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Off-Topic discussions about science, technology, and non Debian specific topics.
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Bulkley
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#1 Post by Bulkley »

As one of the older set I still like my privacy. I don't like governments and corporations or anyone else watching my every step on the Internet. Consequently, I use a VPN. Recently, I found IP Leak. While I have been hidden according to some of the on-line test sites, IP Leak knew way too much about me, even my ISP and the little town where I live. Upon investigating I found that my browsers were selling me out and my VPN's software was out of date.

1. WebRTC leaks. The IP Leak site has instructions (near the bottom) for dealing with WebRTC leaks and other problems.
2. geolocation. Disable geolocation sharing On Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge, Safari, Opera
3. VPN software. Out dated software can leak. Get the latest.

IP Leak is not the only good test site; it's just the one I happened to find first. There are others. However there are some that are not as good and may leave you feeling over confident.

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bw123
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#2 Post by bw123 »

Thanks I'll check it out, here's some in trade.

Still one of the best...
http://browserspy.dk/
Interesting project, haven't figured out how to apply it.
https://panopticlick.eff.org/
funny, and kinda weird
http://anonymouse.org/anonwww.html
definitley weird
http://www.moanmyip.com/
resigned by AI ChatGPT

Bulkley
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#3 Post by Bulkley »

Thanks.

There a couple of other issues that can cause leaks. IPv6. Make sure the VPN's software can handle IPv6 or set your system to not use IPv6.

A weird one I don't quite understand: I have found that some of the VPN servers in England leak dns. So far, I have found it to be much safer using servers in the Netherlands. Are English servers just sloppy or is there some interference?

With the exception of Tor, all browsers I have tried try to sneak something past users; the goal is to track for commercial reasons. I'm experimenting with Slimjet 21.0.7.0, a Chrome clone which comes with a sandbox. Is that better? Time will tell.

xepan
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Re: hiding

#4 Post by xepan »

With the exception of Tor, all browsers I have tried try to sneak something past users; the goal is to track for commercial reasons.
I have come to think that it is a lost battle, and the best is to avoid the web (web-browsers). There is always something you miss; and have a false sense of security (or privacy).
I am not saying everyone should give up on VPN's. I simply lack the money to do it, else i would. But i haven't got much hope.

Most such testsites got hard times if no javascript is running. I usually use netsurf these days (for different reasons, no ads and no javascript is just "into the bargain" ). both: ip-leak and panopticlick don't tell me that much about me with the default setup.
There is a very old blog entry of Uwe Hermann, dd, about firefox, who kinda says: as soon javascript is running, there is no such thing as privacy/security anymore. A pity i can't find that blog anymore, it was good. I got some saved notes though, but too old to still be of use: https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/refract ... html#p2735

VPN's have a certain purpose.
Things which come to my mind have a slightly different purpose. Don't be angry, i really don't wanna hijack your thread. If i do pm me, and i will remove the comment.
One would be the tor-browser, you mentioned it. There would be i2p (i2pd is now packaged in testing and sid, but i can't make much sense of that port). freedombox is also packaged. retroshare, gnunet, etc.
https://wiki.debian.org/FreedomBox
evergreen too: https://prism-break.org/en/
I think none of that will help with the problem you try to handle. Just things which come to my mind.

I hope it didn't sound like: the whole idea to use VPN is superfluous. I only tried to say that the situation is really bad (and i didn't even mention smartphones yet).

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#5 Post by CwF »

xepan wrote:I hope it didn't sound like: the whole idea to use VPN is superfluous. I only tried to say that the situation is really bad (and i didn't even mention smartphones yet).
I wasn't going to say anything, but it is I think.

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Re: hiding

#6 Post by Bulkley »

xepan, your comments are appreciated. You are right, the situation is bad. Software is selling us out. There is a trade-off: security versus convenience. The Internet functions best with a bit of compromise, mostly secure but not totally. The best security is to develop a bit of street-wise approach. (Stay away from porn sites; the pictures are bait.) Admittedly, I get angry when I enter a Web site and Ublock Origin tells me that there are 29 bots trying to gnaw at my system.

Where I live, invasions of privacy are an irritant. There are parts of the world where invasions of privacy can be fatal. When your cell phone tells the reigning goon squad where you are hiding . . . .

BTW, I remember Uwe Hermann's instructions for Firefox but can't find the link.

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