Okay, I understand a VPN allows users to send and receive data while remaining anonymous and secure online. Meaning, you can surf privately from peering eyes...
...But a VPN doesn't keep someone from getting into your computer, no? Only a firewall would do that, correct? Or is there something else? I mean, if someone is in your network, they can still search around your computer, right?
Originally Posted by tia travels
Send and receive data anonymously, NO. Most VPN companies keep logfiles, US based VPN companies are required to keep ALL logfiles for a minimum of one (rolling) calendar year or the can't register their domain - the FCC will block it. (I have verified this with multiple VPN providers.)
Latin / Central America based VPNs are as holey as some of my socks (not my condoms - I never re-use those) because they run on telecom systems covertly set up by the Agency during the first wave of Columbian Cocaine Cowboys during the 80's (remember the movie, Scarface?). The Agency knew that the Cartels would use the "locally based" telecomms for their drug trafficking communications.
The best way to think of a VPN is a network connection INSIDE a previous network connection (the geek term is literally "tunneling"). That VPN secondary connection is secure to the degree that:
- The VPN servers have very good firewalls (Proton VPN automatically kills the connection if it senses a hack)
- The VPN uses a very high level of encryption (Proton VPN allows you to choose the type of encryption method AND the bit rate up to 2048 bits.)
- Your VPN "hygiene" - you have a very long, randomly generated password, and you terminate your connection as soon as you are done with "business"
- The privacy laws that rule in the country that the VPN is based out of. Proton is based out of Switzerland, they have the toughest privacy laws on the planet. If a US based agency made a formal request for Swiss based server logfiles, their reply would be, "We don't have any logfiles; they are prohibited by Swiss law. Go pound sand with your warrant. It is not recognized in Switzerland."
Latin America has very easy to understand privacy laws. You pay enough money, you get everybody else's privacy. Easy to understand, no?
BUT YOU ARE CORRECT. If someone has hacked your computer, they can "spoof" or trick any VPN into thinking it was you logging on - by copying your IMEI, IPN, and PASSWORD(S).
First thing - CHANGE ALL YOUR PASSWORDS ON ALL OF YOUR ONLINE ACCOUNTS. Make them random and difficult to guess.
If that fails, and you continue to see "Rickster" on your peer-to-peer connection, you are screwed. I would get a new computer AND telecom company immediately. Find someone who's friendly who will build a custom laptop to fit your needs, and more importantly, educate you on to how to use the security features and what to do if your firewall detects a breach. DITTO WITH YOUR CELL PHONE!
Equally important is reducing your internet "presence" or "footprint" which is counter to building your "brand". Example: Many providers are putting an "All My Links" page on their web page, linking all of the hobby related review sites, Twitter, Switter, etc. on one page - not knowing who wrote the All My Links app, what trackers are built into that app (they all have them, that's how the app developers make money). Providers say, "All My Links / GMail / Google Voice / Google calendar / Facebook / Twitter / are so convenient." And the largest source of revenue for all of the social media platforms is what they call "contracted managed services" to the NSA - the NSA gets every piece of traffic on every Google based platform BEFORE the intended recipient gets it. Most provider's web pages will not load on my laptop because I have blocked Google Analytics and Google Metrics trackers, and they are built into every web page written in the US!
So shrink your online footprint! Try to use end-to end encryption with whomever you wish to communicate with! (I personally will not meet with anyone that tries to communicate with me via GMail, Yahoo, AT&T Mail, Verizon Mail, etc...)
Hope this helps, and thanks for your patience!
Anon out!