The Mullvad Browser • Hacker News Board

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#301

Post by altairprime » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:30 PM UTC

nicce wrote: post #284

altairprime wrote: post #268

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. Their browser seems intended to be paired with their VPN product, not to be substituted for it.

In my understanding, the Mullvad VPN extension is built in, with Mullvad DoH included. https://mullvad.net/en/help/tag/mullvad-browser/#93

Does it offer the same system-wide protection as the desktop VPN product; or, does it only use the VPN for socks-proxied traffic through the extension-created SOCKS port, and so those protections are applied within the browser; or, it doesn’t protect against temporary interruptions; or, orher?

I can’t experiment with this during my workday, and we’ve reached the limit of information available without running it and testing, so I can’t help resolve this further right now.

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#302

Post by Spinnaker_ » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:31 PM UTC

dirheist wrote: post #242

tempest_ wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sketchier providers often use dubious methods to acquire their exit nodes. Often they pay someone to include their code in a "free" software or browser extension (or malware) that allows them to route traffic through the host. Oxylabs is one of the larger examples whose record is somewhat dubious.

IIRC the mylobot botnet is responsible for providing the vast majority of residential (home) IP addresses for residential VPN providers (who are then sold to expressvpn/nordvpn). The whole business is incredibly shady and nefarious and nordvpn/expressvpn must know from whom they contract their residential vpn services from. BHProxies is the largest residential proxy provider on the internet and almost all of their pr…

Is there a source for expressvpn actually using BHProxies? I had no clue it was that sketchy. It is owned by a public company, so that's pretty substantial news if true.

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#303

Post by wintermutestwin » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:32 PM UTC

beaker52 wrote: post #93

I wonder how many VPN providers are going to turn out to be honeypots in the long run. Every time they make it easier, I get more suspicious about the privacy really being provided. Perhaps I’m just really distrustful and cynical.

Any discussion of VPN and Privacy need to be explicit re: threat model.

My threat model is:

ISP that has corrupted my govt to allow them to steal my data. Hide my IP from scummy sites.

My threat model is not:

Keep various TLAs from knowing everything I do online. (because good luck with that)

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#304

Post by s777 » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:40 PM UTC

ramraj07 wrote: post #74

ddtaylor wrote: post #64

I like Mullvad but it can actually be challenging to purchase a subscription in the US. Most prepaid cards block the purchase. Sure, you can use it with a fully tracked card etc. but that's not really the target audience.

Isn’t this like the one legitimate use for Monero?

It is, although then the next problem is getting Monero in the US with their clutterfuck of cryptocurrency regulations, so you have to find an exchange that works with Monero and actually works in the US, then give them your identity and bank account information and hope they don't think you're suspicious and block you.

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#305

Post by bragadiru_mafia » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:41 PM UTC

All you smart asses making recommendations on alternatives, shush. The moment it gets on their radar it’s compromised in 3 ..2 ...

Take your obscure html rendered and live in peace brother .

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#306

Post by rurp » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:42 PM UTC

thejosh wrote: post #47

jraph wrote: post #20

I guess why not. This is an open source, rebranded Firefox and Firefox-like browsers could use some publicity. It promotes privacy and privacy can use some publicity too. Tor too. Mullvad seems to be honest in the fact that their business model is selling VPNs and it's nice they are saying it's not enough. They are not saying that you might not need one though. We need a Firefox with good defaults and it seems like t…

I quite like Mullvad. I haven't needed to use them much (mostly when my ISP has wonky routing and I need something semi-urgent), but their service is pretty good, their website feels like it's designed for the more "techy users". Their billing is the least sketchiest of VPN providers, with no ticking clocks, no upsell and other nonsense. I also like they provide a Wireguard file and a way to filter it, so it's super…

I want to second this and add that they make it very easy to make non-recurring payments. So many modern software companies do everything they can to hook you into an endless subscription, but Mullvad is refreshing in this regard. I only use a VPN once in a while and when I need one I just throw Mullvad a few bucks for one month plan, which they make as seamless as possible.

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#307

Post by switch007 » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:43 PM UTC

paulryanrogers wrote: post #256

MikusR wrote: post #202

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Me. It leaks.

Can you provide a few examples? Has this been reported to Mullvad?

So, not reported to Mullvad? I don't think it's out of order to ask for some proof at this stage

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#308

Post by burnished » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:50 PM UTC

mongol wrote: post #236

kbf wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Shows are often made by production companies on contract and licensed for domestic distribution. Licensing for international distribution might be significantly more expensive.

Yes but they would get more revenue from it too.

Maybe you should start shopping the business case for it around then.

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#309

Post by domh » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:53 PM UTC

kelipso wrote: post #192

domh wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It annoys me that the only way to access iPlayer from abroad is via a VPN. Surely opening it up and allowing international customers to pay some form of license fee could be a nice little revenue stream for the BBC? I'm guessing the reason is just "licensing issues" but if they're making the programmes then what's the problem? I'm sure there's an international market for watching the world class output from the BBC.

With the cultural capital that BBC had especially 7 to 10 years ago, I'm pretty sure they would have been at league with Netflix and the like if they had opened it up. Dr Who was huge back then in the US, and you had Sherlock and a few other shows. I think people were just pirating it (?) but lots of people I knew were huge fans.

There was something called Kangaroo [1] which was a partnership between BBC, ITV and C4 but it got blocked by the competition commission. Now it's run under Britbox I think!

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_(video_on_demand)

Re: The Mullvad Browser

#310

Post by AtNightWeCode » Mon, Apr 03, 2023, 7:54 PM UTC

AccountAccount1 wrote: post #275

AtNightWeCode wrote: post #272

Why not. I have a crazy idea. How about building an edge service that renders pages on the edge on identical HW and SW and then just stream it to end users. Could be built with Cloudlfare workers and Puppeteer for instance. People are already doing crazy things in automatic tests so I don't think there is a need to shy away because of the need for client side scripts. Or just run a Chromium instance.

There's already some work to that direction with cloudflare workers... but I really differs on why people would look for that; in a bit more convoluted case, for example, it would be destined for browsing nested pages of instagram, facebook, reddit, and so on... so it's bit difficult to that, especially with things that require auth... much more a coordination problem that an engineering one

My example is simple. This is for tracking and fingerprinting. At the same time. This all may soon fall into the mobile tracking problem. Like in my country. By having a mobile turned off is in itself a tracking point.