FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
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Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#2If its P2P it means it uses other peoples' nodes as your exit node, sort of like Tor but without the onions.
That's risky. What happens to me if someone does something illegal via my connection? How could I prove it wasn't me? Maybe I could win in court by citing my use of something like this, but I really don't want to be dragged into court in the first place even if I end up walking out.
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#3What's the catch?
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#4If its P2P it means it uses other peoples' nodes as your exit node, sort of like Tor but without the onions. That's risky. What happens to me if someone does something illegal via my connection? How could I prove it wasn't me? Maybe I could win in court by citing my use of something like this, but I really don't want to be dragged into court in the first place even if I end up walking out.
Lantern [0] and Pisphon.ca do so, too, since it is an effective anti-censorship deterrent.
Also, industry leaders like NordVPN and ExpressVPN may engage in P2P routing especially to unblock services like Netflix and Disney+ [1].
HolaVPN unapologetically does this too [2].
All of this is discounting the new-age dVPNs like Orchid (not quite the Tor replacement that was promised [3]) and Mysterium [4].
[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21664692
[2] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9614993
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#5If its P2P it means it uses other peoples' nodes as your exit node, sort of like Tor but without the onions. That's risky. What happens to me if someone does something illegal via my connection? How could I prove it wasn't me? Maybe I could win in court by citing my use of something like this, but I really don't want to be dragged into court in the first place even if I end up walking out.
My thoughts exactly. How ironic that you'd need another VPN to be safe enough for daily use.
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#6If its P2P it means it uses other peoples' nodes as your exit node, sort of like Tor but without the onions. That's risky. What happens to me if someone does something illegal via my connection? How could I prove it wasn't me? Maybe I could win in court by citing my use of something like this, but I really don't want to be dragged into court in the first place even if I end up walking out.
Shouldn't prosecutors prove that it was you and not someone else?
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#7If its P2P it means it uses other peoples' nodes as your exit node, sort of like Tor but without the onions. That's risky. What happens to me if someone does something illegal via my connection? How could I prove it wasn't me? Maybe I could win in court by citing my use of something like this, but I really don't want to be dragged into court in the first place even if I end up walking out.
Shouldn't prosecutors prove that it was you and not someone else?
"Should", yes. (Details obviously depend on jurisdiction) For that, they get a warrant to search your home and for your computers to be confiscated to do the forensic analysis on them. You might get them back after a few years if nothing can be proven. They also might tie you into it for knowingly supporting it by installing such a VPN, some places make you responsible for everything happening through your connection by default. See the "fun" people operating TOR exit nodes have for what can happen.
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#8What's the catch?
You are the exit node for other people's browsing, which can be rather scary
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#9They tried to promote the launch of this service on a bunch of linux-related subreddits 6 months ago, and I wasn't much of a fan of the concept or the way they advertised it, in skipping over the p2p nature of the system.
Their answer to the question of 'what happens when a bad actor has their illegal activity routed through my connection' seemed illogical. They claimed that as more people signed up, the proportion of bad actors would decrease [0], which makes no sense to me.
Also, I'm not entirely sure what methods they have taken to stop a bad actor from collecting packets from other users that are routed through the bad actors exit node.
The worst thing IMO is the way it's being presented and marketed. The impression the website gives is that its just like all other VPNs but free, which is very misleading.
[0] https://www.reddit.com/r/Ubuntu/comments/f5y6qg/update_launc...
Re: FreePN: Open-source peer-to-peer VPN service
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Shouldn't prosecutors prove that it was you and not someone else?
"Should", yes. (Details obviously depend on jurisdiction) For that, they get a warrant to search your home and for your computers to be confiscated to do the forensic analysis on them. You might get them back after a few years if nothing can be proven. They also might tie you into it for knowingly supporting it by installing such a VPN, some places make you responsible for everything happening through your connection…
True, but there is a big difference in operating an exit node and using a VPN. Millions have VPNs installed. These is only a small amount of exit notes, and millions use VPN.
I'd argue that the chance of being accused because someone used your connection in p2p VPN is less than when someone will use your wifi to do something illegal.