Author Topic: Secureline and government spying.  (Read 15482 times)

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HerrJensen

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Secureline and government spying.
« on: October 27, 2013, 07:29:16 PM »
Is secureline also secure from ANY government listening on the line ??

Also NSA ???

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #1 on: October 27, 2013, 09:32:36 PM »
Their listening even at TOR network...
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HerrJensen

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2013, 05:13:01 PM »
Thanks,

Which means you let them listen into the "secure" line.

I know you have to do this for the US people, if you are going to have business in the US.
But for all of us outside US, it should be possible to have a real secure line.

Best regards
Henning

PS. At the moment I have my Avast turned off, as it see the SKSE module loader for Skyrim as a virus. And Skyrim is way more important than virus protection. ( I know, what I am doing! 30+ year as system admin )

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2013, 10:57:40 PM »
PS. At the moment I have my Avast turned off, as it see the SKSE module loader for Skyrim as a virus. And Skyrim is way more important than virus protection. ( I know, what I am doing! 30+ year as system admin )
Please, can you use http://www.avast.com/contact-form.php for reporting potential false positive (archive or site wrong detections)? Thanks.
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cavehomme2

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2014, 08:49:57 PM »

Which means you let them listen into the "secure" line.

I know you have to do this for the US people, if you are going to have business in the US.
But for all of us outside US, it should be possible to have a real secure line.

Best regards
Henning


Interesting that nobody disagreed with Henning. That's a shame that Avast let's the NSA, GCHQ into their systems for non-US and non-UK users. I guess they may let in all the other government agencies of each country in as well?

Offline Chris Thomas

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #5 on: January 22, 2014, 03:40:32 PM »
Although I am an avid Avast subscriber, I wouldn't recommend Avast Secureline to anyone because of how government friendly it is like many other vpn services  ::) There is one vpn I would recommend anyone though.
« Last Edit: January 22, 2014, 03:42:03 PM by Chris Thomas »

cavehomme2

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2014, 06:45:02 PM »
Although I am an avid Avast subscriber, I wouldn't recommend Avast Secureline to anyone because of how government friendly it is like many other vpn services  ::) There is one vpn I would recommend anyone though.


Thanks for the PM Chris, I could not reply via that method since I cannot send PMs, not sure why.

Offline Davidek

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2014, 12:55:20 PM »
Just curious how you guys determined that we are so government friendly?  And letting the NSA into our systems?  I guess you guys know stuff even people in Avast don't know ;)

Offline polonus

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2014, 01:38:59 PM »
Hi Davidek,

I believe that to be true.
I have a full 100% trust in the avast! av solution, else I would not been using it for more than 10 years now.

But VPN in combination with Wifi for instance isn't that bulletproof as many hold it to be. Vulnerabilities galore!
And the weak point need not be avast"s doing,
re a router abuse report here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=145422.msg1055340#msg1055340

Read this paper from 2005 but a lot of conclusions still stand:  http://www.nta-monitor.com/files/whitepapers/VPN-Flaws-Whitepaper.pdf
article author = Roy Hills.

I would not use a VPN for the reason that VPN traffic is attractive to snoopers, same reason why I would not use tor.
Best is always to realize that all you do on the Internet should be considered done in public and for a world wide audience,
that is your best security policy. Whatever they may tell you privacy on the Internet is a non-existing animal.
And we all helped to get at that situation.

polonus
« Last Edit: January 27, 2014, 01:45:54 PM by polonus »
Cybersecurity is more of an attitude than anything else. Avast Evangelists.

Use NoScript, a limited user account and a virtual machine and be safe(r)!

Offline schmidthouse

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2014, 07:13:03 PM »
Hi Davidek,

I believe that to be true.
I have a full 100% trust in the avast! av solution, else I would not been using it for more than 10 years now.

But VPN in combination with Wifi for instance isn't that bulletproof as many hold it to be. Vulnerabilities galore!
And the weak point need not be avast"s doing,
re a router abuse report here: http://forum.avast.com/index.php?topic=145422.msg1055340#msg1055340

Read this paper from 2005 but a lot of conclusions still stand:  http://www.nta-monitor.com/files/whitepapers/VPN-Flaws-Whitepaper.pdf
article author = Roy Hills.

I would not use a VPN for the reason that VPN traffic is attractive to snoopers, same reason why I would not use tor.
Best is always to realize that all you do on the Internet should be considered done in public and for a world wide audience,
that is your best security policy. Whatever they may tell you privacy on the Internet is a non-existing animal.
And we all helped to get at that situation.

polonus

Interesting stuff and unfortunately, Very True!
I do use Avast Secureline for all Unsecured Network connections which for obvious reasons is the only way I would connect to such WiFi.

As far as governments spying on "anything" I do on the internet via VPN's, back door crap, whatever,,,,,,,,knock yourself out; they will learn as much as I know about really worldly important spy stuff. ::) ;D ;D

Offline Chris Thomas

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2014, 10:28:58 PM »
Just curious how you guys determined that we are so government friendly?  And letting the NSA into our systems?  I guess you guys know stuff even people in Avast don't know ;)

You do log right?

VPN's that log isn't safe since it has to hand over data to the government if asked.

Back in 2011, HideMyAss was forced to hand over data logs belonging to a member of hacker group Lulzsec to the US authorities. There is no point, at least from a privacy perspective, of using a VPN if it’s retaining data. If you retain data, then you’re compelled by law to hand it over when requested. The way VPNs get around this rule is by wiping logs as soon as they’re created.

Recently Earthvpn's server was raided and they got one arrested as well.

Here is a list of no log vpn. VPN that you can even buy with a bitcoin without requiring your credit card or personal details.

http://torrentfreak.com/vpn-services-that-take-your-anonymity-seriously-2013-edition/

The questions that must be asked is

1. What is the data retention policy? Do you keep ANY logs which would allow you or a 3rd party to match an IP-address and a time stamp to a user of your service? If so, exactly what information do you hold?

2. Under what jurisdictions does your company operate and under what exact circumstances will you share the information you hold with a 3rd party?

3. In the event you receive a DMCA takedown notice or European equivalent, how are these handled?

4. Which payment systems do you operate and how are these linked to individual user accounts?

5. What will the company do if laws change? – We’re in the middle great changes when it comes to surveillance laws. If a country introduces new data retention laws, then a VPN will have to comply. Any privacy service worth its salt should be ready and willing to re-locate if needed.

Quoted from http://www.abine.com/blog/2013/how-to-choose-a-vpn-that-actually-protects-your-privacy/ since I have no time to type myself. Have a nice day.

Not all VPN service providers are worth your trust. Some diligently logs your connection times, dates, IP addresses, keep track of how long you're connected, and some even keep an eye on the types of traffic that you send through their networks while you're logged in.


I hope Avast clarify these issues.
« Last Edit: January 27, 2014, 10:50:25 PM by Chris Thomas »

Offline polonus

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #11 on: January 28, 2014, 12:27:39 AM »
Hi Chris Thomas,

And there where you are hanging out, Chris Thomas,
some form of anonymity could be essential for your very well-being
as everything and all you do online is being logged via one state telecom company tunnel.

So that is why I decided that  "they" could have all my logs,
as I reckon they have become public anyway to a sense from the start,
as I even agreed to that fact when I clicked and agreed all sort of Eula's.

And I know now that all my event viewer log info has entered big data retention
and that just the very data you try to hide can be of interest to snoopers.

But to take avast! into that discussion is just ridiculous,
their job is quite different - to keep your system and data secure!

So we should not be barking at the wrong tree(s).
The discussion is interesting however
while not everyone is fully aware of the actual situation,
we find ourselves in.

polonus
Cybersecurity is more of an attitude than anything else. Avast Evangelists.

Use NoScript, a limited user account and a virtual machine and be safe(r)!

Offline Lisandro

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #12 on: January 28, 2014, 12:49:41 AM »
To keep your system and data secure!
+1
The security company is a personal choice. If someone does not trust it, leave it.
The best things in life are free.

Offline Chris Thomas

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #13 on: January 28, 2014, 09:11:33 AM »
The questioner basically asked if he was safe using the vpn service from government snooping, I replied no.

I wasn't talking about Avast Internet Security. I was only talking about their vpn service. VPN is different from Antivirus or Firewall or security software.

Avast is not just a vpn service provider.

Yes, if someone doesn't like the vpn service provided by Avast, then leave it. I personally use iVPN and I have premier Avast license as well. Avast is a good AV product, I admit that.
« Last Edit: January 28, 2014, 09:15:48 AM by Chris Thomas »

Offline Chris Thomas

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Re: Secureline and government spying.
« Reply #14 on: January 28, 2014, 09:14:52 AM »
The questioner may want to read this

How NSA proof are VPN providers

http://torrentfreak.com/how-nsa-proof-are-vpn-providers-131023/