VPN Archives – Gridinsoft Blog Welcome to the Gridinsoft Blog, where we share posts about security solutions to keep you, your family and business safe. Thu, 04 Jul 2024 19:15:38 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=80631 200474804 How to Secure Windows 10 from Hackers https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/8-best-practices-windows-10-security/ https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/8-best-practices-windows-10-security/#respond Thu, 04 Jul 2024 08:36:35 +0000 https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/?p=10331 Windows 10 boasts valuable features, providing comfortable tools for user PCs and safeguarding confidential data. However, to secure Windows 10 effectively, understanding its vulnerability due to its dominance in the market—with over 85% of user devices—is crucial. This operating system has many vulnerabilities that attackers actively exploit. Below is a useful guide with essential tips… Continue reading How to Secure Windows 10 from Hackers

The post How to Secure Windows 10 from Hackers appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
Windows 10 boasts valuable features, providing comfortable tools for user PCs and safeguarding confidential data. However, to secure Windows 10 effectively, understanding its vulnerability due to its dominance in the market—with over 85% of user devices—is crucial. This operating system has many vulnerabilities that attackers actively exploit. Below is a useful guide with essential tips to help you enhance your Windows security.

Secure Windows 10: Useful Tips

1. Update Your Software Regularly

Regular updates are essential to secure Windows 10 from hackers. By updating Windows and all your software, you prevent hackers from accessing your computer. Developers create updates to shield private information by fixing code bugs and eliminating incompatibilities. As a result, larger software packages often contain vulnerabilities that hackers are more likely to discover and exploit.

Each time attackers discover new loopholes or methods to hack into systems, developers release new versions of these crucial updates. Unfortunately, many users neglect these updates, sticking with outdated software versions, which hackers exploit to breach security.

Windows 10 Security update

2. Turn on Your Firewall

The Windows Firewall is a robust network security system integrated into recent Windows operating systems, including Windows 10, designed to protect internal networks from external threats like intruders or malware. It scrutinizes both hardware and software, tracking incoming and outgoing traffic. The firewall allows or blocks data packets based on established security rules, acting as a crucial barrier to secure Windows 10 from any incoming threats.

Firewall Scheme

Follow these steps to enable the Windows 10 Firewall and protect your computer:

1. Open Control Panel:

  • Click the Start menu.
  • Type Control Panel in the search bar and select it from the list of results.

2. Navigate to Windows Firewall:

  • In the Control Panel, click on System and Security.
  • Then click on Windows Defender Firewall.

3. Turn on Windows Firewall:

  • On the left side of the screen, click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
  • Under both the Private network settings and Public network settings, select the option to Turn on Windows Defender Firewall.
  • Click OK to save your settings and activate the firewall.

3. Use Device Encryption or Bitlocker to Protect Your Hard Drive

Encryption works by scrambling data with a complex cipher that makes the information unreadable without the correct password. Many versions of Windows 10 Home include Windows Device Encryption. This feature allows you to encrypt files and folders on demand and create disk partitions to store encrypted bulk data, greatly enhancing your chances to secure Windows 10 and maintain the integrity of your files. However, be aware that using disk encryption utilities might slow down weaker systems or those equipped with HDDs, as these tools can impact performance.

Here are the steps to set up BitLocker on your Windows 10 device:

1. Check if BitLocker is Available:

  • Open the Control Panel.
  • Navigate to System and Security > BitLocker Drive Encryption.
  • If BitLocker is not available, your version of Windows may not support it, or your hardware may lack a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip.

2. Turn On BitLocker:

  • Choose the drive you want to encrypt from the list.
  • Click Turn on BitLocker.
  • BitLocker will check if your system meets the requirements for encryption.

3. Choose How to Unlock at Startup:

  • You will be asked how you want to unlock the drive at startup. Options typically include using a password or a smart card.
  • Choose Use a password to unlock the drive and enter a strong password.

4. Save Your Recovery Key:

  • BitLocker will prompt you to save a recovery key, which can be used to access your encrypted drive if you forget your password.
  • You can save it to your Microsoft account, a file, a USB drive, or print it.
  • It’s crucial to save the recovery key in a secure location separate from your computer.

5. Choose Encryption Options:

  • Select whether to encrypt the used disk space only (faster and best for new PCs and drives) or the entire drive (best for PCs and drives already in use).
  • Click Next to continue.

6. Start the Encryption Process:

  • Review your choices and click Start encrypting.
  • The encryption process can take several hours, depending on the size of the drive and the data stored on it.

Once BitLocker is enabled, your drive is protected. Every time you start your device, you will need to enter the password or have the smart card to access the encrypted drive. This ensures that your data is secure even if your device is lost or stolen.

4. Use a Secure Password Manager with Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Simple passwords make user accounts vulnerable to hacks, making it crucial to use passwords that combine a complex array of letters and characters for enhanced protection. Remembering all these complex passwords can be challenging, which is why it’s wise to use a password manager. These tools store, auto-fill, and generate passwords for you. Most password managers also support two-factor authentication (2FA), adding an extra layer of security. This additional step might involve something like a fingerprint, a confirmation code sent to your phone, or a facial scan—essential measures to secure Windows 10 against unauthorized access.

Use password manager

5. Enable Controlled Folder Access to Prevent Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks are a significant threat to personal and organizational data security. Windows 10 offers a robust feature called Controlled Folder Access within Windows Defender Security Center. This feature helps protect valuable data from malicious apps and threats, such as ransomware. By default, it protects common folders where documents, pictures, videos, and files are stored, and you can also add additional folders to be monitored to enhance protection.

To enable Controlled Folder Access, simply go to the Windows Defender Security Center, click on ‘Virus & threat protection,’ and navigate to the ‘Ransomware protection’ section. From there, you can switch on Controlled Folder Access. This simple step can significantly secure Windows 10 by blocking unauthorized applications from making changes to your protected folders.

How to protect your files from ransomware attacks by enabling Controlled Folder Access:

1. Open Windows Security Settings:

  • Click on the Start menu.
  • Type Windows Security in the search bar and open the app.

2. Navigate to Virus & Threat Protection:

  • In the Windows Security window, click on Virus & threat protection.

3. Access Ransomware Protection:

  • Scroll down and find the Ransomware protection section.
  • Click on Manage ransomware protection.

4. Enable Controlled Folder Access:

  • In the Ransomware protection settings, find the Controlled folder access section.
  • Switch the toggle to On to enable Controlled Folder Access.

5. Manage Protected Folders:

  • After enabling Controlled Folder Access, you can add or remove folders that you want to protect.
  • Click on Protected folders and then use the Add a protected folder button to select folders on your computer that you wish to protect.

6. Allow Apps Through Controlled Folder Access:

  • If you have legitimate apps that need to make changes to protected folders, you can allow them through this feature.
  • Under Allow an app through Controlled folder access, click on Add an allowed app and select the app you trust to make changes to protected folders.

7. Review and Test:

  • Once you’ve configured your settings, review everything to ensure it’s set up correctly.
  • Test the feature by attempting to modify files in the protected folders with a non-allowed application to check if the access is correctly blocked.

6. Keep Your Browsing Private with a VPN, Especially on Public Wi-Fi

Using a VPN can significantly enhance your privacy and anonymity online by creating a private network from a public Internet connection. This security method not only masks your IP address but also makes your online activities nearly impossible to track. Moreover, a VPN provides a more encrypted and secure connection than a typical Wi-Fi hotspot. By creating a secure tunnel, a VPN helps conceal your browsing activities, allowing you to access region-blocked websites without exposure. This is an essential step to secure Windows 10 when using public WiFi.

VPN security mechanism

7. Avoid Dangerous Pop-Ups

Although pop-up windows may seem merely annoying—wasting your time and slowing down your PC—they can also pose serious risks by infecting your device with malware. These pop-up banners are harmless until you click on them, which activates their damaging effects. Therefore, it’s crucial to be discerning about what you click on. To protect yourself, consider using an ad blocker or avoid visiting sites known for dubious pop-ups. If ad blockers don’t cut it, your device might already be compromised by malware. Scan your device with anti-malware software to eliminate any such threats and further secure Windows 10.

pop-ups
Pop-ups that have no relation to the original page

8. Install Anti-malware

Antivirus software will be your next level of protection against malware. For example, GridinSoft Anti-Malware can remove all malware from your computer. In addition, it scans the system for viruses, spyware, and adware and prevents rootkits or backdoors from invading your PC.

GridinSoft Anti-Malware main screen

Download and install Anti-Malware by clicking the button below. After the installation, run a Full scan: this will check all the volumes present in the system, including hidden folders and system files. Scanning will take around 15 minutes.

After the scan, you will see the list of detected malicious and unwanted elements. It is possible to adjust the actions that the antimalware program does to each element: click "Advanced mode" and see the options in the drop-down menus. You can also see extended information about each detection - malware type, effects and potential source of infection.

Scan results screen

Click "Clean Now" to start the removal process. Important: removal process may take several minutes when there are a lot of detections. Do not interrupt this process, and you will get your system as clean as new.

Removal finished

Our tool can work without conflict with other antivirus programs as additional protection. GridinSoft Anti-Malware can free the user’s browser from third-party control and return it to its working state.

The post How to Secure Windows 10 from Hackers appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/8-best-practices-windows-10-security/feed/ 0 10331
New Fortinet VPN RCE Flaw Discovered, Patch ASAP https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/new-fortinet-vpn-rce-flaw/ https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/new-fortinet-vpn-rce-flaw/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2024 14:15:22 +0000 https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/?p=19545 Fortinet has issued a warning about a recently discovered critical vulnerability in its FortiOS SSL VPN system that could be actively exploited by attackers. The vulnerability in Fortinet network security solutions poses a significant threat to organizations. It allows unauthenticated attackers to gain remote code execution (RCE) capabilities through maliciously crafted requests. Fortinet VPN RCE… Continue reading New Fortinet VPN RCE Flaw Discovered, Patch ASAP

The post New Fortinet VPN RCE Flaw Discovered, Patch ASAP appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
Fortinet has issued a warning about a recently discovered critical vulnerability in its FortiOS SSL VPN system that could be actively exploited by attackers. The vulnerability in Fortinet network security solutions poses a significant threat to organizations. It allows unauthenticated attackers to gain remote code execution (RCE) capabilities through maliciously crafted requests.

Fortinet VPN RCE Vulnerability Uncovered

This flaw, identified as CVE-2024-21762 / FG-IR-24-015, poses a severe risk with a CVSS rating of 9.6 due to its potential exploitation in cyber-attacks. Also, the heart of this alert is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability within the FortiOS system. Such a flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to execute remote code through maliciously crafted requests.

RCE flaws
General chain of RCE flaw exploitation

The amount of fuzz around this new vulnerability caused by the popularity of Fortinet networking solutions, along with the severity of the said vulnerability. Aside from the aspects mentioned above, RCE flaws can lead to system compromise and data theft. In some cases, they can also initiate ransomware or espionage attacks. In simple terms, it can simply be the reason for a company-wide cyberattack, with downtimes, leaked data and all the related “delights”.

This critical flaw was disclosed alongside other vulnerabilities, including CVE-2024-23113, which boasts an even higher severity rating of 9.8, and two medium-severity flaws, CVE-2023-44487 and CVE-2023-47537. However, these additional vulnerabilities are not currently marked as being actively exploited in the wild, unlike CVE-2024-21762.

Hackers Exploit Fortinet RCE Flaw

The disclosure of this vulnerability comes after it was revealed that Chinese state-sponsored threats known as Volt Typhoon have already exploited FortiOS vulnerabilities in the past. The deployment of custom malware such as Coathanger, a remote access trojan (RAT), suggests that adversaries are willing to do anything to exploit such vulnerabilities. This malware, in particular, has been used in attacks against the Dutch Ministry of Defense. This highlights the critical nature of the threats posed by such malware.

Still, as statistics show, the majority of exploitation cases happen after the vulnerability is publicly disclosed. Therehence, the best option will be to patch the flaw as soon as possible. Fortunately, the developer already offers the fixes for CVE-2024-21762.

Patch and Mitigation

The patch released by Fortinet brings affected FortiOS systems up-to-date, addressing the vulnerability and preventing potential exploitation by attackers. Fortinet recommends upgrading based on the following table:

Version Affected Solution
FortiOS 7.6 Not affected Not Applicable
FortiOS 7.4 7.4.0 through 7.4.2 Upgrade to 7.4.3 or above
FortiOS 7.2 7.2.0 through 7.2.6 Upgrade to 7.2.7 or above
FortiOS 7.0 7.0.0 through 7.0.13 Upgrade to 7.0.14 or above
FortiOS 6.4 6.4.0 through 6.4.14 Upgrade to 6.4.15 or above
FortiOS 6.2 6.2.0 through 6.2.15 Upgrade to 6.2.16 or above
FortiOS 6.0 6.0 all versions Migrate to a fixed release

The developer has provided guidance for those unable to immediately apply the necessary patches to mitigate this flaw. A possible mitigation strategy is to disable SSL VPN on affected FortiOS devices. While this step may impact remote access capabilities, it may be necessary to prevent exploitation. It’s crucial to note that merely disabling web mode is not considered a sufficient workaround for this vulnerability.

New Fortinet VPN RCE Flaw Discovered, Patch ASAP

The post New Fortinet VPN RCE Flaw Discovered, Patch ASAP appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/new-fortinet-vpn-rce-flaw/feed/ 0 19545
Difference Between IPSec and SSL https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/ipsec-ssl-difference/ https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/ipsec-ssl-difference/#respond Mon, 26 Dec 2022 14:35:09 +0000 https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/?p=12786 In the last couple of years, remote work has become integral to the world business landscape. However, to make remote work more efficient, employees need access to the company network wherever they are. A virtual private network (VPN) solves this by allowing remote employees to connect directly to the network, performing tasks as if they… Continue reading Difference Between IPSec and SSL

The post Difference Between IPSec and SSL appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
In the last couple of years, remote work has become integral to the world business landscape. However, to make remote work more efficient, employees need access to the company network wherever they are. A virtual private network (VPN) solves this by allowing remote employees to connect directly to the network, performing tasks as if they were in the office. VPNs use two basic types of security protocols, IPsec and SSL, and it’s essential to understand their differences to ensure security. Let’s compare IPSec and SSL encryption from a VPN end-user perspective.

The basics of VPN encryption

A VPN encrypts all your Internet traffic so it can only be decrypted using the correct key. Before leaving your device, the outgoing data is encrypted and sent to the VPN server, which decrypts the data using the appropriate key. From there, your information is sent to its destination, such as a website. This way, the encryption prevents anyone who can intercept the data between you and the VPN server from decrypting the content. This could be your ISP, a government agency, or hackers. In some cases, they may be synonymous with each other.

The basics of VPN encryption
How do VPN Encryption Protocols Work

With incoming traffic, the same thing happens, only in reverse order. For example, when the data comes from a website, it goes to the VPN server first, gets encrypted, and arrives at your device. Your device decrypts the data, and you can browse the website as usual. All of this ensures that your Internet data remains private and does not fall into the hands of unauthorized parties. But, of course, if the VPN provider does not keep much data about its users and will not provide it by order of the police.

Encryption types may differ in the following ways:

  • The persistence of encryption, or the method and degree to which your data is encrypted.
  • How encryption keys are managed and exchanged
  • What interfaces, protocols, and ports do they use
  • What OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) layers do they operate on
  • How easy is it to deploy
  • Performance (read: speed)

Difference between IPSec and SSL: Security

In a nutshell, a slight advantage in favor of SSL. IPSec connections require a shared key on both the client and the server to encrypt and send traffic to each other. However, sharing this key allows attackers to hack or capture the pre-shared key. SSL VPNs are devoid of this problem because they use public key cryptography to negotiate the handshake and exchange encryption keys securely. Unfortunately, TLS/SSL has a list of other vulnerabilities, such as Heartbleed.

Some SSL VPNs allow untrusted self-authenticating certificates and do not verify clients, which are especially common in SSL VPN browser extensions. Such virtual private networks allow anyone to connect from any computer and are vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. However, this does not apply to most of OpenVPN’s clients. Likewise, SSL usually requires frequent patches to update the server and the client.

The lack of open source for IPSec-based VPN protocols may worry people who fear government spies and spyware. Thus 2013, Edward Snowden reported that the U.S. National Security Agency’s Bullrun program was actively trying to “insert vulnerabilities into commercial encryption systems, IT systems, networks and communication endpoints used by targets.” The NSA allegedly used IPSec to add backdoors and side channels that hackers could exploit – even the ones hired by the government. In the end, strong security is likely the result of experienced and careful network administrators, not protocol choices.

Firewall traversal

In short, SSL-based VPNs are better suited for bypassing firewalls. However, most Wi-Fi routers and other network equipment contain NAT firewalls. So they reject unrecognized Internet traffic and data packets without port numbers to protect against threats. IPSec encrypted packets (ESP packets) do not have default port numbers assigned to them. Therefore, NAT firewalls can intercept them, which can interfere with IPSec VPN workflow.

To avoid this, many IPSec VPNs encapsulate ESP packets into UDP packets. This assigns the data a UDP port number (usually UDP 4500). Although this solves the problem of NAT traversal, your network firewall may not allow packets through this port. Thus, network administrators at airports, hotels, and other locations may only allow traffic through certainly required protocols, and UDP 4500 may not be one of them.

SSL traffic can go through port 443, which most devices know as the port used for secure HTTPS traffic. Since almost all networks allow HTTPS traffic through port 443, it is likely to be open. In addition, although OpenVPN uses port 1194 by default for UDP traffic, it can be redirected through UDP or TCP ports, including TCP port 443. This makes SSL more helpful in bypassing firewalls and other forms of censorship that block port-based traffic.

Speed and reliability

Although both are reasonably fast, IKEv2/IPSec negotiates connections faster. Most IPSec-based VPN protocols take slightly longer to negotiate connections than SSL-based protocols. However, this does not apply to IKEv2/IPSec. IKEv2 is an IPSec-based VPN protocol that is more than a decade old. Nevertheless, it is still popular among VPN providers. Its crucial feature is quickly reconnecting whenever the VPN connection is interrupted. This makes it especially useful for mobile iOS and Android clients who don’t always have a reliable connection or frequently switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data.

As for the actual bandwidth, things are not clear here, as there are arguments on both sides. However, according to some claims, IKEv2/IPSec can offer higher throughput than OpenVPN, although both protocols typically use 128-bit or 256-bit AES encryption. The extra layer of UDP that many ISPs add to IPSec traffic to help it pass through firewalls adds to the load. This means that more resources may be required to process it. However, most people won’t notice the difference because, in most consumer VPNs, throughput is determined by server and network congestion, not the VPN protocol.

Ease of use

IPSec is more versatile, but most VPN provider applications users will not notice the difference. Because IKEv2, SSTP, and L2TP are built-in IPSec-based VPN protocols in most major operating systems, they do not necessarily require an additional application to run and work. However, most consumer VPN users will still use an ISP application to connect. In addition, although SSL works by default in most web browsers, you will need a standalone application to use OpenVPN. From an end-user perspective, IKEv2 offers a more user-friendly interface. This is because IKEv2 connects and handles interruptions faster. That said, OpenVPN is more versatile and may be better suited for users who can’t get what they need with IKEv2.

If we talk about corporate VPNs, they aim to provide access to the company network, not the Internet. The consensus is that SSL is better suited for remote access, and IPSec is preferred for VPNs between networks. Because IPSec operates at the network layer of the OSI model, it gives the user full access to the corporate network regardless of the application. Consequently, restricting access to specific resources can be more difficult. On the other hand, SSL VPNs allow businesses to control remote access to specific applications at a fine level.

Internet protocol security

Generally, network administrators who work with VPNs find that client management using SSL is much easier and less time-consuming than using IPSec.

Conclusion

If you have both options, we recommend using IKEv2/IPSec first, and if you have any problems, try OpenVPN. IKEv2 connection speed will be more comfortable for everyday VPN users while offering comparable security and speed. However, it may not work in some circumstances. Until recently, OpenVPN/SSL was considered the best VPN combination for most consumer VPN users. It is fast enough, secure, open-source, and can overcome NAT firewalls. It can also support UDP or TCP.

Difference between IPSec and SSL
Difference between IPSec and SSL

In turn, IKEv2/IPSec is a new competitor to OpenVPN. It improves L2TP and other IPSec-based protocols with faster connections, excellent stability, and built-in support for most new consumer devices. In any case, SSL and IPSec boast reliable levels of security with sufficient bandwidth, safety, and ease of use for most commercial VPN service customers.

The post Difference Between IPSec and SSL appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/ipsec-ssl-difference/feed/ 0 12786
iOS VPN Bug Prevents Encryption of Traffic for Years, Researchers Say https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/ios-vpn-bug/ https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/ios-vpn-bug/#respond Thu, 25 Aug 2022 11:54:28 +0000 https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/?p=10151 A few years ago, engineers at Proton Technologies, the company behind ProtonMail and ProtonVPN, talked about a bug in iOS 13.3.1 that prevents VPN apps from encryption of all traffic. As information security experts now report, the problem has not yet been fixed. Let me remind you that we also wrote that Vulnerability in WebKit… Continue reading iOS VPN Bug Prevents Encryption of Traffic for Years, Researchers Say

The post iOS VPN Bug Prevents Encryption of Traffic for Years, Researchers Say appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
A few years ago, engineers at Proton Technologies, the company behind ProtonMail and ProtonVPN, talked about a bug in iOS 13.3.1 that prevents VPN apps from encryption of all traffic. As information security experts now report, the problem has not yet been fixed.

Let me remind you that we also wrote that Vulnerability in WebKit engine could redirect iOS and macOS users to scam sites, and also that For iOS was discovered a new exploit, with the help of which China traced the Uyghurs.

In 2020, Proton Technologies experts explained that when using a VPN, the operating system must close all existing Internet connections and restore them through a VPN tunnel to protect the user’s privacy and data. However, iOS for some reason can’t keep up with closing existing connections, leaving the traffic insecure as a result. For example, new Internet connections will connect through the VPN tunnel, but connections that were already active when the user connected to the VPN server will remain outside the tunnel.

Although insecure connections are becoming less common, the main problem is that the user’s IP address and the IP address of the server to which it connects remain open, and the server “sees” the user’s real IP address instead of the VPN server’s IP address.

As The Register now writes, Proton Technologies researchers continued to wait for the release of the patch for a very long time. From time to time, specialists have updated their report and say that there is still no fix, although Apple is aware of the problem. So, until recently, the last update in the text was dated October 19, 2020, and it reported that the vulnerability had not been finally fixed in iOS 13.4, 13.5, 13.6, 13.7 and 14.

Earlier this year, cybersecurity researcher and developer Michael Horowitz re-examined this situation and found that VPNs in iOS still do not work correctly and provoke data leaks.

VPNs don’t work on iOS. At first, they seem to work fine. The iOS device gets a new public IP address and new DNS servers. The data is transmitted to the VPN server. But over time, a detailed check of the data leaving the device shows that the VPN tunnel is leaking. The data does not leave the iOS device through the VPN tunnel. This is not a normal DNS leak, but this is a data leak.Horowitz wrote in early August, in a post titled 'VPN on iOS is a scam'.

Horowitz writes that back in May 2022, he sent an email to Apple announcing this leak. In July, he said that he exchanged several letters with the company, but this did not give any result:

To date, about five weeks later, Apple has said virtually nothing to me. They didn’t say if they tried to recreate the problem. They didn’t say if they agreed it was a vulnerability. They didn’t say anything about a fix.

In addition, at the end of last week, on August 18, 2022, Proton Technologies experts updated their old report again. They argue that the kill switch feature that Apple introduced to developers with the release of iOS 14 does block additional network traffic, but “some DNS queries from Apple services can still be sent outside of a VPN connection.”

This is similar to the situation we reported two years ago. Most connections are short-lived and will eventually self-repair through the VPN tunnel. However, some operate for a long time and may remain open for minutes to hours outside the tunnel.

We have repeatedly discussed this issue with Apple. Unfortunately, fixing the problem is very problematic. Apple stated that this behavior is “to be expected” and “Always On VPN is only available on MDM controlled devices.” We urge Apple to make a completely secure web experience available to everyone, not just those connected to a proprietary remote device management framework designed for enterprises.says Proton Technologies.

The post iOS VPN Bug Prevents Encryption of Traffic for Years, Researchers Say appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/ios-vpn-bug/feed/ 0 10151
VPN, Proxy, or Tor: Differences, Meaning https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/vpn-proxy-or-tor-differences-meaning/ https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/vpn-proxy-or-tor-differences-meaning/#respond Thu, 16 Jun 2022 14:00:45 +0000 https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/?p=8622 You’ve probably heard the words VPN, Proxy, and Tor. You may even regularly use these technologies to remain anonymous, bypass blockades, view content blocked in your region, or simply access your corporate network. But how exactly do these technologies work, and how do they differ? Today we’ll talk about how to protect yourself and your… Continue reading VPN, Proxy, or Tor: Differences, Meaning

The post VPN, Proxy, or Tor: Differences, Meaning appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
You’ve probably heard the words VPN, Proxy, and Tor. You may even regularly use these technologies to remain anonymous, bypass blockades, view content blocked in your region, or simply access your corporate network. But how exactly do these technologies work, and how do they differ? Today we’ll talk about how to protect yourself and your data on the global network.

What is a Proxy?

Among VPNs, Proxy, Tor – the most straightforward technology is Proxy. Let’s start with it. First, let’s find out how web surfing technically works: When you connect to a website, your connection is sent to the server hosting the website. This server can see much information about your connection, including your IP address and relative location.

A proxy server is an intermediate between your browser and a Web site. In other words, it communicates with the Website server on your behalf. You connect to the proxy server, which then forwards the connection to the site-like that friend in high school passed your notes to the cutie in class. Proxy servers come in several types and perform different functions depending on the type. By swapping your location with a Proxy, you can bypass regional blocking and access content available only in certain countries.

How does a proxy server work?
How does a proxy server work?

How Does Proxy Server Work?

But the situation can also be reversed. If necessary, network administrators can restrict access to certain resources with the help of a proxy. There are also less obvious usage scenarios. For example, proxy servers often cache data from popular sites, so downloading data via a proxy server may speed up access to these resources. Or you can save traffic because proxy servers can compress all requested content. This is how different turbo and economy modes work in browsers.

As we can see, there are many uses for proxy servers. And this is a positive side of the technology, but proxy servers also have significant disadvantages. First, the technology itself is limited. Proxy servers are highly specialized, so a different type of proxy is needed for each type of Internet connection.

For example, an FTP (File Transfer Protocol) connection requires an FTP proxy. For HTTP and HTTPS, you also need two separate HTTP and HTTPS proxy servers. This is a severe limitation, so a particular type of proxy is the SOCKS proxy. This variation of the protocol knows how to handle different kinds of traffic. But it works slower, so it is also not suitable for everyone. Also, the proxy works only with traffic coming from the browser. All other traffic in the system does not go through a proxy server.

Proxy Security

All types of proxies have a crucial problem in common: security issues. Because proxy servers additionally do not encrypt traffic in any way. That is, HTTP traffic will not be encrypted in any way. Instead, HTTPS will be encrypted similarly to a standard Internet connection: SSL encryption. And this is a huge problem. And to imagine the scale of the tragedy, let’s remember the analogy of the note.

Using a proxy server is like sending a note to a cutie without an envelope. But, of course, you can only do that if you trust the intermediary 100%. After all, he can easily read the contents. And, of course, you have to watch out for free proxy servers of dubious reputation. After all, using an unverified free proxy is like giving an envelope to the first person you meet.

There is also a particular type of proxy called Shadowsocks. This is essentially an improved version of the SOCKS proxy. It has both traffic concealment and the ability to bypass various blockages. There are clients for both the computer and the smartphone, allowing you to stay protected at all times. Hence a few nice features of Shadowsocks. For example, to elegantly bypass blocking, it knows how to mask traffic selectively. You choose what to hide and what not to hide. But it is essential to understand that Shadowsocks is not designed to protect the privacy and anonymity of the user because when using Shadowsocks, data packets are unencrypted.

What Is a VPN?

VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a technology that has most of the advantages of proxies and is devoid of most disadvantages. Initially, this technology was not conceived as a means to anonymize traffic. Its purpose was to join computers into a single network remotely. For example, to access the local network of the head office from a regional branch or home. The principle of VPN is similar to that of a proxy. The traffic in the same way, before reaching the Internet, first gets to the intermediate server. This, on the one hand, allows you, for example, to access blocked resources. Because for the Internet provider, you send a request to the VPN server, but not to the banned site. On the other hand, it allows you to preserve your anonymity because the website you get to thinks that the request came from the IP address of the VPN server, not yours. But proxy servers do essentially the same thing, so what’s the difference then?

VPN vs Proxy: differences
VPN vs Proxy: differences

VPN and a Proxy: Differences to Pay Attention

The key difference between a VPN and a Proxy is end-to-end encryption. All traffic passing through a VPN server is protected from the entry point to the exit point. That’s because when the VPN is turned on, an encrypted communication channel is created between your device and the VPN server, protecting all data from hacker attacks. If we compare it to a proxy, in the former case, we are passing a note without an envelope to a friend, who can either be robbed at any time or steal it himself. In the case of VPN, we transmit data through a closed tunnel which is extremely difficult to penetrate. Moreover, VPN works with all types of data and encrypts all traffic from all applications, not just your browser traffic. Unlike the proxy, a VPN client must be installed on your device as a separate application or browser extension for the VPN to work.

VPN Security

VPNs are much more secure because they use advanced encryption algorithms, such as AES-256 and ChaCha20, to encrypt your connection and anonymize your traffic. But not all VPN services are equally helpful. As with proxies, free VPN services have repeatedly been caught spying on users and selling their data. For example, the Betternet VPN service, which had 38 million users, used as many as 14 libraries to spy on users. And the Hola service sold the IP addresses of free users to criminals. In other words, criminals could use your IP address for their purposes. Therefore, before choosing a VPN service provider, it is essential to learn more about it.

What Is a TOR?

Tor stands for The Onion Router and uses what’s called onion routing. Your data is the core of the onion, and its protection is the layers around it. To anonymize, Tor, like proxies and VPNs, passes traffic through intermediate servers. But only in the case of Tor, there is not one but several, and they are called nodes. In other words, TOR is a free network of access points that act as a proxy for your connection. It is also the browser name you use to connect to this network. When you use the Tor browser, your connection passes through several nodes before reaching your final destination. Traffic on the web is also encrypted, so it is a little more secure than a proxy.

Since your traffic is wrapped in three layers of protection, the first and second node do not see your traffic, they only peel off the layers of protection, like the skin of an onion, but only the third output node gets to the core and sends a request to the Internet. Each node knows the IP address only of the node in the chain before it. Therefore, the original IP will be lost when your traffic reaches the last node. The users on their computers deploy these nodes. The more users, the safer and faster the network is.

TOR Security

The Tor browser is based on Firefox. It has been improved with add-ons that prohibit sites from spying on you. For example, the browser can distinguish all scripts on sites, effectively forbidding the collection of any user data or forcing sites to use encryption. It sounds very secure, but in practice, it’s not.

  • Tor is very disliked by law enforcement, and the very fact that Tor is being used is easy to trace. So just by using the Tor Browser, you can already attract much attention.
  • The owners of the output nodes are very risky. After all, they are the ones who are responsible for all of the actions that users take on the network.
  • The same owners of the output nodes see all your traffic, which means they can track you by implication. This is why law enforcement officials most favor exit nodes.
  • Moreover, because the multi-layer encryption Tor network is prolonged, half of the sites refuse to work correctly through the Tor Browser.

It is also worth mentioning that TOR, as well as a proxy, does not filter all system traffic, which is obvious.

Proxy, VPN, or Tor: what is better to choose?
Proxy, VPN, or Tor: what is better to choose?

Proxy, VPN, or Tor?

If you are worried about your online security, the best way to protect yourself is through a VPN. But do not forget that you should use only reliable VPN services with a good reputation. Often you can find information about the reliability of a particular service on the Internet in special articles. Also, remember that a good VPN can cost money, or its creators can charge a certain amount for its use. Finally, proxy servers are solutions focused on convenience and speed, which are suitable for bypassing major geo-blocks.

In contrast, Tor focuses on rough anonymity at the expense of many nodes. Therefore, a VPN is the best choice in most cases because the VPN connection is encrypted, secure, and fast. Unfortunately, proxy servers and Tor do not have that security, so your security can only be guessed at.

However, for maximum effect, you can use a VPN and Tor at the same time. Connecting to a VPN via Tor is a slow but effective solution for true anonymity. At the same time, proxies are a quick and inexpensive solution for basic IP masking. So, VPNs are the best all-around solution if you’re a casual internet user and want to keep yourself safe online.

The post VPN, Proxy, or Tor: Differences, Meaning appeared first on Gridinsoft Blog.

]]>
https://gridinsoft.com/blogs/vpn-proxy-or-tor-differences-meaning/feed/ 0 8622