetinhat.com/tutorials/darknets/tor-vpn.html