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diff --git a/content/entry/dont-rely-exclusively-on-a-vpn-for-online-privacy-and-security.md b/content/entry/dont-rely-exclusively-on-a-vpn-for-online-privacy-and-security.md index e5da491..7ab82f0 100644 --- a/content/entry/dont-rely-exclusively-on-a-vpn-for-online-privacy-and-security.md +++ b/content/entry/dont-rely-exclusively-on-a-vpn-for-online-privacy-and-security.md @@ -17,14 +17,14 @@ VPN stands for virtual private network. The type of VPN that you see ads for are ### Online Privacy Even with a VPN, websites can uniquely identify you through browser fingerprinting, cookies, tracking pixels, and other means. So even though your ISP is in the dark, every website you visit can still figure out who's visiting. VPNs only hide your IP address. They cannot protect you from application layer surveillance. -If you're the average person, the vast majority of data collected about you is only able to be collected because of decisions you made. You bought a Windows or Mac machine for your main personal computer. You installed proprietary programs. You bought a spyware-laden vendor spinoff of Android. VPNs can't stop you from making bad choices. +If you're the average person, the vast majority of data collected about you is only able to be collected because of decisions you made. You bought a Windows or Mac machine for your main personal computer. You installed proprietary programs. You bought a spyware-laden vendor spin-off of Android. VPNs can't stop you from making bad choices. VPNs are useful for certain things. They're just not the magic bullet for privacy they're made out to be. In fact, if I made a list of the top five things one can do to increase their online privacy, using a VPN wouldn't even make the list. ### Digital Security VPNs also aren't a magic bullet for digital security. Some common ways people get hacked are social engineering, data breaches, weak/reused passwords with no two-factor authentication, and downloading things they shouldn't. VPNs don't stop any of those attacks. -VPNs do prevent a relatively common attack vector which is the man in the middle attack (MITM) over wi-fi. However, most of the time, people are using the Web and nearly all websites support secure connections. Any halfway decent browser will tell you when you're connecting over an insecure connection and not to enter any login credentials. That thwarts wi-fi MITM attacks and even with a VPN, you ought to heed that warning. You don't need a VPN to prevent MITM attacks. +VPNs do prevent a relatively common attack vector which is the man in the middle attack (MITM) over Wi-Fi. However, most of the time, people are using the Web and nearly all websites support secure connections. Any halfway decent browser will tell you when you're connecting over an insecure connection and not to enter any login credentials. That thwarts Wi-Fi MITM attacks and even with a VPN, you ought to heed that warning. You don't need a VPN to prevent MITM attacks. ## What VPNs Are Good For VPNs are still good for a number of other things. I live in the United States, a country heavily engaged in the War on Sharing[3]. I use a VPN to torrent and prevent my ISP from throttling my connection. VPNs can also be used to get around region-locked content and bypass censorship. |