via www.qmul.ac.uk
Services used by hundreds of thousands of people in the UK to protect their identity on the web are vulnerable to leaks, according to researchers at QMUL and others.
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are legal and increasingly popular for individuals wanting to circumvent censorship, avoid mass surveillance or access geographically limited services like Netflix and BBC iPlayer. Used by around 20 per cent of European internet users they encrypt users’ internet communications, making it more difficult for people to monitor their activities.
The study of fourteen popular VPN providers found that eleven of them leaked information about the user because of a vulnerability known as ‘IPv6 leakage’. The leaked information ranged from the websites a user is accessing to the actual content of user communications, for example comments being posted on forums. Interactions with websites running HTTPS encryption, which includes financial transactions, were not leaked.
The leakage occurs because network operators are increasingly deploying a new version of the protocol used to run the Internet called IPv6. IPv6 replaces the previous IPv4, but many VPNs only protect user’s IPv4 traffic. The researchers tested their ideas by choosing fourteen of the most famous VPN providers and connecting various devices to a WiFi access point which was designed to mimic the attacks hackers might use.
Researchers attempted two of the kinds of attacks that might be used to gather user data – ‘passive monitoring’, simply collecting the unencrypted information that passed through the access point; and DNS hijacking, redirecting browsers to a controlled web server by pretending to be commonly visited websites like Google and Facebook.
The study also examined the security of various mobile platforms when using VPNs and found that they were much more secure when using Apple’s iOS, but were still vulnerable to leakage when using Google’s Android.
Dr Gareth Tyson, a lecturer from QMUL and co-author of the study, said:
“There are a variety of reasons why someone might want to hide their identity online and it’s worrying that they might be vulnerable despite using a service that is specifically designed to protect them.
Read more: Most internet anonymity software leaks users’ details
You might find this VPN Guide of interest . . .
The Latest on: Internet anonymity
via Google News
The Latest on: Internet anonymity
- New money laundering law: Nigeria prohibits shell banking operations, anonymous accountson May 15, 2022 at 6:29 am
With the newly signed Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, an individual citizen or foreigner can no ...
- Anonymous wanted to help Sri Lankans: Their hacks put many in grave dangeron May 11, 2022 at 1:36 pm
As massive protests against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa entered their eighth week, last month the hacktivist collective Anonymous stepped up to show support — in ways that have left ...
- Google I/O 2022 Brings New Security Protections, Anonymity Toolson May 11, 2022 at 11:01 am
Imad is a senior reporter covering Google and internet culture. Hailing from Texas, Imad started his journalism career in 2013 and has amassed bylines with The New York Times, The Washington Post, ...
- VPNs, give Internet privacy public valueon May 11, 2022 at 10:40 am
Setting special disclosure requirements in excess of court orders in the course of criminal investigation could push VPNs beyond Indian jurisdiction, negating the original intention of the rules that ...
- How to Browse the Internet Anonymouslyon May 10, 2022 at 9:01 am
Internet privacy has never been more important, and sometimes doing an anonymous search without tracking is your best bet.
- The Internet Gave Rise to the Modern Multiverse Movieon May 9, 2022 at 4:00 am
From the new 'Doctor Strange' to 'Everything Everywhere All at Once,' stories of infinite universes serve as metaphors for our many identities, online and off.
- Major internet providers to slash cost of broadband service for low-income Americanson May 9, 2022 at 2:02 am
Millions of Americans will be able to get high-speed internet for no more than $30 a month under a deal President Joe Biden will announce Monday.
- Biden to Tout Plan Offering Free Internet to Millions of Homeson May 9, 2022 at 2:00 am
Twenty U.S. internet providers have agreed to offer high-speed connections at essentially no cost to millions of low-income households, as part of a program funded by the infrastructure law passed ...
- When the Internet Knows Where You Liveon May 9, 2022 at 1:09 am
China’s major social media platforms are starting to include users’ geographic locations in their posts. They claim the feature is meant to deter imposters, but will it work?
- Internet Blasts Man and Brother for Comment About Girlfriend's Infertilityon May 6, 2022 at 8:43 am
"His brother looked at me and said 'no wonder you're infertile! it's known that cats mess up women's ability to get pregnant,'" the post read.
via Bing News
