VPN....Are they necessary?

PunkRoquefort

So, if I am in a small local cafe or the local pub, checking my email, looking at the BBC news website or checking my bank balance, should I be using a VPN?

When I use a cafe's Wi-Fi and a message comes up, saying, for example 'Connected to Joe Blogg's Coffee House, connection not secured' is that when I need a VPN?

facade

PunkRoquefort said:

So, if I am in a small local cafe or the local pub, checking my email, looking at the BBC news website or checking my bank balance, should I be using a VPN?

When I use a cafe's Wi-Fi and a message comes up, saying, for example 'Connected to Joe Blogg's Coffee House, connection not secured' is that when I need a VPN?

Yes if you log into anything like banking or email. If you use the bbc news and general websites without logging in then it doesn't matter if someone is snooping.

You shouldn't type anything that you wouldn't want to stand on a table and shout out loud on an unsecured connection. (because anyone could be reading what you type)

DullGreyGuy

PunkRoquefort said:

So, if I am in a small local cafe or the local pub, checking my email, looking at the BBC news website or checking my bank balance, should I be using a VPN?

When I use a cafe's Wi-Fi and a message comes up, saying, for example 'Connected to Joe Blogg's Coffee House, connection not secured' is that when I need a VPN?

If you are using any network that's not your own in theory the owner could be snooping plus if its a network with poor security then so could others. Looking at the BBC News site? Do you care if people see that you only click on celeb news stories? Email in theory could give them access to it if it doesn't use 2 form factor. Banking in there eris a risk but bank security tends to be better than email providers.

Personally, use VPN to get TV etc from other regions, I use it to access sites blocked by providers (normally "gambling" like the National Lottery which Hotel Wifi often blocks), if I remember then I used it on cafe or pub networks but I have to admit to being a little lax. I've had my email hacked once in 25 years, it was used to access my eBay (forgot my password) and they spent £200 on "software codes" which were easily refunded. It is ultimately a risk but a relatively low one.

chunter

It used to be that static IPs were a rare (and paid for) extra.

I notice now that a some of the newer fibre connections come automatically with static IPs.

So 'it's not the worst thing in the world to use a VPN.

And if don't have a staic IP, reboot your router every week or so.

and if you're just browsing, Opera comes with its own VPN which you can switch on and off as you please.

EDIT: You're not dealing with young hackers in bedrooms any more. There are state actors out there with offices full of hackers, floors full of hackers, buildings full of hackers, all working together. You need to be aware of your own personal IT vulnerabilities and take silly minor steps so you don't become a target.