About VPNs

[Evan]

Hey @Scottie , so I use the free VPN app that comes with my Proton Mail account. It’s my only experience with VPNs, so here’s my question. It basically scans available networks all over the globe and connects me based (I suppose) on its signal strength and availability. But are these random networks safe and private? Right now I’m connected via Seattle, but if I reconnect it’s via San Jose, or Kuala Lampur or Afghanistan. Should I not be concerned about security or should I pay for something specific?

 

[KJS]

I'm not Scottie, but I will try to answer that. The forum is configured so that the unencrypted connection between you and the site is upgraded to an encrypted one. If an encrypted one is established, no one can see what is exactly happening between your computer and the forum server. What "they" (Proton or your internet provider) can see is that you've connected to some IP address that can be tracked back to the forum and requested the "cassiopaea.org" host (as multiple ones can be hosted on the same machine). What can be inferred by traffic analysis is:​

• what kind of browser are you using​
• how much time you spent on the forum​
• in which hours you use the forum​

By installing Proton on your smartphone, the things they can get are (depending on permissions, but those are common):​

• make and model of the device​
• installed applications list​
• your location​
• which app you're using to access VPN, which can lead to which apps you're using commonly​
• unique device identifier (if this is an old Android device)​