Gaming The VPN Fallacy

[dAVID_]

Oh the NSA probably have more 0days than Snowden knew about.

Yeah, they probably have some 0days laying around.

 

[supernintendo128]

Related to the thread title:

Also related:


It's basically all of the points that OP has stated.

 

[6adget]

I use PIA on most of my computers. I like that it has a VPN kill switch, PIA MACE (server side ad block), and are monitored by a 3rd party to make sure they do not log. I also regularly check my exposure online by going to https://ipleak.net/ . I'm not trying to convince anyone else to use this shit. mainly 'cause I don't give a shit what you guys do or use. Of course nothing is bullet proof, but the them to this thread seems like some people are saying it's not worth using a VPN. That's just stupid.

 

[dAVID_]

I use PIA on most of my computers. I like that it has a VPN kill switch, PIA MACE (server side ad block), and are monitored by a 3rd party to make sure they do not log. I also regularly check my exposure online by going to https://ipleak.net/ . I'm not trying to convince anyone else to use this shit. mainly 'cause I don't give a shit what you guys do or use. Of course nothing is bullet proof, but the them to this thread seems like some people are saying it's not worth using a VPN. That's just stupid.

VPNs aren't totally useless because of Tor. For example, torrenting over Tor is a terrible idea, since you're just slowing down the network, and, due to the way BitTorrent works, it won't make you anonymous. In such a case, using a VPN is a good idea.
However, it's impossible to verify that VPN services don't keep. Sure, you can have some third party say that they don't, but you can't be sure.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

That's weird. Alternatively, you could go to bridges.torproject.org and request an obfs4 bridge (the default one won't work because the chinese authorities blocked it). I don't know if they can detect obfs4 traffic, but if you can't connect to meek-azure at all you should try this.
And if that doesn't work either, consider using Snowflake, an experimental pluggable transport.

Is Snowflake something within Tor? How do I use it?

 

[SantaClaus]

If you want to be difficult to track when using public Wi-Fi, use Firefox with private browsing enabled and device fingerprinting blocked, change your firewall settings so only Firefox can access the internet, spoof your MAC address, don't provide any real personal details and don't log into any websites.

There is no method to be 100% secure. If you want to keep your privacy, before you do something online, ask yourself, using this method, is it worth the effort for other people to track me?

VPNs are good enough if all you're doing is accessing content unavailable in your country or downloading warez. If you are doing something seriously illegal, a VPN might work against you because the provider will probably provide authorities with your credit card details.

 

[dAVID_]

Is Snowflake something within Tor? How do I use it?

It's a pluggable transport, like obfs4 and meek-azure. It's currently not implemented in the main release of Tor, but I believe you can find it in the Alpha version.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

Sometimes Tor works in the morning (via meek-azure). No idea what's different in the morning (shadowsocks also used to work better in the morning).
But even when Tor works, I usually get this message from youtube when trying to play a video:
"Sorry for the interruption. We have been receiving a large volume of requests from your network.
To continue with your YouTube experience, please fill out the form below." *
Then I have to do a captcha, but it never successfully transmits my choice.

*I think this message appears because youtube thinks I'm not a person. The browser always displays "handshake with youtube" or something like that as it tries and tries to connect.

 

[ThoD]

Sometimes Tor works in the morning (via meek-azure). No idea what's different in the morning (shadowsocks also used to work better in the morning).
But even when Tor works, I usually get this message from youtube when trying to play a video:
"Sorry for the interruption. We have been receiving a large volume of requests from your network.
To continue with your YouTube experience, please fill out the form below." *
Then I have to do a captcha, but it never successfully transmits my choice.

*I think this message appears because youtube thinks I'm not a person. The browser always displays "handshake with youtube" or something like that as it tries and tries to connect.

The fake Captcha issue is annoying and is meant to block bots by giving you like 500 Captchas so you give up, REALLY hate that. HOWEVER, if you click the images in the Captcha with the right mouse button first then left one and you do the same with the "verify" button at the end, it's possible to get through Captcha, it's a lesser-known trick SOMETIMES present that only those who spend tons of time on illegal Tor communities know.

 

[UltraDolphinRevolution]

The fake Captcha issue is annoying and is meant to block bots by giving you like 500 Captchas so you give up, REALLY hate that. HOWEVER, if you click the images in the Captcha with the right mouse button first then left one and you do the same with the "verify" button at the end, it's possible to get through Captcha, it's a lesser-known trick SOMETIMES present that only those who spend tons of time on illegal Tor communities know.

So you mean right-click on the images and then left-click? I will try it next time I see it.
On the flipside, bitchute seems to be working pretty well. In the beginning, bitchute was not banned in China. I used it as a youtube alternative.

 

[dAVID_]

The fake Captcha issue is annoying and is meant to block bots by giving you like 500 Captchas so you give up, REALLY hate that. HOWEVER, if you click the images in the Captcha with the right mouse button first then left one and you do the same with the "verify" button at the end, it's possible to get through Captcha, it's a lesser-known trick SOMETIMES present that only those who spend tons of time on illegal Tor communities know.

Anything you want to confess? Lol.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

So you mean right-click on the images and then left-click? I will try it next time I see it.
On the flipside, bitchute seems to be working pretty well. In the beginning, bitchute was not banned in China. I used it as a youtube alternative.

You should also try invidio.us. Invidious loads much less JavaScript than YouTube an is therefore faster and better for your privacy.
I've never gotten a captcha while using Invidious.

 

[ThoD]

So you mean right-click on the images and then left-click? I will try it next time I see it.
On the flipside, bitchute seems to be working pretty well. In the beginning, bitchute was not banned in China. I used it as a youtube alternative.

Yup, if you do only left click it won't ever accept the input, it's meant to prevent bots since Captcha bots can only be programmed to left click.

Anything you want to confess? Lol.

Meh, not really, I've said on this site countless times I've spent WAY too much time in dark/deep web and even some in the lower levels past those when I worked for system security. In the past in my spare time I used to go on illegal communities and run honeypots, then sell the info since police used to have a neat little 5-15€ per person caught bounty back in the day so I made quite a bit from that, only stopped because they retired the whole thing so instead I scam scammers/hackers now instead

 

[dAVID_]

Yup, if you do only left click it won't ever accept the input, it's meant to prevent bots since Captcha bots can only be programmed to left click.


Meh, not really, I've said on this site countless times I've spent WAY too much time in dark/deep web and even some in the lower levels past those when I worked for system security. In the past in my spare time I used to go on illegal communities and run honeypots, then sell the info since police used to have a neat little 5-15€ per person caught bounty back in the day so I made quite a bit from that, only stopped because they retired the whole thing so instead I scam scammers/hackers now instead

I see. You worked in cyber security.

 

[ThoD]

I see. You worked in cyber security.

Worked for a multinational as security expert making their servers and adjusting their firewall for a year, then another year for AVG as support programmer (didn't really get to do much, but still was paid, so that was nice). Wish I could work those jobs again since I like security, but I'm stuck in Uni now and don't have time for big jobs...