Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: Auto Addict on 05 December 2018, 17:18:32
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Is it worth subscribing?
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Is it worth subscribing?
Depends what you do, and how often, really ...
If you visit streaming sites, download movies/music/books etc etc from sites where you don't pay .. then as you are probably in breach of copyright rules a VPN will prevent you getting "cease and desist" letters from copyright holders via your ISP.
If you do none of those things, and only visit "sensible and legal" sites then you have nothing to hide, and it is probably not worthwhile
If your only concern is some rogue site identifying you from your IP address then a VPN will hide that to "most" seekers.
Be aware that some, not all, will use an overseas IP as your "false" one ... this can cause problems when trying to use some UK based sites like your bank (which will think you are abroad) and the BBC, (which will stop you watching UK based video streams) as two simple examples.
VPNs are cheap enough now, around £5.00 a month for a decent one , if you are concerned at being identified then just try one, if you don't like the results, bin it .. :)
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I know that I am an ignorant turd, so I will ask - what's a VPN?
Ron.
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I know that I am an ignorant turd, so I will ask - what's a VPN?
Ron.
Virtual Private Network
It is simply a way of your computor connecting to the rest of t'internet through a "subsidery" .. thus the link is
your computer - your ISP - your VPN - internet .................. so the internet "sees" the VPN not your ISP
normal link is simply
your computer - Your ISP - internet
In order for you to "read" the sites you want to see, the information has to come to you, not the guy next door ... this is done by you having an "IP Address" when you connect to the internet, all pages come to your address for you to read ... so, keeping it simple .. lets say your computer has an address of "47" (real IP addresses are much longer!!) then the normal link is
your computer at #47 - your ISP - Internet sends everything to #47
with a VPN you have a false number ... lets say #116 it goes
your computer at #47 - your ISP - Your VPN sends everything to #47 - your VPN receives everything at #116 - internet sends everything to #116 ... so your "true" address is hidden
Its a bit like having a surprise package posted to your mate down the road and not to you !! The sender does not know the true destination :)
The arrangement between you and your mate is a Virtual Private Postbox ... :)
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Thanks Nige, even I understood that! A bit like a P.O. Box number?
Ron.
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Thanks Nige, even I understood that! A bit like a P.O. Box number?
Ron.
Yup ... :)
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I don't do streaming, or anything illegal, more concerned with mobiles used for checking bank details whilst abroad etc.
I have read that they slow down your internet connection :-\
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I don't do streaming, or anything illegal, more concerned with mobiles used for checking bank details whilst abroad etc.
I have read that they slow down your internet connection :-\
They certainly can, think about the logic of it .. all those who subscribe are connecting to that server and then to the internet ... so it depends how big the servers connection to the internet is, and how many slices it has to be cut up into .... A bit of research into contention ratios etc etc.. or simpy read the forums and see what folk say about changes to speed
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I don't do streaming, or anything illegal, more concerned with mobiles used for checking bank details whilst abroad etc.
I have read that they slow down your internet connection :-\
Due to how they work, a VPN will make it even slower.
Sounds like you have no need for one.
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I used to have a VPN just to connect to OOF, as TB managed to Ban anyone from connecting with a T Mobile connection.
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I don't do streaming, or anything illegal, more concerned with mobiles used for checking bank details whilst abroad etc.
I have read that they slow down your internet connection :-\
Due to how they work, a VPN will make it even slower.
Sounds like you have no need for one.
I'd say if he's doing his banking via HSDPE/LTE etc then I agree with you.
If it's via the "Free" WiFi in the hotel then I very much disagree and say a VPN is more than worthwhile protection against a MITM attack (or rather, it is at least *some* protection against a MITM attack; the app itself ought to prevent SSL stripping, MITM certificate generation etc but who knows? I trust a reputable VPN provider to be more robust in that situation than a mobile app..)
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I have a VPN server built in to my router and it sits on the firewall. I used it for performing sensitive operations when on the go (such as banking) and for watching rugby whilst abroad. There are plenty of VPN services which give you half or a full gigabit for free every month such as tunnelbear.
They help protect against man in the middle attacks but banking apps should be using a decent level of encryption. The VPN gives an extra layer on top.
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I can't understand why anyone would log in to a banking site via a browser. Or, for that matter, fuel providers, insurance companies, anything financial. Apps are so much easier to use and more secure.
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I can't understand why anyone would log in to a banking site via a browser. Or, for that matter, fuel providers, insurance companies, anything financial. Apps are so much easier to use and more secure.
Not really, apps are just local code. In other words, it should use less data. The data you are interested in is still being transferred over the mobile network. This is still open to local attack (virus/trojan), man in middle attack (false/fake VPN or public wifi or DNS Server). In fact having a banking application installed gives the virus/trojan an attack point, something to infect. Whereas a URL can only be 'hi-jacked' via the methods above.
With regards VPN, if don't need one, don't use one. A lot of the free VPN services are routed through China or Russia for data mining. VPN's are slower due to the fact the data isn't travelling the fastest route and the data needs to be encrypted and then unencrypted.
Personally, I wouldn't use wi-fi (except my own) for any financial or sensitive. In fact I try to use a proper computer when I am banking.
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I can't understand why anyone would log in to a banking site via a browser. Or, for that matter, fuel providers, insurance companies, anything financial. Apps are so much easier to use and more secure.
Not necessarily. They are as good as the code monkey who hacked them together. At least, if you know you are using a decent web browser and a trusted internet connection, you are somewhere close to being secure. I won't install 3rd party apps for anything. If they can't make it work in a browser, they won't be having me as a customer. ;)
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There have been the odd app which stated that they use AES256 encryption (A pretty good level) so one would assume that it was nearly impossible to break the encryption. Once the app had been reverse-engineered it turned out that they were using the AES256 public key to 'flip the bits' instead of doing proper encryption. It would have been very easy to break in to the data flows.
In a browser the encryption is handled differently which makes such silly mistakes nearly impossible. There are other weaknesses on browsers compared to apps but on encryption apps have a very bad rep.
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There have been the odd app which stated that they use AES256 encryption (A pretty good level) so one would assume that it was nearly impossible to break the encryption. Once the app had been reverse-engineered it turned out that they were using the AES256 public key to 'flip the bits' instead of doing proper encryption. It would have been very easy to break in to the data flows.
In a browser the encryption is handled differently which makes such silly mistakes nearly impossible. There are other weaknesses on browsers compared to apps but on encryption apps have a very bad rep.
There is this ^ as well. The AES256 standard is pretty good, but it doesn't mean it has been implemented in a safe and secure way.
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Yeah, well....I trust my banking apps...I don't trust the internet, and it's all about trust...innit?
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Yeah, well....I trust my banking apps...I don't trust the internet, and it's all about trust...innit?
I thought you'd emptied your bank and invested in baked beans before the run on the banks when Brexit happens :-\
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Yeah, well....I trust my banking apps...I don't trust the internet, and it's all about trust...innit?
You realise your banking apps communicate over the internet that you don't trust, right?
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Yeah, well....I trust my banking apps...I don't trust the internet, and it's all about trust...innit?
You realise your banking apps communicate over the internet that you don't trust, right?
They do not. They work by magic. :P
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If it's via the "Free" WiFi in the hotel then I very much would shoot him
FTFY
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They do not. They work by magic. :P
;D ;D ;D Magic pixies, to be exact.
If it's via the "Free" WiFi in the hotel then I very much would shoot him
FTFY
TB, the voice of compassion ;) ;D