Risks of using VPN that you must know
News24xx.com - The government restricted people’s access to social media and messaging apps following riots in Central and West Jakarta on Wednesday.
On the same day at around 12.15 p.m., Twitter users complained that they were unable to access Instagram and WhatsApp. The replies came quick, with many suggesting a virtual private network (VPN), which allows users to access websites over another secure connection.
However, cybersecurity observer Alfons Tanujaya told tempo.co that using a VPN could be risky.
“Data that is passed through the VPN server can be misused by VPN service providers,” Alfons said.
He added that crucial data could be collected and leaked by third parties, especially if it isn’t well protected.
“Credit card and internet banking data that are not secured could be leaked,” he said.
This is because a VPN works like Hotspots in cafes or proxy servers in offices, but the server is located abroad or other unknown places.
Furthermore, a VPN service provider could access users’ profile, including their browsing history, hobby and political views, even though their private data remains secure.
“This can be used by advertising [agencies] or, worse, to influence [users].”
VPN traffic could also be easily intruded by ads or malware. If users had been infected by malware, he said, the risk would be as dangerous as when WhatsApp that was infected by spyware from Israel.
However, it’s not that easy to limit the use of VPN, said Agung Harsoyo, commissioner of the Indonesian Telecommunications Regulation Body (BRTI), because VPN works using encryption.
VPN is easily accessible and sometimes users can install the app for free, but Agung said the free VPN service provider may not be trusted in terms of security.
“The risks are varied, starting from data-stealing to viruses,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alfons said the government can limit the use of VPN, but it must involve internet service providers (ISP).
“It’ll take time – it’s almost like when they blocked Telegram [app] as they had to ask all ISPs to do the same,” he said, adding that the government’s decision to immediately limit access to social media and messaging apps had helped control the spread of hoaxes.
The government can also request WhatsApp to specifically block Indonesian users. He believed such a solution will be more effective yet have minimum side effects.
“But it requires high-level negotiations and a good bargaining position for WhatsApp to be willing to help us,” he said.
NEWS24XX.COM/DEV/RED
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:55 am LT
Mark Zuckerberg has joined the world's most exclus...
-
Aug 08, 2020 | 10:10 am LT
Hitman 3 VR Puts You In The Shoes Of Agent 47...
-
Aug 08, 2020 | 10:08 am LT
2020 iMac Benchmarks Suggests That It Might Be Wor...
-
Aug 08, 2020 | 10:02 am LT
iPhone 12 Production Reportedly Runs Into Quality ...
-
Aug 08, 2020 | 09:54 am LT
Google Pixel 4a Preview...
-
Aug 07, 2020 | 05:16 pm LT
Video gaming growth soars thanks to pandemic...
-
Aug 16, 2020 | 05:06 am LT
Attack of Racism; Give Salute in the style of Nazi...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 11:50 am LT
Viral Story of an old woman in Indramayu who almos...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:55 am LT
Mark Zuckerberg has joined the world's most exclus...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:45 am LT
Revealed! It turns out that this is the origin of ...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 10:42 am LT
Severe! A Woman in South Tangerang is Raped After ...
-
Aug 09, 2020 | 09:34 am LT
Dor! This Man's Intestine Explodes After Eating A ...