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ProtonVPN

protonvpn.com

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Re: ProtonVPN

#181
post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

VyprVPN do store logs. I used to use them and wasn't aware of it. Just to let you know.

Really? I know the client stores connection logs (configurable) but I asked them directly and they said they didn't log anything if it's turned off. Their privacy policy says the same [1]. If that's the case then I'm switching immediately. [1]: https://www.goldenfrog.com/privacy

They log when you connect and disconnect, plus what IP you are using when connected. They will pass on DMCA copyright infringement notices (although they say they do not pass on your details to the copyright agent).

https://www.reddit.com/r/torrents/comments/17g53i/if_you_tho...

It doesn't seem like there is a way for them to uphold their copyright policy without storing that information.

https://www.goldenfrog.com/copyright

Re: ProtonVPN

#182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

See now, this is the part I don't get. Assuming that you don't encrypt your email with pgp (reasonable, if you're emailing someone who isn't very techy) and aren't emailing someone else who also uses protonmail, there's nothing stopping them from making an unencrypted copy of every email they receive.

I was trying to do some research to refute this claim, and my ignorance of email standards has once again reared its ugly head. I thought DKIM was for encryption, but it's apparently just for verification? Email is still primarily sent in the clear ? I'm at a loss. What a mess.

Email is not primarily sent in the clear these days, most providers implement SMTP over SSL/TLS, here you can find some nice stats of such traffic that passes trough google[0].

Of course this means that emails are only encrypted "in transit", that is, in the transmission from server to server, so you have to trust your provider.

On the contrary, PGP gives you end-to-end encryption, so you only have to trust your machine and your correspondent 's.

0: https://www.google.com/transparencyreport/saferemail/

Re: ProtonVPN

#183
post #56

Using public commercial VPN providers for serious security/privacy is a very bad idea. Get someone to set up Trail of Bits "Algo" for you (or do it yourself, if you're comfortable with Ansible).

... or if you're not comfortable with Ansible, I have a Bash script that does something similar: https://github.com/jawj/IKEv2-setup

Re: ProtonVPN

#184
The free tier is in a waiting list right now. I thought I shouldn't try the paid one without getting a feel for how good and fast the service is (had bad experiences with another highly popular VPN provider in the past and canceled within a few days).

I also wondered why ProtonVPN doesn't list any trial period in the paid plans. So I went to the support page and found that it has nothing about payment, trials and cancellations. I then went to the Terms of Service page [1] and found that one can cancel within 14 days and get a full refund. If anyone from ProtonVPN is reading this, please move this information to the signup page and also list it on your support pages. Those are the places for this important piece of information. Almost nobody reads the terms of use on any website.

Quote from the Terms of Service page (typo "Guaranty" ought to be "Guarantee"):

> Money Back Guaranty

> You may cancel your account with a full refund within 14 days of the initial purchase. Refunds or credits beyond the 14 day window will be considered, but at the sole discretion of ProtonVPN. The Company is only obligated to refund in the original currency of payment and refunds will be processed within 14 days of the request. To request a refund under our Money Back Guarantee, send an email with your request to support@protonvpn.com.

[1]: https://protonvpn.com/terms-and-conditions

Re: ProtonVPN

#185
post #56

Using public commercial VPN providers for serious security/privacy is a very bad idea. Get someone to set up Trail of Bits "Algo" for you (or do it yourself, if you're comfortable with Ansible).

What would people think of a VPN service that builds it for you, then hands over control when done? E.g., it walks you through setting up a DO droplet, uses keys to install a VPN, then prompts you to change the keys so it can't access the server? Think there's a market for that?

I wondered about creating something very like that a couple of months ago. Check out my vapourware! http://digitalsnorkel.net/

I think a key problem may be that there aren't a whole lot of people who (a) understand the tech well enough to know they need this, and (b) don't understand the tech well enough to spin up a VPS and run a Bash script.

Re: ProtonVPN

#186
post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Really? I know the client stores connection logs (configurable) but I asked them directly and they said they didn't log anything if it's turned off. Their privacy policy says the same [1]. If that's the case then I'm switching immediately. [1]: https://www.goldenfrog.com/privacy

They log when you connect and disconnect, plus what IP you are using when connected. They will pass on DMCA copyright infringement notices (although they say they do not pass on your details to the copyright agent). https://www.reddit.com/r/torrents/comments/17g53i/if_you_tho... It doesn't seem like there is a way for them to uphold their copyright policy without storing that information. https://www.goldenfrog.com/c…

Thanks for the link. I'll have to look for a new VPN provider then.

Re: ProtonVPN

#187
post #9

I have mixed feelings about protonmail. On the one hand, they tend to be on the right side of political / legal issues, and this transparency report is nice: https://protonmail.com/blog/transparency-report/ On the other hand, they recently reduced the level of detail in the transparency report. There is also the fact that they are Swiss, and their privacy laws were severely weakened by a recent referendum. In particu…

Oh interesting. Kind of annoying to have to keep moving services.

Yeah but I'm excited. I love ProtonMail.

Re: ProtonVPN

#188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't use Algo, but I can vouch for using your own as long as the tradeoffs are acceptable. Pros: - You can choose a VPS provider close to your network for better speed. - Less likely to be blacklisted. - No connection limits Cons: - Not as anonymous to governments or IP-based tracking.

No VPN can reliably anonymize you against government agents so I think the con is a non-issue. VPNs are only really useful when the local network is hostile and/or you want some degree of privacy from the sites you visit. Anyone with sigint capability is going to figure out who you are with a VPN. (i.e. Government agents)

"sigint capability". Perfect.

Re: ProtonVPN

#189
post #185

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What would people think of a VPN service that builds it for you, then hands over control when done? E.g., it walks you through setting up a DO droplet, uses keys to install a VPN, then prompts you to change the keys so it can't access the server? Think there's a market for that?

I wondered about creating something very like that a couple of months ago. Check out my vapourware! http://digitalsnorkel.net/ I think a key problem may be that there aren't a whole lot of people who (a) understand the tech well enough to know they need this, and (b) don't understand the tech well enough to spin up a VPS and run a Bash script.

Interesting! How many sign-ups have you received?

Re: ProtonVPN

#190

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, I know; I wrote a blog post on using Algo. To be clear, I was thinking about the less-technically-sophisticated-than-HN crowd. E.g., is there a market for the people who would typically purchase VPN services, don't want to trust a VPN company, but don't know how to setup a cloud server?

Is there a reason to trust a cloud server over a VPN company?

Hmm, it depends on your threat model. If you're being targeted by a three-letter agency, then no (of course, you need something more secure than a VPN at that point, anyway). But if you're not singled out, your own VPS is much less likely to be passively surveilled than if it's part of a known VPN IP block.
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