Warning: most Android VPN apps are insecure
VPN software can be used to not only circumvent geoblocking, censorship and ISP blocks, but also to remain anonymous online. At least that's the idea. If you're an Android user who has a VPN app installed on your phone or tablet, the chances are that it is not safe.
Research shows that the majority of VPN apps to be found in Google Play contain spyware or malware, leak data, or include tracking components. This is in stark contrast to what most people would expect from such apps, and users are warned to double-check the choice they have made.
China blocks VPNs, making Great Firewall circumvention harder
The Great Firewall of China is a famously totalitarian measure taken by the Chinese government to control what its citizens are able to see and do online. As with any such blockade, where there's a will there's a way, and people have long turned to VPNs to get around the firewall. But with a new 14-month crackdown on the use of such tools, the situation just got a little trickier.
While on the face of it the announcement from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in China seems like a new one, it is really just a drive to more strictly enforce existing legislation. The Chinese government is clamping down on the unauthorized use of VPNs in a move that will be seen by the outside world as a prime example of the country's dictatorial control and censorship of the Internet.
Betternet is a simple, free and 'unlimited' VPN
Connecting to a virtual private network can shield your IP, maintain your privacy on insecure wireless hotspots and perhaps help you access websites you couldn’t reach normally.
VPN’s usually require paying a chunky subscription fee, but Betternet promises an unlimited service for absolutely nothing at all.
Users know the risks, but connect to Wi-Fi hotspots anyway
People are risking a lot when they connect to a free Wi-Fi, which is particularly important knowing how many people use mobile devices for work. According to a new report by NordVPN, a company selling VPN services, Wi-Fi networks can be hacked easily and attackers could steal valuable data, including corporate information, credit card information or identities.
"Hackers often position themselves as Wi-Fi hotspots and easily steal personal information of each individual that logs in", says NordVPN. "In addition, identity thieves have lately been using wireless sniffers, a software designed to intercept and decode data when it is transmitted over a network".
HMA! aims to bring VPN to the masses
Virtual private networks (VPNs) are an effective way of masking your internet activity when using public networks.
However, they've always seemed a bit geeky, which puts many everyday internet users off using them. VPN specialist Hide My Ass! (HMA!) is aiming to change that with a new version of its product aimed at people who haven't previously used a VPN.
Kaspersky 2017 brings VPN, better adware blocking and removal
Kaspersky Labs has released Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2017, Kaspersky Internet Security 2017 and Kaspersky Total Security 2017 in the US and Canada. New features include Secure Connection, a virtual private network which automatically kicks in to protect you when using wifi hotspots, web banking sites and more.
An Installation Assistance tool looks out for adware and other pests that get silently installed with some free software, and the Software Cleaner helps you decide what to remove.
With security and privacy in mind, will more browsers follow Opera's lead and offer free VPN?
The modern internet user is somewhat paradoxical -- looking to be more connected and contactable than ever before, whilst simultaneously seeking privacy. Can the two ideas live side by side? It's a tricky balancing act, but many people turn to VPN tools to increase their security and privacy online.
Opera is the first web browser to bundle a free VPN tool as standard (with unlimited VPN data, no less), and it's hard to imagine that the competition won’t follow suit. Nothing has yet been announced, but the appearance of versions of Chrome or Firefox with integrated VPN would hardly be a surprise -- or would it? And how would you feel about a VPN tool supplied by Google?
Free Wi-Fi hotspots are a major security threat for businesses
Free Wi-Fi hotspots are the biggest security threat for mobile workers, according to new reports.
The recently released iPass Mobile Security Report says that 62 per cent of organizations are banning their mobile workers from using free Wi-Fi hotspots, with another 20 percent planning on doing the same in the future.
What you need to know about VPNs
A virtual private network (VPN) brings additional security to anyone using a public network, such as the Internet. Using a variety of security methods, such as encryption, the VPN is able to safeguard any data transmitted across the network, which may be at risk if it simply used the underlying public network infrastructure.
VPNs are often employed when it would not be practical to use a physical private network, usually due to financial reasons. As businesses embrace mobile working and face increasing pressure to protect sensitive information, many are employing virtual private networks to improve their network security.
Some VPN services might expose your IP address
Just because you’re hiding behind a VPN (virtual private network), it doesn’t mean your real IP address cannot be traced. Those are the results summarised in a report by security firm Perfect Privacy, which says that it has found a vulnerability "in a number of providers".
The flaw, described as "port fail", affects virtual private network providers which offer port forwarding and do not have appropriate protection against the vulnerability.
BBC starts to block VPN users from accessing iPlayer
Streaming video services are frequently tied to specific countries and steps are taken to prevent people in other parts of the world using them. This is nothing new, and there has been something of an on-going battle between service providers and users who try to find a way around any blocks that may be put in place.
Now the BBC is going to war, and it has VPNs in its sights. VPNs are frequently used by those outside of the UK to view programmes on BBC iPlayer -- but they are also used by security-conscious users. But the BBC is not concerned about the security side of things, just that the tools can be used to bypass geo-restrictions. TorrentFreak reports that UK-based VPN servers are now detected and blocked.
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