Re: dedicated IP
On Tue, 28 Nov 2023 07:26:43 -0500
Dan Purgert <dan@djph.net> wrote:
> On Nov 28, 2023, Andy Smith wrote:
> > Hello,
> >
> > On Mon, Nov 27, 2023 at 06:42:53PM -0500, Dan Purgert wrote:
> > > On Nov 27, 2023, Maureen L Thomas wrote:
> > > > NORPVPN is software that installs a VPN. Not really trying to
> > > > solve a problem just securing my machine against intruders. My
> > > > understanding of a dedicated IP means I will always have the
> > > > same IP.
> > >
> > > Well, a VPN doesn't "secure your machine against intruders", so
> > > seems their service (with "dedicated IP" or not) is pointless for
> > > you.
> >
> > Pointless for almost everyone who isn't e.g. trying to access their
> > home country's Netflix while they're overseas or whatever. But
>
> Well, yeah that too :). But let's focus on what Maureen said, in that
> they believe a VPN is "going to secure their machine against
> intruders(tm)".
>
Well, no. It has uses as described in this thread, but that's not one of
them.
It's mostly a privacy tool, though it does improve security if you're
using public wi-fi away from home. Static or dynamic IP is irrelevant
unless you're running services to the Internet from home. Let's be
honest, the commercial VPNs are marketed to people who don't want their
ISPs to record what they do on the Net. Really, we should all be using
them, if only to raise one or two fingers, as appropriate, to our
governments.
If your public IP address is not offering any services, than there's
little that intruders can do. Part of that is making sure the router
itself isn't offering any services e.g. 'Allow management access from
WAN' is turned off, any 'DMZ' reference is turned off, uPnP is off,
Gibson's Shields Up!! (his exclamation marks, not mine) doesn't show
anything open. Gibson's site grc.com has a number of general tips and
warnings about security, though the language is sometimes a bit over
the top.
By far the biggest security risk is the people you let into your
computer or network by choice, in email and web surfing. VPNs do
nothing to alter that.
--
Joe
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