[dba-Tech] Mozilla VPN for everyone.

[Susan Harkins]

Just a story -- when my brother was 18 (this was in the early 70s), he was picked up by the FBI and detained for a few hours because he looked like a guy on their 10-most-wanted list. When it became apparent that they'd picked up an ordinary kid, they released him. But it was still a terrifying experience for him. And that happened before the tech age. 

The only thing anyone following me on FB will learn is that I'm an older plump woman who loves her grandkids, dogs, and plants. 😊 None of my personal information is there, not even that I'm married. 

But, you made me think about it a bit. I exchange files every single day, but if the publishers want to secure those documents, the VPN is on them I guess and they don't 'require it. However, their CMS systems may be behind one. 

If I need to work away from home, I take a laptop with me and I never access anything remotely. I have an external drive with work files that I carry in my bag with my laptop. 

My computers aren't even networked. They used to be, but the only reason I'd want do to that now would be to use the big TVs to work and so far, I've not gotten that right. The TVs  don't seem compatible with Windows 10. I've read a ton of info and tried three times, but no go. When I replace the TVs, I'll be more selective. But, it would be cool to sit in the comfy chair and edit documents from several feet away. My neck and shoulder hurts a lot, so a different sitting arrangement would help I think -- not all day -- I mean to go back and forth, relieving the pressure in certain areas. Right now I'm in physical therapy for it and it's much better. I have the stand-up desktop but haven't set it up yet. 

I never use public wi-fi. I need to check my phone on that though -- but I don't use my phone that way either, but it's still worth checking but I'm pretty sure my phone is set not to use public wi-fi. 

We do enjoy online banking and shopping -- a lot. I love it. Would I benefit from a VPN? I did a little quick research this morning, and I don't think so. I don't remote in, and I don't use public wi-fi. I'm not concerned about protecting my identity, but of course, I am concerned about protecting my personal information and the only thing I have that's of value would be my banking information while online shopping.   

Susan H. 

Which brings us to the "swept up and charged without valid reason".  I believe that happens as well.  It's kind of like being hit by a drunk driver.  It happens. But again I'm not living my life in fear of the "might could" mentality.

So I personally have just started (in the last year) started using a VPN.  I have reduced my facebook posts to a crawl, though what is already there already forms a valid outline of who I am. I don't do any of the other such things.  Which leaves web crawling and such.  Google and chrome are hellholes of such marketing intel gathering.  For me, getting a VPN up and running reduces that as far as possible and is my main focus in using a VPN.

I am working on getting my home router hooked up to the VPN I have selected.  Not a trivial task but doable.  Once that is done, all traffic from my home automatically goes through my VPN.

After that it is what to do and how convenient is it for my travel and personal devices "out there".  Phones, tablets on my personal wifi hotspot on my phone.  My laptop which I carry. Again this is really about marketing rather than criminal activities.  Just trying to reduce my footprint out there.  For that, the stuff from Firefox is another tool.


On 10/30/2018 2:44 PM, John Bartow wrote:
> Well, that kind of makes my point, if you think that but don't check it, you don't know. I know this most likely doesn't apply to any of the extremely intelligent people who subscribe to these lists but the vast majority of people don't bother checking into anything anymore. Or. Maybe worse yet, take advise from a quick spot on a television show.