VPN app ?

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Magenta
Magenta Posts: 2,133 Forumite
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in Techie Stuff
Sorry if this is a daft question!!
On my tablet I keep getting prompts to install a VPN app to protect against Krack attacks.
Do I need this? I don't want to install anything that is going to mess up my tablet.
Advice please.:beer:
:smileyheaMagenta
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  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 11,858 Forumite
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    I would imagine that you may have already installed an app that is messing with your tablet, that keep prompting you to do this
    🍺 😎 Still grumpy, and No, Cloudflare I am NOT a robot 🤖BUT my responses are now out of my control they are posted via ChatGPT or the latest AI
  • DCFC79
    DCFC79 Posts: 40,598 Forumite
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    What have you recently installed ?
  • EmilyFrost
    EmilyFrost Posts: 6 Forumite
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    Yep,try it
  • SnowTiger
    SnowTiger Posts: 4,459 Forumite
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    Magenta wrote: »
    Sorry if this is a daft question!!
    On my tablet I keep getting prompts to install a VPN app to protect against Krack attacks.
    Do I need this? I don't want to install anything that is going to mess up my tablet.
    Advice please.:beer:

    In my opinion VPNs are mostly snake oil.

    Useful if you want to pretend to be in another country to view content or subscribe to a service - Spotify thinks I'm in the Philippines and Netflix thinks I'm in Turkey, saving me a few quid a month.

    But the security benefits of using a VPN are mostly exaggerated or misleading.
  • RumRat
    RumRat Posts: 4,789 Forumite
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    SnowTiger wrote: »
    In my opinion VPNs are mostly snake oil.

    Useful if you want to pretend to be in another country to view content or subscribe to a service - Spotify thinks I'm in the Philippines and Netflix thinks I'm in Turkey, saving me a few quid a month.

    But the security benefits of using a VPN are mostly exaggerated or misleading.
    Do tell....
    Drinking Rum before 10am makes you
    A PIRATE
    Not an Alcoholic...!
  • arciere
    arciere Posts: 1,354 Forumite
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    RumRat wrote: »
    Do tell....
    I would twist the question: what benefits do you really think there are?
    As SnowTiger said, apart from pretending to be somewhere else, what do you exactly expect from a VPN connection?
    I'm not speaking on his behalf, he's probably going to give you a different explanation
    Your traffic is hidden from your ISP, but the company providing you the VPN service knows exactly what and where you are browsing.
    Plus, when you connect to your bank, for example, the connection between the VPN provider and the bank will still be 'open' and visible to anyone.
    So it's just a matter of deciding if you trust a random VPN provider based in China, Russia or Singapore more than your ISP provider.
  • JJ_Egan
    JJ_Egan Posts: 20,281 Forumite
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    OP has some sort of trojan malware pup telling them to install this VPN .
  • RumRat
    RumRat Posts: 4,789 Forumite
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    arciere wrote: »
    I would twist the question: what benefits do you really think there are?
    As SnowTiger said, apart from pretending to be somewhere else, what do you exactly expect from a VPN connection?
    I'm not speaking on his behalf, he's probably going to give you a different explanation
    Your traffic is hidden from your ISP, but the company providing you the VPN service knows exactly what and where you are browsing.
    Plus, when you connect to your bank, for example, the connection between the VPN provider and the bank will still be 'open' and visible to anyone.
    So it's just a matter of deciding if you trust a random VPN provider based in China, Russia or Singapore more than your ISP provider.
    Or, trust them more than your Government. I'd say that most people using a VPN are not naive enough to think that it gives you complete anonymity and security. However, they do (if you choose a decent one) give you decent protection against mass surveillance. If you become 'A person of interest', then they'll find a way in regardless of what you put in place.
    I personally started using one when the Government started talking about ISPs logging all your online activity. So would I trust my VPN service more than my ISP? The answer would be, yes, but I wouldn't trust anyone or anything online 100%.
    Make sure the VPN you choose isn't based in one of the 14 eyes countries or Israel, just so as not to make it easy for them..;)

    I doubt I'll become 'A person of interest' in the near future, but with things the way they are at them moment, who knows how long that will last....:D
    Drinking Rum before 10am makes you
    A PIRATE
    Not an Alcoholic...!
  • arciere
    arciere Posts: 1,354 Forumite
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    RumRat wrote: »
    Or, trust them more than your Government. I'd say that most people using a VPN are not naive enough to think that it gives you complete anonymity and security. However, they do (if you choose a decent one) give you decent protection against mass surveillance. If you become 'A person of interest', then they'll find a way in regardless of what you put in place.
    I personally started using one when the Government started talking about ISPs logging all your online activity. So would I trust my VPN service more than my ISP? The answer would be, yes, but I wouldn't trust anyone or anything online 100%.
    Make sure the VPN you choose isn't based in one of the 14 eyes countries or Israel, just so as not to make it easy for them..;)

    I doubt I'll become 'A person of interest' in the near future, but with things the way they are at them moment, who knows how long that will last....:D
    As much as I disapprove of this Government, I REALLY wouldn't trust them less than Russia or China. Where are the most renowned VPN providers based? Do you really think that those Governments wouldn't pay gold to track UK citizens' Internet activity (no matter what T&C you subscribed to).
    So, practically, if you browse your website through a VPN connection, your ISP/UK Government won't be able to see what you're doing, but on the other side of the Globe, another provider (the VPN) and another Government (where the VPN provider is based) will have all the means to track your Internet activity (and link them to you).
    But at least they swore that they would never ever do such a thing.
  • debitcardmayhem
    debitcardmayhem Posts: 11,858 Forumite
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    All the above discussions whilst being informative :p don't actually address the OP's original question, I would suggest posts #2/3 are closer to her problem
    🍺 😎 Still grumpy, and No, Cloudflare I am NOT a robot 🤖BUT my responses are now out of my control they are posted via ChatGPT or the latest AI
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