UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved] • Hacker News Board

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#21

Post by triceratops » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:34 PM UTC

dang wrote: post #13

triceratops wrote: post #3

@dang: can the title be changed to "UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs". So users don't have to click through to the story to find out which firm?

Ok done. Edit: I also changed the URL from https://www.hackread.com/vpn-firm-zero-logs-policy-leaks-20-... to what seems to be the original source.

Thanks!

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#22

Post by SAI_Peregrinus » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:35 PM UTC

According to The Register, UFO VPN is just white-labeleing a parent service[1]. The full list of compromised providers is thus UFO VPN, FAST VPN, Free VPN, Super VPN, Flash VPN, Secure VPN, and Rabbit VPN.

[1] https://www.theregister.com/2020/07/17/ufo_vpn_database/

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#23

Post by Hamuko » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:37 PM UTC

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

For a VPN provider to actually be trustworthy, you'd have to be able to verify their policies. But that's impossible, so VPN providers just fall into "might be doing bad things" and "confirmed to be doing bad things".

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#24

Post by RandomBacon » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:39 PM UTC

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

Mullvad, ProtonVPN, and IVPN are recommended by https://www.privacytools.io/providers/vpn/

PrivateInternetAccess has fought and won in US court, but they're also US-based.

(I use Mullvad.)

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#25

Post by rthomas6 » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:40 PM UTC

nullc wrote: post #16

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

No such thing. You would be better off renting an inexpensive VPS and running your own VPN on it. Public VPN services have to be the one of the greatest lemon markets to have ever existed: You want people's private data? People will pay you to give it to them. Go ahead and sell the service for less than it costs due to the boatloads of data that you get. People realize this, so you end up getting a disproportionate n…

How does that help? If you're the only one with traffic from that IP, how does that give any privacy? Especially if you pay with something tied to your identity. And why does a VPS have any less likelihood of logging your traffic?

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#26

Post by solarkraft » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:42 PM UTC

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

I personally trust Mullvad because of their generally good reputation (built through independent audits), super clean user interface and very fair pricing (5€/month flat fee, no crazy long-term contracts).

Mullvad is also the provider Mozilla is using for their new VPN service (with fewer features).

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#27

Post by nullc » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:42 PM UTC

obenn wrote: post #19

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

Commercially I’d say ProtonVPN or PrivateInternetAccess. Best is to make your own, checkout https://github.com/StreisandEffect/streisand for an easy way to set that up.

I would never do business with Private Internet Access.

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21584958

(you can google to find more-- this was just a quick result)

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#28

Post by elliekelly » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:42 PM UTC

cbsks wrote: post #18

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

I have been using Mullvad for the last few years: https://mullvad.net/en/ I don't have much to base it on but they seem trustworthy, and I've seen them recommended here before.

I also use Mullvad and I pay by sending an anonymous envelope of cash to Sweden with a random number scribbled on a bit of paper. So far all of the cash I’ve sent has been added to my accounts. There’s obviously no way to know whether they follow through on their no-log claim but my sense is they’re pretty trustworthy. At the very least the person who opens their mail is.

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#29

Post by nilssonanders » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:42 PM UTC

orliesaurus wrote: post #14

What's the most trustworthy VPN that HN users recommend? My 3 year subscription to my local one is about to run out! Looking for advice on what is trusted nowadays!

I second Mullvad also. They don't even have usernames, emails or passwords. All you use to log in is a random number for your account. Can't get much more anonymous than that. And they financially sponsor wireguard, have a bunch of wireguard servers. Can't recommend them enough.

Re: UFO VPN claims zero-logs policy, leaks 20M user logs [resolved]

#30

Post by nullc » Fri, Jul 17, 2020, 10:44 PM UTC

mindslight wrote: post #20

nullc wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No such thing. You would be better off renting an inexpensive VPS and running your own VPN on it. Public VPN services have to be the one of the greatest lemon markets to have ever existed: You want people's private data? People will pay you to give it to them. Go ahead and sell the service for less than it costs due to the boatloads of data that you get. People realize this, so you end up getting a disproportionate n…

Your proposed alternative does not address the threat model that most people have when looking for a "VPN".

The threat model you're referring to is, I assume, mostly DMCA warnings. (As in: You want your service to not get disconnected in response to them)

It does address it, when you factor in an appropriate choice of non-US VPS provider.