TypoGuy Explaining Anonymity: Choosing a Good VPN

You want to become anonymous, and dont want your IP to be logged on websites? Well read along here.

Continuing This Series:

I am continuing this series for those of you whom didnt know I had one of these going.

Follow up on this series by searching in the search by

Your Real Identity
Who is Anonymous
A Hackers Mindset

And now

Choosing a VPN

What Is a VPN?

It is a service that offers you anonymity to a certain extend.

It creates a tunnel from your PC, to the server you are connecting to, and encrypts that tunnel so nobody can read whatever data is being processed. So you will be safe from eavesdropping, ssl striping, man in the middle attack, and more.

In case you didn't know.

What Are the Benefits?

The benefits have changed in my eyes because of the dropping usage of proxies now. I will explain that in a different article.

• The benefits for VPNs are that you first of all, can rely more on VPNs than proxies. (If you ask me)

• It creates an encrypted tunnel from your PC to what you are connecting to, making you safe from various attacks.

• There are many different services to choose from. (Many services)

• Every service has its own features and offers different services but mostly they cover up most of what is necessary

• Some providers even offer you a trial (How incredible is that..)

• You can choose what country you want displayed as your IP

• You can change your IP at any time (At least the ones I know)

• You can buy several VPNs and use them at the same time

What Are the Downsides?

Everything that is pleasant also has some downsides, unfortunately.

Here are a few

• You can never be certain if your provider is being completely honest about its services

• Some will screw you over and hand over logs to the government. (Hint; HideMyAss)

• You have to pay (Obviously a downside)

• You need to trust a company with them keeping the feds away from your home, because whomever you are using as your VPN provider, they will know your real IP.

Just some downsides I can come up with right now, there might be more

Does VPN Providers Keep Logs?

The simple answer is yes mate. They do.

Personally I would argue that the majority of VPNs today keep logs, and the majority of those providers "claim" they don't. We have seen it before, a hackers identity is blown because the company provided logs to the government despite the fact they claimed no logs were kept.

Of course some are being honest and doesn't keep logs, but the bad news is, you need to take a chance and hope that the one you have chosen is being honest about what they are telling you.

You really need to do a lot of recon on the provider before choosing it, is my best advice.

1. Read their Terms of Service. (I mean it, actually read it)
2. Read their privacy policy.
3. Find out where they are located
4. Read as many reviews as you can
5. Check out what others have said about the product
6. Ask around see what they have to say
7. And do whatever it takes to get more information from the provider before choosing

How Do I Choose a VPN?

First of all, dont ask anyone for their recommendation because 99% is they wont tell you. Want to know why?

Because every provider is different, and you are responsible for your own anonymity, and have to protect yourself. And because every hacker has different circumstances meaning, you might be in US and another one might be in China, vice versa. Different things apply to people located elsewhere from you.

1. First of all, when choosing a VPN, STAY AWAY FROM ANY PROVIDER LOCATED IN THE US That is the number one thing you need to make sure of, because not only is NSA CIA FBI located in the US, also is the government (obviously). Also the Patriot Act applies to everyone and everything located within the US, which means the VPN provider you thought is so good about keeping you anonymous, actually has to hand over every single log of you if they are ever approached by the NSA or FBI.

2. Next, this is the only recommendation I can give you towards VPNs. Choose one located in Russia, China or Sweden.

Simply because Sweden has privacy laws that are very good, and isn't located in US.

And nor Russia or China will ever take orders from the US. Don't really need to explain further, because it says a lot.

3. Read their Terms of Service & Privacy Policy. (Actually read it)

4. Consider your provider a lot before choosing it. Get as close to 100% to being sure of whether or not you can trust the provider.

Am I Now Anonymous?

No you aren't. You are never completely anonymous on the internet, as any real hacker will tell you. And just like any other software out there, your provider is also a software, which means its hackable, and you are therefore still at risk.

Wait VPNs can be hacked?

• They most certainly can, and you have to remember that whomever has created the software is always in full control of it.

They know the code and you don't.

Stay safe

• Typo