Is it worth to get a VPN in 2019?

[Eric65]

As this year in 2018 we have seen many flaws in big products like Google and Facebook and also many big breaches happened with them, So I its more become essential now to enhance the online
that the VPN is one of the best tools, So I want recommendation from you guys that are VPN really can enhance the online security and is really save us from the data breaches like that and what are its other benefits?  

I am planning to buy the VPN in this New year as I have seen many VPN services are offering a good discount on there VPN, Like PureVPN $1.32 for 5 years (Save 88%)
Expressvpn $6.67 for 15 months (Save 49%). So Please Also Recommend that which VPN should I buy, If you know any good one? 

[David H. Lipman]

4 minutes ago, Eric65 said:

As this year in 2018 we have seen many flaws in big products like Google and Facebook and also many big breaches happened with them...

A VPN will do nothing for that.

[Eric65]

12 minutes ago, David H. Lipman said:

A VPN will do nothing for that.

What else we can use, or do to Secure ourselves from these breaches? 

[David H. Lipman]

Breaches are attacks on a site where data is exfiltrated.  Possibly YOUR data.  

A VPN is nothing but a secure tunnel between you and the VPN provider.  Because it only has to do with you it has no effect on any given site and the security measures they may or may not exhibit on that site.  There is little or nothing a person can do in consideration of sites that may get hacked except limit your exposure to these sites.  Do not give into the hype about online data storage and free online tools and free accounts.  Create online accounts for only those constructs you must have and on those sites minimize the data that may exist there.  For example some online stores ask you to save your credit card information in your account.  Don't.  When you make a purchase at that site, enter the credit card information each time you make a purchase.

There are many entities that may have a service you want.  That service may have an Internet account associated with it.  Resist the urge to create that account unless it is 100% necessary.  Take a doctor's office.  It is a physical service that is between you and that doctor but they may request you to create an online account.  Can you trust their application of security measures ?  If you have five doctors, are you going to create five accounts ?

In short, limit your exposure and always READ the Terms of Service ( ToS ), Authorized Use Policy ( AUP ) and Privacy statements associated with that site.

However there are many cases where your information may be kept and you have no control over it.  I know, I have been in a few MAJOR breaches.

As a side note, you can enter your email address(es) in the following site and it will check to see if that email address was part of a known breach.

https://haveibeenpwned.com/

 

Edited December 29, 2018 by David H. Lipman
Edited for content, clarity, spelling and grammar

[exile360]

Everything David said above is accurate, and I'll add that the only thing a VPN will do for your security is help to prevent anyone from snooping on your traffic between your system and the sites you connect with, but any information stored on those sites, as David already stated, is only as secure as the site providers make it via their own security measures.  So while a VPN may help to ensure that your ISP can't snoop on your surfing habits, help to secure your communications when using public Wi-Fi and help to ensure that you aren't a victim of any man-in-the-middle attacks, it will do absolutely nothing to secure your information from security breaches of public websites and services.

The only secure information is the information that nobody has, so if you use any social media sites, online shopping sites or any other web based service, any information you provide is at risk of a potential future breach if that site/service is targeted for attack.

[David H. Lipman]

12 minutes ago, exile360 said:

  So while a VPN may help to ensure that your ISP can't snoop on your surfing habits...

Which brings up another point.  Trust in the VPN provider.  When you use a VPN connection you shift that trust from your ISP to the VPN provider.  Can you trust them MORE than you trust your ISP ?

 

[Amaroq_Starwind]

9 hours ago, exile360 said:

Everything David said above is accurate, and I'll add that the only thing a VPN will do for your security is help to prevent anyone from snooping on your traffic between your system and the sites you connect with, but any information stored on those sites, as David already stated, is only as secure as the site providers make it via their own security measures.  So while a VPN may help to ensure that your ISP can't snoop on your surfing habits, help to secure your communications when using public Wi-Fi and help to ensure that you aren't a victim of any man-in-the-middle attacks, it will do absolutely nothing to secure your information from security breaches of public websites and services.

The only secure information is the information that nobody has, so if you use any social media sites, online shopping sites or any other web based service, any information you provide is at risk of a potential future breach if that site/service is targeted for attack.

Well with payment information at the very least, there's a new thing called privacy.com. It's basically a financial proxy so that you can use throwaway payment credentials on online websites.

[David H. Lipman]

There are also use once Credit Card numbers.  You do realize that you have to sign-up for ¹privacy.com which means having another account that requires providing PII and they too can be the subject of breach.  Plus it may add an additional 1 ~ 3% of overhead cost.  There is also the trust factor with them.  They are an unknown entity who uses a Whois Proxy out of Panama and used NameCheap as their Registrar.  Namecheap is well known for being the preferred Registrar of web sites used for malicious activity.  Can you trust them with your PII ?

But, it really does not answer the question...

14 hours ago, Eric65 said:

What else we can use, or do to Secure ourselves from these breaches? 

So I'll put you on the spot Amaroq_Starwind...

What can a person do to help mitigate the possibility of being caught up in a Data Breach and mitigate their effects ?

 

---

1 - privacy.com  - 154 Grand Street, New York, 10013
https://www.wework.com/buildings/154-grand-st--new-york-city--NY

Edited December 30, 2018 by David H. Lipman
Edited for content, clarity, spelling and grammar

[AdvancedSetup]

As David said. A VPN has nothing to do with when/how/where a breach of a server, company, operation, or entity is breached.

10 hours ago, David H. Lipman said:

Which brings up another point.  Trust in the VPN provider.  When you use a VPN connection you shift that trust from your ISP to the VPN provider.  Can you trust them MORE than you trust your ISP ?

 

In the US, yes for some VPN providers. For the most part authorities have access or easy access to logs from an ISP in the US without much push back. At least for some VPN in other Countries that are not part of the 5, 9, 14 eye Countries it makes it more difficult to obtain data, assuming they have data to give.

This episode for PureVPN really hurt their trust in the community.

PureVPN Logs Helped FBI Net Alleged Cyberstalker
https://torrentfreak.com/purevpn-logs-helped-fbi-net-alleged-cyberstalker-171009/

https://www.goldenfrog.com/blog/purevpn-no-log-claims-false

 

A VPN prevents direct decryption of your connection, meaning that someone snooping the network would not be able to decode what it is your doing. However, the server you're connected to can certainly log everything you're doing and with enough resources you can be tracked and found. If you're doing something illegal a VPN will not protect you.

For more privacy than VPN you would  want to look at using TOR - though, once again there are mistakes made that can lead to your identity being found.

VPN will keep your employer from knowing what your doing, but depending on how sophisticated the company is they will know you're reaching out to an unauthorized node and block it.
VPN will keep your ISP from knowing what you're doing

One has to realize why you're wanting or using a VPN and decide for yourself it you need it or want it.

I really like CyberGhost VPN - it works very well and even works with bypassing Netflix to use from another Country. What I don't like is the fact that a marketing company bought them.
CyberGhost was previously owned by Robert Knapp – a German tech entrepreneur – and based/operated out of Romania. However, that has all changed since Knapp sold CyberGhost VPN to Israeli investors. In 2017 Knapp sold CyberGhost to an Israeli company called Crossrider - no signs of that marketing being pushed down into the program yet, but still difficult to trust it will remain that way.

ExpressVPN is well rated on many sites and does work well, but it's claims of working with Netflix did not work for me. I spent 2 different days and a couple of hours working with their Technical Support and was not able to get it working with Netflix. Cyberghost on the other hand has been used many times and have never had it fail to work with Netflix, though they do say that success is not always guaranteed.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by AdvancedSetup
updated information

[digmorcrusher]

Assume everyone will eventually get breached, your bank, IRS,  ebay,Twitter etc. If you want to protect yourself lmit the amount of data you put online, other than that just assume that your data will be out there one day. Its a sad story. I don't worry about it, I'll deal with it when the time ever comes, cross my fingers.

[herberttaylor941]

I suggest to check out user reviews before buying VPN. I've been using Psiphon for a while now and it seems like a great app works great on Android and Windows and allows torrenting.

[AdvancedSetup]

Maybe okay, but has not been updated now for a couple years and even their blog is from 2016. With constant changes in computer OS, it might be a bit more prudent to find something that is a bit more up to date.

 

 

[1PW]

Before looking for so called VPN reviews, filter your early possible choices through That One Privacy Site > Detailed VPN Comparison.  Then, if your earlier choices have seeped through, start searching for trusted reviews on what remained.

At least one caveat is the above spreadsheet is almost 6 months old.

Good luck.