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VPNs on iOS are a scam

michaelhorowitz.com

131–140 of 260 posts

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#131
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That Apple documents that 'normal' VPNs are broken on iOS doesn't change the fact that they're broken.

VPNs were always meant to carry internal traffic to a private network, not the public internet (hence the name Virtual Private Network). The fact that a VPN server can send you a route for 0.0.0.0/0 always was and always will be a happy accident.

'VPN' is just a nickname for secure tunnels. These can be used for many different purposes.

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#133

"Data is leaving my iPad and not traveling through the VPN tunnel." It is is interesting how the iPad purchaser refers to "my iPad". He owns the computer. But how much control does he have over it. He runs an OS controlled by a HW manufacturer turned trillion dollar tracking and data collection company. (Apple computers are extremely chatty on any network and phone home 24/7. Apple is fervent about its need to collec…

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/we-should-improve-society-som... This comment is a gish-gallop RMS-y soapboxing which is largely irrelevant-to-the-article points: that iPads (possibly all iOS devices) only pass some of their traffic over a VPN connection.

You can't see how fully controlling the device is required to even be sure VPN works.

This stuff is up to whoever has root on your device, be it Apple or eg. bad guy exploiting 0day in captive portal, but certainly not you.

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#134
post #111
post #60

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are technically correct that we have a bad naming thing going on here, but I"m reminded of legal principles similar if not identical to "implied warranty of merchantability." What are VPN services SOLD AS? If they promise something and do not do that thing, then this is a problem. They should be sued or regulated or similar, and they shouldn't be able to get around that, even based on techinical definitions.

Which VPNs? Nord or Azure Express route?

Nord et. al. Yes, they should have been calling themselves "anonymous proxies," but either way, that's the service they promise.

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think airplane mode is intended to comply with the rules for using the device on an airplane. That used to be no radios whatsoever (and device turned off during takeoff and landing). The rules on aircraft changed, so the feature was updated.

I suspect they wanted the feature changed because it gives them better data when tracking you and other nearby devices and that once the rules for airlines changed they figured they could get away with giving users a false sense of security, which is why the feature is still called "airplane mode" which the public understands to mean everything is disconnected even though that's no longer the case.

I’m pretty sure “the public” knows that the giant blue (not gray) wifi icon and bluetooth icon in control center means wifi and bluetooth are still working when you press the airplane icon.

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#136
post #74
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> From a technical perspective, WARP is a VPN. But it is designed for a very different audience than a traditional VPN. WARP is not designed to allow you to access geo-restricted content when you’re traveling. It will not hide your IP address from the websites you visit. If you’re looking for that kind of high-security protection then a traditional VPN or a service like Tor are likely better choices for you. See: htt…

So it's a VPN but it doesn't do anything that you expect from a VPN? It doesn't let me access devices in a LAN, it doesn't hide my IP, it doesn't change my country... then what is Warp good for?

It protects you from your local network and ISP, and makes some websites faster.

Is the page not clear about that?

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#137
post #121
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, too bad about the downvotes but let me add on that and ask those who disagree what P stands for in WEP and WPA? lol. Wep is wired equivalent privacy. A connection that does not provide privacy like a GRE tunnel for example is called a tunnel never a VPN or more and GRE specifically connects networks which are typically private. You can also have VPN between two ASes on on the internet which are public networks.…

The P in WPA stands for Protection, the P in WEP stands for Privacy, the P in VPN stands for Private. Private and privacy don't have the same meaning, and one does not imply the other. I've cited an RFC from 1999 (RFC2547) in another reply to you that strongly suggests (to my reading, at least) that privacy was not necessarily implied in the notion of "private" (although of course a VPN could provide privacy). "Priva…

> Private and privacy don't have the same meaning, and one does not imply the other.

These two words have the same root and etymology. The adjective "private" is transformed into a noun using the abstract noun suffix, "cy," to become "privacy." These two words have the same word root dressed as different parts of speech.

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#138
post #9
post #5

I think Apple is transparent about Always on VPN (blocking traffic except over the tunnel) requiring provisioning using MDM tools. Apple Configurator is free and allows anyone to set this up. Any other VPN is just best effort. https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/vpn-overview-depa...

I hope Wireguard makes it into iOS/macOS at some point. Still early days relative to other protocols of course but it's so much simpler and more reliable (even beyond the security benefits). I use it extensively on both platforms for access to my own networks and services nowadays.

It already is? It's been around for ages now and had a lot of eyes over it, but more importantly users. It's being used in a lot of services that are in production and turning over nicely. I think the 'early days' can be put to bed now, it's mature from a security perpective (imho).

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#139
post #5

I think Apple is transparent about Always on VPN (blocking traffic except over the tunnel) requiring provisioning using MDM tools. Apple Configurator is free and allows anyone to set this up. Any other VPN is just best effort. https://support.apple.com/guide/deployment/vpn-overview-depa...

That Apple documents that 'normal' VPNs are broken on iOS doesn't change the fact that they're broken.

Is Apple responsible for the false advertising of other companies?

Re: VPNs on iOS are a scam

#140
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope Wireguard makes it into iOS/macOS at some point. Still early days relative to other protocols of course but it's so much simpler and more reliable (even beyond the security benefits). I use it extensively on both platforms for access to my own networks and services nowadays.

Quoted post unavailable.

Well, whatever, but maybe you might like to know that it's a protocol specification, not a .ko soley and has been implemented in the user space is several languages. If you're reading every line of kernel source you compile with better knowledge than all of LKML then fair play to you!
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