Author: Brad Hawkins

Our dependence on the internet for work, entertainment, and communication has expanded dramatically, increasing vulnerability to cyber threats, such as viruses. At Safernet, we believe incorporating a VPN into your security strategy is crucial for robust virus protection. In this blog, we’ll explore why VPNs are essential for comprehensive virus protection and how they can enhance online safety.

Understanding VPNs and Their Role in Virus Protection

A Virtual Private Network establishes a secure, encrypted tunnel from your device to the internet. This ensures your data is transmitted safely, shielding it from prying eyes. But how does this relate to virus protection? Let’s break it down.

Enhanced Security and Privacy

One of the primary benefits of using a VPN is the enhanced security it provides. By encrypting your internet connection, a VPN greatly enhances the security of your data, making it much more difficult for cybercriminals to intercept. This is especially crucial when accessing public Wi-Fi networks, which are known for their vulnerabilities. Without a VPN, you risk exposing sensitive information such as passwords, financial details, and personal data to hackers.

By using a VPN, you add an extra layer of security that makes it difficult for malware and viruses to reach your device. Even in the event of a hacker successfully penetrating the network, the encrypted data remains effectively inaccessible without the decryption key, which is exclusively available to you and the VPN server.

Blocking Malicious Websites

Many VPN services, including Safernet, come equipped with built-in features that block access to malicious websites. These websites are often the primary sources of viruses and malware. By preventing you from accessing these sites, a VPN helps reduce the risk of accidental downloads and infections.

This feature is particularly beneficial for those who may not be tech-savvy or are prone to clicking on suspicious links. Using a VPN allows you to browse securely, ensuring that potentially harmful websites are actively blocked in real-time.

Preventing Data Throttling and Bandwidth Limitations

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) sometimes throttle your bandwidth based on your online activities. This can slow down your connection, making it frustrating to download or stream content. More importantly, it can expose you to potential security risks.

When your connection is slow, you might be tempted to disable certain security features, such as antivirus software or firewalls, to speed things up. This creates a window of opportunity for viruses and malware to infiltrate your system. By using a VPN, you can avoid bandwidth throttling, ensuring that your security measures remain active and effective at all times.

Enhancing Antivirus Software

While antivirus software is crucial for identifying and eliminating viruses, it works best when used in conjunction with other security tools. A VPN complements your antivirus software by providing an additional layer of defense. This dual approach ensures that even if a virus manages to bypass one security measure, it is likely to be caught by the other.

For example, while your antivirus software scans and removes malicious files, your VPN can prevent those files from ever reaching your device in the first place. This comprehensive approach significantly reduces the chances of a successful virus attack.

Wrapping Up

Incorporating a VPN into your cybersecurity strategy is no longer just an option; it’s a necessity. By providing enhanced security, blocking malicious websites, preventing data throttling, protecting against phishing attacks, and complementing your antivirus software, a VPN offers comprehensive virus protection.

At Safernet, we are committed to helping you safeguard your online presence. Our VPN virus protection features are designed to keep you safe from the ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. Embrace the power of a VPN and enjoy a safer, more secure online experience.

In today’s digital era, ensuring robust online security is paramount for businesses and their customers. At Safernet, we specialize in providing comprehensive security solutions that cater to various needs. One of the most effective tools in our arsenal is the White-Label VPN service. Through our white-label VPN software, businesses can offer customized, branded VPN services to their clients, enhancing both security and customer trust. Here, we explore the multifaceted benefits of adopting a white-label VPN solution.

Branding Consistency

One key advantage of using a white-label VPN service is the ability to maintain brand consistency across all products and services. When you opt for a white-label solution from Safernet, you can integrate your brand’s logo, colors, and overall aesthetic into the VPN interface. This seamless integration not only strengthens brand recognition but also enhances the professional appearance of your digital offerings.

Cost-Effective Solution

Developing a VPN solution from scratch can be costly and time-consuming. By choosing our white-label VPN service, you bypass the need for extensive research and development. There are no initial development costs, and you can launch a fully functional, branded VPN service in a fraction of the time it would take to build one internally. This cost efficiency makes it easier for businesses of all sizes to offer VPN services without compromising quality or security.

Enhanced Security

At Safernet, security is our top priority. Our white-label VPN software incorporates cutting-edge encryption standards to safeguard your data against cyber threats. By offering a branded VPN service, you protect your business’s data and reassure your customers that their online activities are shielded from unauthorized access.

Quick and Easy to Market

With our white-label solution, your branded VPN service will be up and running quickly. We handle all the backend complexities, allowing you to focus on what you do best—serving your customers and growing your business. This quick market entry is crucial in today’s fast-paced business environment, where being first can often mean the difference between success and failure.

Tailored to Your Needs

We understand that every business has unique needs. Our white-label VPN solution provides various customization options, allowing you to personalize the service to suit your needs. Whether you need to adjust the level of security settings, add custom features, or integrate with other services, we work closely with you to ensure that the VPN solution fits seamlessly into your existing product lineup.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance

When you opt for our white-label VPN service, you’ll also receive continuous support and maintenance. This means our expert team handles any updates, security patches, and improvements, ensuring that the VPN service remains optimal without any additional effort from your side. This continuous support not only helps maintain high service standards but also ensures that your VPN adapts to the evolving cybersecurity landscape.

Revenue Opportunities

Offering a VPN service can open up new revenue streams for your business. By integrating our white-label VPN into your offerings, you can create package deals or add it as a value-added service to enhance your existing products. This increases your service value and helps diversify your revenue sources.

Wrapping Up

Adopting a white-label VPN solution from Safernet is not just about enhancing online security—it’s an opportunity to grow your brand, reduce costs, and provide value to your customers. Whether you want to expand your service portfolio or seek ways to ensure your digital interactions are secure, our white-label VPN service offers a comprehensive solution tailored to your business needs. We’re committed to helping you protect what matters most—securely and efficiently.

Despite the popularity of cryptocurrency, many investors and traders don’t give a second thought to security – Which they pay for dearly. Today we look at the 6 reasons why you need a VPN for cryptocurrency.

Cryptocurrency has been around for over a decade, but it’s fair to say that it only picked up spotlight from the mainstream in 2018, with Bitcoins meteoric rise in the Winter of that year. For the novice investor, this proved to be a costly lesson. Bull runs in any market are destined to end eventually, and cryptocurrency is no different. In January and Februrary 2019, the same bull run became a bear market, and the value of all cryptocurrencies crashes significantly.

This didn’t deter many though, especially those familiar with the ebb and flow of the markets, and those who had believed in the future usability of cryptocurrency.

Those who kept the faith were rewarded, as cryptocurrency saw a massive surge once more during the bulk of the COVID lockdowns. The increasing popularity of NFTs and the Web3 space saw the crypto space gain much-needed use case. No longer a speculative market, cryptocurrency had usage that the average joe on the street could benefit from.

The numbers reflect this. According to statistics website Statistica, the total transaction value in the Digital Payments segment is projected to reach US$8.49tn by the end of 2022. The website also forecast that the total transaction value is expected to show an annual growth rate of 12.31% resulting in a projected total amount of US$15.17tn by 2027.

Despite the massive value cryptocurrency presents, there has been little talk of cybersecurity with regards to cryptocurrency, let alone using a VPN for cryptocurrency.

Anybody who has spent time in the crypto community, especially in the NFT space, knows somebody who has lost out on millions of dollars due to poor security. To this end, we have put together a list of reasons to encourage you to consider a VPN for cryptocurrency transactions, investments, and trading.

VPN FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY – ENCRYPTION

One of the primary uses of a VPN for cryptocurrency is encryption.

Encryption is at the heart of any Virtual Private Network. All VPNs aren’t engineered the same, and depending on the protocols used, a VPN might have different functions, speeds, and vulnerabilities.

The primary role of encryption is make your acitivty inivisble on the net, a huge positive for cryptocurrency. This is done by obsfucating your data – also known as encryption. A VPN with good encryption is one of the strongest digital measures you can take in securing your crypto.

To classify how VPN encryption is used, things like encryption type, protocols, and ciphers used must be considered. These things determine exactly how protection is formed. Each represents a different answer to the cybersecurity question.

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to this, so we won’t cover them all for the purposes of this article. For ciphers, one of the most powerful choices considering VPN for cryptocurrency is AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard). AES is considered the gold standard of encryption ciphers. It is a symmetric block cipher, and is used by the US Government, US Military, and nearly every financial institute in the world. AES is used in software and hardware globally, and is one of the foundational pillars of modern cybersecurity.

It was also taken by the NSA to protect national security systems.

Because of its use by the US government, it became extremeley popular in the private sector, especially as an element of VPN encryption. It is without a doubt the most common choice when looking to setup VPN encryption.

With regards to protocols, using a VPN for Cryptocurrency should be using WireGuard, or the more popular OpenVPN.

OpenVPN is without a doubt the leader when it comes to VPN protocols. It is a protocol but also a software, which uses secure point-to-point and site-to-site connections. Nearly all major VPN providers offer OpenVPN, making it the top dog in the space.

The protocol is responisble for handling client-server communications, and establishes a tunnel between client and software.

OpenVPN handles encryption and authentication, and also uses the OpenSSL extensively. OpenVPN has the option to use either UDP (User Datagram Protocol) or TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) to transmit data.

OpenVPN is best used over UDP, which it will always default to first. It will only attempt TCP if the UDP connection fails.

It uses a custom security protocol that bypass HTTP and NAT.

OpenVPN was the first protocol that championed open-source. Its code isn’t owned by just one entity, and third-parties can always inspect it and continuously improve it. This has lead to some VPN providers building on OpenVPN to build their own custom service, like SaferNet has done.

All in all, OpenVPN is the most popular for a reason. It offers the greatest balance of speed and security, and is truly best-in-class when it comes to using a VPN for cryptocurrency.

VPN FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY – EXTRA PROTECTION FROM HACKERS

To preference this point – The overwhelming majority of VPNs, especially the popular ones, have zero malware protection. This is not always the case, and VPNs like SaferNet do indeed offer comprehensive protection against hackers.

Cybercrime is a huge danger online, more than many internet users know. Cryptocurrency investors and traders are prime targets, given the amount of cash they deal with online.

There are a range of threats online facing cryptocurrency enthuists every second, including:

Ransomware – Ransomware is a virus that encrypts a users device. Following encryption, the user must pay a monetary sum for the return of their device. With regards to using a VPN for Crypto, it is vital that protection is used due to the high amount of ransomware found in the cryptocurrency scene.

Spyware – Spywares main focus is stealing sensitive information from users – Passwords, keys, etc. A VPN for Crypto is invaluable here. Spyware can not only siphon passwords, but also seed phrases which are the final step in accessing an account.

Remote Access Trojans – Remote Access Trojans, or RATs, are very similar to Spyware, however they allow the hacker full control of an infected device. Given their destructive nature, a VPN for crypto is vital in combating RATs.

As stated, the majority of VPNs offer no anti-virus features. This is not the case for SaferNet’s always-on VPN, which was built with twin goals in mind – To offer both the privacy of a VPN and the antivirus capabilities of anti-malware software. While most services require a number of different software solutions to achieve both privacy and security, SaferNet gets it done all-in-one. Given how much cryptocurrency markets and users are targeted, a VPN for cryptocurrency activity is vital.

VPN FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY – PHISHING

Though ordinarily mentioned with malware, the amount of phishing attacks that happen to cryptocurrency investors is so overwhelmingly frequent that it deserves its own entry.

Phishing is perhaps the most well-known attack vector a hacker can utilize. Nearly everyone has seen a phishing attempt at some point in their lives. To put it simply, Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords. Phishing is not necessarily all about grabbing credentials, though. Modern phishing methods often revolve around having the target download a file that is covertly malware or enabling macros on a Word document which in turn deploy a virus. Phishing and the act of social engineering come hand in hand.

Between 2018 and 2019 alone, there was over half a billion dollars stolen in phishing attacks, and to date there has been even more in a series of ledger-based phishing attacks.

While Malware in general can lead to huge losses, its clear that phishing is #1 in cryptocurrency attacks. Everybody can get phished, no matter how savvy they are – When considering a VPN for crytocurrency, phishing protection should be a top concern.

VPN FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY – FIREWALL BYPASS

Firewall bypassing is an issue of contention for many, yet still must be considered when looking at a VPN for cryptocurrency. There are also many technical limitations to be considered. While it is not a use case for the many, it is valid for the few.

Firewalls can be found in schools, universities, and more recently in company offices. They are put in place for security purposes – and rightfully so – but often use elements of control like blocking certain website categories. One of these categories is cryptocurrency, and many organisations with a firewall in place do not allow connected uses to access cryptocurrency websites.

When using a VPN for cryptocurrency, many of these Firewalls can be bypassed, and a user can freely trade and invest while on the network. This of course should be used responisibly, and slacking off on the job or in class to trade crypto using a VPN isn’t advisable!

VPNs have become ubiquitous, but it’s important to look at how far their protection really goes. One of the most common questions when looking at this protection is “Does a VPN protect you from viruses while online?”

Before we answer that question, its important to understand what a VPN is, how a VPN works.

A VPN, or virtual private network, protects your activity and privacy online by using an encrypted, secure tunnel. While your connection is secured within these tunnels, trackers and third parties aren’t able to investigate your activity. This is because your device is always exchanging data with visted websites and other entities, however, a VPN obfuscates this information.

It’s important to know the tech behind a VPN, starting with ciphers. Understanding the tech is important when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses.

Ciphers are a critical component in VPNs. In simple terms, ciphers are a set of steps can be followed to ensure strong encryption and how this encryption is decrypted. The operation of a cipher depends on a key. Without knowledge of a key, decryption is difficult, and in most modern cases it is impossible. When considering does a VPN protect you from viruses while online, it is important to think about ciphers.

When looking at ciphers, we look at a mixture of the cipher and key-length, which means the amounts of bits in a key. Mostly commonly, this is 256 bits, which is the standard used by banks and the military. It would take billions of years to try every possible combination, so it is not feasible to crack a 256 bit cipher.

Over the years, there has been types of ciphers. Even today, there is a lot of options out there. However, for the purposes of this article, we’ll look at the two most popular ones today – RSA and AES. These are important to understand when considering does a vpn protect you from viruses.

RSA
RSA, or the Rivest-Sahmir Adleman cipher is a great cipher to look at when considering does a vpn protect you from viruses. It is asymmetric, and used in many applications. Though created it 1977, it didn’t see much use until 1997. Unlike many other ciphers, RSA uses both public and private keys as options for encryption, while the opposite will be chosen for decryption. This process ensures confidentiality, integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation of electronic communications and data storage.

Browsers are the most common applications that use RSA, which is an added layer of protection when considering does a vpn protect you from viruses.

Much of the security of RSA balances around prime numbers, which are fairly watertight at current computing standards – Though this could prove to be a security risk with the advent of quantum computing.

When looking at VPNs, many do use RSA. While offering great security, the need to move to 2048 bit length has caused an already slow cipher type to become even more sluggish. Thus, it doesn’t provide an optimal VPN experience.

AES

The Advanced Encryption Standard, or AES, is the most popular encryption cipher and considered the gold standard of encryption. It is an exceptional choice when considering does a vpn protect you from viruses. It has mass-appeal, given its use by all levels of the US government, including the military. It is also used by every major bank globally.

It was developed in 1997 as a successor to a previous cipher, DES, which had began to age and show some flaws.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) stated that the new algorithm would be “capable of protecting sensitive government information well into the 21st century.”. AES has three block ciphers: 128, 192, and 256 bit lengths.

Because of its use in all levels of government, it is extremely popular in industry, especially with VPNs.

The advent of quantum computing poses a far lesser threat to AES than it does to RSA. When considering does a vpn protect you from viruses, you should be looking a VPN that uses strong AES-256 cipher encryption, such as SaferNet.

VPN PROTOCOLS

As well as ciphers, when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses, another factor to consider is protocols. These are a set of instructions on how data is process between a VPN server and your device; it is the bedrock of a secure connection.

Protocols are quite different to one another, and give benefits to VPN users based on their circumstance.

Though there are many protocols, the most effective is OpenVPN, which is used by SaferNet to tackle the issue of does a vpn protect you from viruses.

SSL and TLS
SSL, and its successor, TLS, were invented in the 90s. Both are used to handle web transactions, in particular with regards to eCommerce, and thus were instrumental at the time. However, both can be used to protect any type of network traffic.

Both also benefit from the fact that they can travel through firewalls, providing applications are designed for SSL and TLS. As a result, many users rely on SSL and TLS to a large degree. Many VPN vendors use SSL somewhere in their DNA. Before VPNs were widespread, the question of does a vpn protect you from viruses wasn’t present due to SSL.

Connections rely on authentication of the endpoint the users is attempting to connect to, which is validated by a certificate. These certificates are vetted by certificate authorities.

SSL and TLS both took many years to develop. Though not as commonplace as they once were, they provide foundation technology to both VPNs and browsers. Due to their age they shouldn’t be considered when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses.

IKEv2/IPsec
IPsec is a suite of protocols, of which IKEv2 is a part of (and its predesessor, IKE). IPsec was developed to provide security through authentication through encryption.

At the time of release, IKE brought a lot of great features to IPsec, including automatic negotiation and authentication, anti-replay services, certification authority support and the ability to change encryption keys during an IPsec session.

IKEv2 brought further improvements to IKE, including:

-Less Bandwidth
-Less mathemtically mechanisms
-Needs just one initial exchange mechanism
-Supports mobile devices
-Supports the securing of Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP) traffic
-Greater resistance to DDOS attacks
-Comes equipped with the built-in Network Address Translation (NAT)

While technically impressive, when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses, it shouldn’t be considered.

L2TP/IPsec
Layer 2 Tunnelling Protocol (LT2P) was developed by Microsoft, and as such is a proprietary protocol of the company. Similar to IKEv2, it is relient on and adds to IPSec. Though offering many benefits, it is not a good choice when considering it for a VPN as it is proprietary.

L2TP has also shown quite a bit of trouble navigating firewalls, which holds it back from being a contender in the VPN world. VPN providers generally shy away from LT2P. Though included in the list for its place amongst protocols, it is generally a nonfactor when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses.

Today, it is most seen on legacy devices that do not support OpenVPN, and so isn’t considerable when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses.

SSTP

Secure Socket Tunnelling Protocol (SSTP) is also a Microsoft-controlled VPN. Though offering many of the benefits of OpenVPN, it is only usable on Windows devices.

Furthermore, it is not open-source, which raises some security challenges. Microsoft has also cooperated previously with government entities such as the NSA, so isn’t a good option for individuals with privacy in mind.

Though offering good advantages for Windows users, when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses, we suggest steering clear of SSTP.

WireGuard

WireGuard is the new kid on the block when it comes to protocols, and may even prove to be OpenVPNs first true competitor if development continues as it has. Its creator, Jason Donenfeld, created the protocol specifically to challenge OpenVPN.

The creators argument was that OpenVPN is often too complex to implement for novice developers, and so may create a barrier to good security for smaller companies looking to get a start in the security business.

It is the youngest of the protocols, first being unveiled in 2017.

While OpenVPN will remain as the go-to protocol when figuring out does a vpn protect you from viruses, WireGuard may show up more often in the near future.

 

OpenVPN
OpenVPN is the most popular of VPN protocols and with good reason. It doubles as a software, allowing VPN companies to build their own stack on top of the already rock-solid base.

It was engineered by James Yonan in 2001, and is one of the few open source protcols to also feature an open source applications accompanying it. In fact, it was the first protocol to champion open source, giving full visibility to anybody who wishes to scrutinize it.

OpenVPN uses 256-bit OpenSSL encryption in most cases, however custom builds can use the AES, Camellia, 3DES, CAST-128, or Blowfish ciphers. It does not support L2TP, IPSec, or PPTP.

The protocol on software has gone through many public audits during its time, giving it further credibility. It is extremely trustworthy when asking does a vpn protect you from viruses.

One drawback is that its implementation can be complex, and so only advanced programmers can implement the base. It takes an even more talented team to build on OpenVPN, as SaferNet has done.

OpenVPN is also one of the few solid protocols available on almost any device. When asking does a vpn protect you from viruses, OpenVPN is your best choice, especially when paired with SaferNet.

 

VPN ADVANTAGES

While malware might be on your mind when considering does a VPN protect you from viruses, you might also consider the other advantages a VPN offers, including:

Remaining Anonymous Online – Your identity is easily traced when you aren’t using a VPN. This can be done by advertisers, ISPs, governments, and other third parties. With a VPN, thanks to the level of encryption you ordinarily wouldn’t have, your identity remains private.

Security on Public Networks – Though certainly related to does a VPN protect you from viruses, public networks provide a different set of dangers to you and your device. Using a public wifi network such as those found in restaurants, hotels, cafes, airports, bars, or city-wide networks can be extremely dangerous. Others who are connected to the network can do a considerable amount of snooping with the know-how while on these networks. Furthermore, there is a risk of man-in-the-middle attacks, where details you enter online such as passwords and banking credentials can be intercepted by others on the network. A VPN can easily secure your device while using a public network.

Overcoming ISP Bandwidth Limitations – ISPs have been known to limit their users bandwidth in order to make them upgrade their plan. VPNs can overcome this issue, because the data is obfuscated.

Internet Speed – VPNs can often damage internet speed, particularly when using geolocation features. However, this isn’t always the case. When using a VPN and not using these features speed can see an increase – which can be quite a lot when ISPs are attempting to throttle the connection.

There are many other advantages to using a VPN, and these are just some of the highlights.

Phishing is not a type of virus in itself, but rather a method for getting a device to become infected. In essence, it is a social engineering ploy to steal data and deploy further viruses. It is without a doubt the biggest attack vector for all types of malware including those mentioned above.

When a phishing attack takes place, it usually means a hacker is masquerading as a legitimate entity, and tricks the user into opening an email or text message, and convincing them to click a link or download malware. Phishing is a chief concern for does a vpn protect you from viruses.

A huge part of defending against phishing is education, but it doesn’t go far enough. Phishing has become more sophisticated over time, and can be difficult to spot even to the keenest eyes.

DOES A VPN PROTECT YOU FROM VIRUSES?

Sadly, the answer to this question in the majority of cases is No. Some of the most popular VPNs you see advertised have some, little, or no malware protection. This is not always the case, thankfully. Using a VPN for cybersecurity is becoming a more popular idea, and one of the earliest adopters of this line of thinking is SaferNet, which was engineered to present an option for those seeking out cybersecurity via VPN. Using a number of DNS-filtering and machine-learning driven features, SaferNet stands out from the crowd in terms of protecting its users from viruses while online. It is the answer to does a vpn protect you from viruses?

SAFERNET

When asking the question, does a vpn protect you from viruses while online, SaferNet is the only reasonable answer. While connected, all devices have 24/7 protection, and malware is held at bay. SaferNet is available globally, which means you have peace of mind wherever you are. When it comes to VPN protection, SaferNet is best-in-class.

Not only does SaferNet offer cybersecurity-enhanced VPN, it also offers Internet Controls for parental and employer use. It is the complete package, and the best choice for individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. With a simple and fast setup which can be completed in minutes, SaferNet can protect you from the threats of today and of tomorrow.

 

VPN Protocols are a key component to VPNs, Virtual Private Networks. VPNs are a tool that allows users to layer traffic among multiple networks within a secured encrypted tunnel, which gives a number of benefits. VPN Protocols are required to use VPNs, as they provide many key aspects of encryption and decryption.

VPN Protocols are essentially a set of standards for encoding information that travels between one’s device and the web. Each VPN Protocol has different attributes, and certainly, not all VPN Protocols are created equally. Some VPN Protocols are restricted to platforms, or are for a specific use, or are for general purposes use, such as OpenVPN.

Something often mentioned with VPN Protocols is Encryption. Encryption is a technology that encrypts data, and is often the ‘how-to’ directions a VPN takes into account encrypting and decrypting data. We have spoken at length about Encryption in other articles, and so for the purpose of this one, we won’t be looking at it.

So, what VPN Protocols are there? Which should I use? Which is the best? Let’s get into it!

VPN Protocols

PPTP

Though mostly obsolete, PPTP is worth discussing for its historical relevance when looking at VPN Protocols. PPTP was first published in July 1999, and was developed by a consortium consisting of Microsoft, 3Com, Ascend, and some others.

PPTP encapsulates network protocol datagrams within an IP envelope. Following encapsulation, all encounters from that point will it as an IP packet. This encapsulation allows transfer across an IP-only medium, namely the Internet.

PPTP largely revolves around Microsoft RAS and Windows NT. RAS allows for network admins to configure an NT server for remote employees over a dial-in point. Authentication for the RAS users occurs on the NT server, which is governed by a PPP protocol.

PPTP was designed to streamline this process. It allowed users to connect to a RAS server from anywhere while having the same authentication, security, and encryption they’d get when manually dialing in. PPTP and RAS worked in tandem to create a VPN.

Though rarely used anymore, PPTP provided a blueprint for later models. Microsoft went on to engineer many more VPN Protocols, some of which are covered in this article.

L2TP/IPSec

L2TP (Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol) by itself is a VPN protocol with an unusual downside in that there is no encryption offered at all. This is why its bundled with IPSec, a suite of tools focusing on encryption. Thus, the two are often discussed together.

L2TP and IPsec are two different VPN Protocols technically. L2TP is a tunneling VPN Protocol. This means it creates a separate tunnel for data to travel through.

IPSec provides the encryption aspect for the network layer, so all traffic running with the L2TP VPN Protocol is kept secure

L2TP/IPSec is a successor to the PPTP VPN protocol. L2TP/IPSec is a joining of the best aspects of the (then) most popular VPN protocols, L2F and PPTP, while avoiding any disadvantages found on these VPN Protocols.

L2TP encapsulates PPP in virtual lines over IP, and as such requires an IP protocol – mostly IPv4 or IPv6. Again, this is not encrypted, which is why IPSec sits on top of L2TP.

The relationship between the two is not one-sided by any means. IPSec by itself doesn’t have any method to handle authentication or key distribution. And so the two are used together and can provide the following benefits as a VPN Protocol:

-Authentication through local user accounts or EAP
-Message authentication and checks on the integrity of all data
-Mutual Authentication

L2TP/IPsec has a long history when it comes to VPN Protocols and due to its engineering has remained relevant. However, it has mostly been phased out in favor of SSTP.

SSTP

SSTP, or the Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, a common VPN Protocol that is quite popular. It is a proprietary VPN Protocol developed by Microsoft, so is found on Windows devices. SSTP was developed to replace both the PPTP and L2TP/IPSec VPN protocols. Today, native VPN connections mostly use SSTP if created in Windows. SSTP prides itself in ease of use for both users and network admins.

Unlike its predecessors, SSTP uses SSL/TLS to provide secure key dealings and encrypted transfers. This also gives the user greater freedom when it comes to navigating firewalls.

SSTP uses the same port as SSL/TLS, and it bases the connection on this authentication rather than the devices. With regards to VPN protocols comparison, it is often compared to OpenVPN, which is the golden standard in both encryption libraries and VPN Protocols, and is used in SaferNet.

SSTP was introduced alongside Windows Vista, and has retained its place as a secure VPN Protocols throughout Windows 7, 8, 10, and 11

Like OpenVPN, SSTP uses the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) encryption cipher, which makes it a very secure option. Some downsides of SSTP is that it is proprietary, and so can’t be scrutinized under the hood. Furthermore, it is mostly only available on Windows devices, so isn’t ideal for everybody.

IKEv2

IKEv2, or Internet Key Exchange version 2, is another VPN Protocol used alongside IPSec. Many VPN Providers will refer to it as IKEv2/IPSec

IKEv2 was a joint collaboration between Microsoft and Cisco. The VPN Protocol has a great reputation, especially when it comes to stability. It is also known to be one of the more speedy VPN protocols.

The role of IKEv2 is to authenticate both parties using a SA attribute.

SA is a method of creating a security agreement between two parties on a network. This is done by forging a symmetric encryption key for both. This information is transferred between client and server and is decrypted using these forged keys.

IKEv2 operates within the user space, while IPSec is a kernel operation, providing good synergy in the VPN Protocol. IKEv2 sends data and establishes security, and IPSec uses this to encrypt the traffic.

IKEv2 is the successor to IKEv1. It provided many advantages over its predecessor, including:

-Fewer messages are required to create a secure connection
-Supports NAT traversal
-Supports EAP
-Supports the MOBIKE Protocol, which prevents data leaks
-Less security associations required to create a VPN tunnel
-More resistant to DDOS attacks
-Implements asymmetric authentication

WIREGUARD

WireGuard is a new kid on the block in the street of VPN Protocols. It’s somewhat of a maverick VPN Protocol, and aims to dethrone OpenVPN and IKEv2.

WireGuard was developed by Jason Donenfield, and was first worked on in 2016. It was originally developed for Linux, but is now available for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

One of the major features that make WireGuard attractive, especially to developers, is it’s incredibly simple to implement. Between them, OpenVPN and IKEv2 have over a million lines of code. WireGuard uses just under 5000 lines, and retains many of the benefits.

WireGuard has reduced CPU usage and faster connection times also, and works very well on mobile devices or IoT devices that don’t have a large amount of processing power. The VPN Protocol also uses very modern cryptography protocols such as Curve25519, ChaCha20, Poly1305 and BLAKE2

Due to the fact it works inside the Kernel, WireGuard can offer a speed boost to internet connection. This is an oddity within the world of VPN Protocols, as many VPN Protocols can slow down a connection. In a conference in 2021, Donenfeld showed a wifi speed increase of a significant amount, but it is unclear if this is typical for all connections.

WireGuard is now widely supported in the world of VPN Protocols, and many VPN vendors offer it.

It isn’t without disadvantages however – For example, it doesn’t offer dynamic IP addresses. It also doesn’t delete the IP address on disconnection, meaning it isn’t without logs. The likes of OpenVPN go much further in protecting user privacy.

Keys are somewhat less secure using WireGuard also, as there is no support for forward secrecy.

Though these disadvantages are present, there is no doubt that WireGuard brings a lot to the VPN Protocol table. It’s hard to say what the future holds for this VPN Protocol, and it very may well take the top spot with further development.

OpenVPN

OpenVPN is without a doubt the most popular VPN protocol, and for good reason. It is considered the gold standard VPN protocol for safety, and you will be hard-pressed to find a VPN Protocol to match it.

It was developed in 2001 and is an open source VPN Protocol, meaning it is open to scrutiny from anybody and easily modified into more advanced VPNs, such as SaferNet.

There are so many variations of OpenVPN that there are constantly new releases, with new features, making the VPN Protocol more faster and more secure frequently.

OpenVPN uses SSL and TLS. It draws extensively from the OpenSSL library and or an extra layer of security, the VPN Protocol uses TLS-auth for packet inspection. This confirms only the right users can encrypt and decrypt data.

OpenVPN offers a large amount of cipher, but as standard implements 256-bit encryption. Mostly commonly, the VPN Protocol uses AES, which SaferNet does in its own OpenVPN implementation.

The VPN Protocol also has an additional encryption feature called Perfect Forward Secrecy, which creates a new key with each connection.

OpenVPN is platform agnostic, meaning it can run on nearly every platform, and so can secure every device.

There are so many features to OpenVPN that they go outside the scope of this article, but rest assured that it is the most secure, customizable VPN Protocol available.

WHICH IS THE BEST VPN PROTOCOL?

Though it can be circumstantial, there is no doubt that the best VPN Protocol is OpenVPN, which is why SaferNet has opted to use it. If you are in a situation where do not own a smartphone and only use the Windows operating system, IKEv2 is an option. WireGuard does have a bright future, but it may be best to wait and see how future development goes

SAFERNET – The Only Name In Cybersecurity By VPN

When looking at VPN Protocols, OpenVPN is the obvious choice. But what VPN to go with? The best option is SaferNet, which was engineered on a modified version of OpenVPN, which was only made possible due to the open-source nature of the VPN Protocol. SaferNet offers around-the-clock protection, ensuring both privacy and antivirus capabilities no matter where you are, and no matter what type of device you are using.

Not only does SaferNet feature cybersecurity features, a rarity in the VPN world, it also offers over 200 Internet Controls that can be used by familys and employers to secure their network.

SaferNet is a 3-in-1 complete package, offering a secure VPN, Malware Protection, and Network control, all in one solution. The setup is easy and can be completed in minutes. With a cost price for every kind of user, check out SaferNet today!

SaferNet is revolutionizing cyber-safety. SaferNet’s (VPN+) app provides privacy, protection and control of the internet for all end point devices anywhere in the world. Below is our recent interview with Brad Hawkins, CEO of SaferNet:

  

Q: You call yourself a (VPN+) app. What is the difference between a VPN and a VPN+?

A: Experts say that to truly be safe online, everyone needs to be diligent about using cybersecurity, and recently, they have been saying it is critical to be using a Virtual Private Network or VPN. Also, the experts often say these tools alone are not enough. We need to be wise and diligent not to do things online that create more risk. SaferNet has solved this issue by combining all the crucial cyber-safety tools together into one app.

Our VPN is designed differently than many VPN’s currently offered in the market. Our VPN is a 256-bit encrypted VPN; the same level of encryption used by the military and banks to ensure safety and privacy. But that is only part of what makes our VPN special. One of the negatives of a regular VPN is that it must be activated every time a device is turned on. Sometimes people either forget or get lazy and do not go through the process of setting up their VPN every time they get online because it is cumbersome and often takes more time than the user thinks it’s worth. This is usually when something sinister happens and often without their knowledge. Our VPN is a 24/7, always active VPN. Once SaferNet is set up and the VPN is active, our users can forget about it because the VPN automatically engages every time, they turn on their device and they are always protected whether they are using wifi or on any cellular network around the world.

The second part of our (+) technology is protection. We can protect our users from accessing sites on the internet that deliver all those pesky viruses, ransomware and malware that cause so many issues.

The third part of the (+) technology is our incredible internet controls. Accessing the internet without using internet controls is like driving with no safety laws in place. There are so many sinister strategies that malicious internet users use to access your devices or even worse your kid’s or employee’s (people that you are responsible for) devices. Something as simple as a deceitfully placed add can take one’s device to sites on the internet that an administrator might find offensive or a waste of time or even worse, to a hacker’s access site. It is easy to wind up in places that are not of value to us when we are not paying attention. SaferNet keeps our users focused on what is important to the administrator.

SaferNet provides over 200 internet controls to give administrators a very simple and easy way to monitor and control the internet, and truly design the internets access for each device. We have 84 content category filters that allow you to pick what portions of the internet can or cannot be accessed by a device. You even can allow or block specific websites. You can use this if, for example, you would like to block all social media but allow Facebook for a specific reason. Or you might want to allow Facebook and Instagram for one person, or a group of people, but block social media for everyone else. You can also turn the internet on and off as you desire; manually or with a schedule. All Apps are now in your control as well. You can truly design how you want to use the internet.

Visualizing the online activity is amazing to see. You can see every person’s device as well as the internet activity on each specific device; both what is being blocked and what is being accessed. SaferNet also protects you from “Entourage” and allows you to see the Entourage that is trying to access your devices. Entourage is what we call the incoming activity (or “pings”) to your devices that hit numerous times a minute from websites that you have previously visited. Before SaferNet, you were never able to see this type of activity. Some Entourage is harmless, but some may include malicious content, web advertising and other “tag-along” websites that typically represent unsolicited and unwanted content or attempts to scrape info off your device. SaferNet blocks all the unwanted and malicious Entourage on every device. This feature alone will make you a believer in SaferNet, and you will never want to access the internet without it.

 

Q: We often hear that digital privacy does not exist nowadays. Is that true?

A: Because we live our lives online there is no digital privacy anymore, but because of smart technology, it is bigger issue than people even realize. People might think that because they are not doing everything online that they have some privacy but that is simply not true. I was talking with a very successful marketing company recently, and they have a strategy that keeps track of 13,000 datapoints per smart device. This includes the route you take to work, the location you stop for coffee, what you buy at the coffee house and when you get to work. It also includes how long you spend at work and how often you take a break. I could go on and on. They are getting this information from tracking our devices, listening to us from our devices, tracking our GPS locations, and tracking dead times on the devices etc.

Often, I am surprised at people’s reactions when I share with them what is happening in the digital world. Some people think it is great because they get targeted ads for things they want to purchase. Others are resigned to the fact that it is a necessary evil and if they have nothing to hide, what does it matter? Many are appalled and do not believe that anyone should have that kind of knowledge about anyone else. How would you feel if you hired a plumber to come to your house to do some work, and while they are working they invite their cousin, their kids, their neighbors that just got out of jail and anyone else they can think of over to your house. While the plumber is working, all the “Entourage” is going through your drawers, cabinets, filing cabinets, storage, garage, your car, and your secret hiding places without your knowledge. You have no privacy. They do not take anything, but they go through everything taking pictures and notes on all that they see. Most people would find that creepy and unacceptable. My question is, why do we allow that kind of behavior on our devices and with our digital footprint?

This is a very big reason why we created SaferNet. Privacy is critical.

Q: What can we expect from your company in the future?

A: SaferNet has been working hard on developing one of the first IoT cybersecurity devices ever seen in the market. Our SaferNet 360 product will be able to provide cybersecurity and privacy for all IoT devices using VPN connectivity.

An IoT device is anything that connects to the internet that is not a “Smart” computer. Examples of IoT are gaming systems (Xbox), security cameras, printers, baby monitors, refrigerators, etc. These types of devices are wide open to the internet and are the easiest to access for hackers. Typically, they are not protected because they do not have a motherboard, so you cannot download any type of antivirus or cybersecurity on these devices. We are just finishing the testing on our 360 product that will connect to your router and capture and protect all IoT traffic. We will provide the same protection and controls for all the IoT devices as we offer now for mobile/smart devices. We are very excited about what this will do to protect the wide-open world of IoT devices.

 

This article was previously published on Tech Company News at: http://techcompanynews.com/safernets-vpn-aims-to-revolutionize-cyber-safety/