Don't use VPN services.
No, seriously, don't. You're probably reading this because you've asked what VPN service to use, and this is the answer.
Note: The content in this post does not apply to using VPN for their intended purpose; that is, as a virtual private (internal) network. It only applies to using it as a glorified proxy, which is what every third-party "VPN provider" does.
- A Russian translation of this article can be found here, contributed by Timur Demin.
- A Turkish translation can be found here, contributed by agyild.
- There's also this article about VPN services, which is honestly better written (and has more cat pictures!) than my article.
Why not?
Because a VPN in this sense is just a glorified proxy. The VPN provider can see all your traffic, and do with it what they want - including logging.
But my provider doesn't log!
There is no way for you to verify that, and of course this is what a malicious VPN provider would claim as well. In short: the only safe assumption is that every VPN provider logs.
And remember that it is in a VPN provider's best interest to log their users - it lets them deflect blame to the customer, if they ever were to get into legal trouble. The $10/month that you're paying for your VPN service doesn't even pay for the lawyer's coffee, so expect them to hand you over.
But a provider would lose business if they did that!
I'll believe that when HideMyAss goes out of business. They gave up their users years ago, and this was widely publicized. The reality is that most of their customers will either not care or not even be aware of it.
But I pay anonymously, using Bitcoin/PaysafeCard/Cash/drugs!
Doesn't matter. You're still connecting to their service from your own IP, and they can log that.
But I want more security!
VPNs don't provide security. They are just a glorified proxy.
But I want more privacy!
VPNs don't provide privacy, with a few exceptions (detailed below). They are just a proxy. If somebody wants to tap your connection, they can still do so - they just have to do so at a different point (ie. when your traffic leaves the VPN server).
But I want more encryption!
Use SSL/TLS and HTTPS (for centralized services), or end-to-end encryption (for social or P2P applications). VPNs can't magically encrypt your traffic - it's simply not technically possible. If the endpoint expects plaintext, there is nothing you can do about that.
When using a VPN, the only encrypted part of the connection is from you to the VPN provider. From the VPN provider onwards, it is the same as it would have been without a VPN. And remember, the VPN provider can see and mess with all your traffic.
But I want to confuse trackers by sharing an IP address!
Your IP address is a largely irrelevant metric in modern tracking systems. Marketers have gotten wise to these kind of tactics, and combined with increased adoption of CGNAT and an ever-increasing amount of devices per household, it just isn't a reliable data point anymore.
Marketers will almost always use some kind of other metric to identify and distinguish you. That can be anything from a useragent to a fingerprinting profile. A VPN cannot prevent this.
So when should I use a VPN?
There are roughly two usecases where you might want to use a VPN:
- You are on a known-hostile network (eg. a public airport WiFi access point, or an ISP that is known to use MITM), and you want to work around that.
- You want to hide your IP from a very specific set of non-government-sanctioned adversaries - for example, circumventing a ban in a chatroom or preventing anti-piracy scareletters.
In the second case, you'd probably just want a regular proxy specifically for that traffic - sending all of your traffic over a VPN provider (like is the default with almost every VPN client) will still result in the provider being able to snoop on and mess with your traffic.
However, in practice, just don't use a VPN provider at all, even for these cases.
So, then... what?
If you absolutely need a VPN, and you understand what its limitations are, purchase a VPS and set up your own (either using something like Streisand or manually - I recommend using Wireguard). I will not recommend any specific providers (diversity is good!), but there are plenty of cheap ones to be found on LowEndTalk.
But how is that any better than a VPN service?
A VPN provider specifically seeks out those who are looking for privacy, and who may thus have interesting traffic. Statistically speaking, it is more likely that a VPN provider will be malicious or a honeypot, than that an arbitrary generic VPS provider will be.
So why do VPN services exist? Surely they must serve some purpose?
Because it's easy money. You just set up OpenVPN on a few servers, and essentially start reselling bandwidth with a markup. You can make every promise in the world, because nobody can verify them. You don't even have to know what you're doing, because again, nobody can verify what you say. It is 100% snake-oil.
So yes, VPN services do serve a purpose - it's just one that benefits the provider, not you.
This post is licensed under the WTFPL or CC0, at your choice. You may distribute, use, modify, translate, and license it in any way.
Before you comment: Be aware that any non-constructive comments will be removed. This includes advertising for VPN providers (yes, even when you phrase the marketing claims like a question), trolling, harassment, insults towards other people, claims that have already been addressed in the article, and so on.
If your comment isn't a genuine question or a concrete counterargument supported by evidence, it probably doesn't belong here.
Defense in depth approach for security and VPN & Social Media Account Security.
Defense in depth is a security strategy that involves implementing multiple layers of defense at different points within a system or network. The goal of defense in depth is to make it more difficult for attackers to compromise the security of the system or network by requiring them to bypass multiple layers of defense.
Defense in depth is needed now more than ever as more employees work from home and as organizations increasingly rely on cloud-based services and social media is a weak human link in security.
Some examples of different layers of defense that might be included in a defense in depth strategy include:
Physical security measures, such as locks and security guards, to protect against physical attacks.
Network security measures, such as firewalls and intrusion detection systems, to protect against network-based attacks.
Application security measures, such as input validation and authentication controls, to protect against attacks targeting specific applications or services.
Data security measures, such as encryption and access controls, to protect against unauthorized access to sensitive data.
A virtual private network (VPN) is a network technology that creates a secure, encrypted connection between a device and a VPN server.
This can provide several benefits, including:
Privacy: By routing traffic through the VPN server, a VPN can hide the device's IP address and make it more difficult for third parties to track the device's online activity.
Security: The encrypted connection provided by a VPN can help protect against various types of cyber threats, such as man-in-the-middle attacks and data leaks.
Geo-blocking: Some websites and services are only available in certain countries. By connecting to a VPN server in a different country, a user can "trick" these websites into thinking they are located in the allowed country, allowing them to access restricted content.
VPN is only one component of a defense in depth strategy, and it should be used in combination with other security measures to provide the greatest level of protection.
Defense in depth for a social media account:
Choose strong and unique passwords: Use a password manager to create strong, unique passwords for your social media accounts, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) if it is available. This will help protect against password-based attacks, such as brute-force attacks or credential stuffing.
Be cautious with links and attachments: Be cautious when clicking on links or downloading attachments from unknown sources, as these can potentially be used to deliver malware or phishing attacks.
Use privacy settings: Use the privacy settings provided by the social media platform to control who can see your posts and personal information.
Be aware of scammers and impersonators: Be aware of scammers and impersonators who may try to trick you into giving away personal information or money.
Use antivirus software: Install antivirus software on your devices and keep it up to date to help protect against malware.
Avoid sharing sensitive information: Be mindful of what personal information you share on social media, as this information could potentially be used to target you with attacks.