How Law Enforcement Gets Around Your Smartphone's Encryption - WIRED
How Law Enforcement Gets Around Your Smartphone's Encryption - WIRED |
| How Law Enforcement Gets Around Your Smartphone's Encryption - WIRED Posted: 13 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST  Lawmakers and law enforcement agencies around the world, including in the United States, have increasingly called for backdoors in the encryption schemes that protect your data, arguing that national security is at stake. But new research indicates governments already have methods and tools that, for better or worse, let them access locked smartphones thanks to weaknesses in the security schemes of Android and iOS. Cryptographers at Johns Hopkins University used publicly available documentation from Apple and Google as well as their own analysis to assess the robustness of Android and iOS encryption. They also studied more than a decade's worth of reports about which of these mobile security features law enforcement and criminals have previously bypassed, or can currently, using special hacking tools. The researchers have dug into the current mobile privacy state of affairs, and provided technical recommendations for how the two major mobile operating systems can continue to improve their protections. "It just really shocked me, because I came into this project thinking that these phones are really protecting user data well," says Johns Hopkins cryptographer Matthew Green, who oversaw the research. "Now I've come out of the project thinking almost nothing is protected as much as it could be. So why do we need a backdoor for law enforcement when the protections that these phones actually offer are so bad?" Before you delete all your data and throw your phone out the window, though, it's important to understand the types of privacy and security violations the researchers were specifically looking at. When you lock your phone with a passcode, fingerprint lock, or face recognition lock, it encrypts the contents of the device. Even if someone stole your phone and pulled the data off it, they would only see gibberish. Decoding all the data would require a key that only regenerates when you unlock your phone with a passcode, or face or finger recognition. And smartphones today offer multiple layers of these protections and different encryption keys for different levels of sensitive data. Many keys are tied to unlocking the device, but the most sensitive require additional authentication. The operating system and some special hardware are in charge of managing all of those keys and access levels so that, for the most part, you never even have to think about it. With all of that in mind, the researchers assumed it would be extremely difficult for an attacker to unearth any of those keys and unlock some amount of data. But that's not what they found. "On iOS in particular, the infrastructure is in place for this hierarchical encryption that sounds really good," says Maximilian Zinkus, a PhD student at Johns Hopkins who led the analysis of iOS. "But I was definitely surprised to see then how much of it is unused." Zinkus says that the potential is there, but the operating systems don't extend encryption protections as far as they could. When an iPhone has been off and boots up, all the data is in a state Apple calls "Complete Protection." The user must unlock the device before anything else can really happen, and the device's privacy protections are very high. You could still be forced to unlock your phone, of course, but existing forensic tools would have a difficult time pulling any readable data off it. Once you've unlocked your phone that first time after reboot, though, a lot of data moves into a different mode—Apple calls it "Protected Until First User Authentication," but researchers often simply call it "After First Unlock." If you think about it, your phone is almost always in the AFU state. You probably don't restart your smartphone for days or weeks at a time, and most people certainly don't power it down after each use. (For most, that would mean hundreds of times a day.) So how effective is AFU security? That's where the researchers started to have concerns.  |
| 10 VPNs Reddit Users Recommended Most, Plus The Best VPN Subreddits to Join in 2021 - GlobeNewswire Posted: 16 Apr 2021 10:24 PM PDT San Diego, CA, April 17, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reddit remains one of the best places to find information from real-life consumers. Especially when it comes to researching VPNs that are tried, tested and true, a topic of which Redditors have left no stone unturned. This article covers the ins and outs of the best VPNs according to Reddit. We examined over 25 of the most upvoted threads which discussed VPNs and sorted the VPNs that were recommended most. Most Commented VPN threads on reddit overall: In addition to reddit thread mentions, we used the following criteria to sort VPNs:
The 5 VPNs Recommended on Reddit Listed below are the best VPN services, according to Reddit. 1. CyberGhost - Most recommended VPNs on reddit What this company offers and gets Reddit users pumped about is the easy-to-use interface. A VPN is only as good as its tools that make one's online activities private and secure. Another item CyberGhost offers is the next-generation Wireguard system and its own browser. Its 6,400 servers located in 90 countries make it extremely fast and secure. There is a 24/7 chat feature, as well as a free, one-day trial period. Costs start at an affordable $2.25 per month and go up from there, according to the plan. Its military-grade, 256-bit encryption security system hides the user's identity and provides top-line security from hackers. Plus, an automatic kill switch leaps into action once VPN coverage lowers too far. Pros
Cons
2. ExpressVPN - Best for Streaming Some Reddit users have expressed doubts about this VPN service, but it remains one of the top VPN companies overall. While it does not have an extensive server supply compared to other companies, only 3,000+ in 90 countries, Redditors still use it frequently. Many Redditor users do agree that finding a better VPN service may be difficult. Especially if those services do not unlock Netflix, torrenting options, or are not compatible with AppleTV, FireTV, and Playstation. The cost has many customers fuming, though, as its minimum paid plan starts at $6.67 per month, and only mobile devices get access to the free 7-day trial. When Redditors sign up, they are treated to AES 256-bit security encryption, which is a major benefit. When the VPN protection drops, the network lock kicks in and kills the connection. Android users have another kill switch to protect their internet presence. iOS customers are left out, though. Pros
Cons
3. Surfshark VPN - Best for privacy policies With 60 locations, 3,200 servers, 689 Mbps download speed, and a 24/7 live chat feature, this company rates among the best and is a Reddit user favorite. Add in the low, monthly cost starting at $2.49, and it is easy to see why Redditors like this company. Consumers receive WireGuard protocols, Netflix accessibility, and AES 256-bit encryption. There is also a no-logs policy, kill switch, and military-grade, leak protection. One of the drawbacks to Surfshark is that the free, 7-day trial is limited to Android, Mac, and iOS users only. There is a 30-day money-back guarantee, though, available to anyone. Pros
Cons ● No auditing information available 4. NordVPN - Best money back guarantee The 256-bit encryption security system has Reddit users singing the praises of this company. This does not come as a surprise because this VPN service provides top-level protection and great torrent download speeds. Plus, Redditors like the 30-day, money-back guarantee this company offers to all who sign up. With over 5,400 servers in almost 60 countries, NordVPN stays at or near the number one spot by being able to unblock Netflix. Also, this company offers a 7-day free trial and pricing plans starting as low as $3.49 per month. There is a monthly plan for just over $11 if anyone wants to avoid an ongoing commitment to the company. Its Smart Select technology makes sure a user can bypass those annoying geoblocks while seamlessly switching the user to the right server without service interruption. Those are just a few of the options that get Reddit users excited about this VPN company. Other features include compatibility with different operating systems, and many marketplaces like Amazon, Hulu, and so on. Pros
Cons ● No router application 5. ProtonVPN - Best for multiple-device connection This is a Swiss-based company that provides top military-style encryption to protect all members' internet activities. It is highly recommended by some Reddit users who may like the fact that this company owns and maintains all of its servers. They may have the fewest number of servers, just over 1,000 in 54 countries, but that does not impact Redditors' performance, some of whom connected up to 10 devices. The company provides four different plans. There is a basic option for free, and others that cost between 4 and 24 Euros per month. Other features include a kill switch and DNS leak prevention, all of which make Reddit users turn to this company for their VPN needs. On top of all that, Reddit users and conspiracy theorists appreciate that the Swiss data center used by Proton VPN is housed in an old military bunker 1,000 meters below the Swiss Alps. Pros Flexible paid plans Cons Fairly expensive Subreddits for Further Information Reddit users like to talk about VPN companies and their services. Here are some Reddit pages to go to when someone needs to do more research on this topic: 1. r/VPNAdvice - Q&A for VPNs 2. r/VPNgeeks - vpn tips and tricks 3. r/VPN - general information 4. r/VPNReviews - more specific information about the different services 5. r/VPNTorrents - details on torrenting with a VPN 6. r/privacy - updates on current threats 7. r/NetflixByProxy - information for bypassing Netflix geoblocks
The letters "VPN" stand for Virtual Private Network, and these companies exist to help an internet user connect to a website while masking their true location. Plus, they help consumers connect to region-restricted websites without any hassles. While Redditors argue over various details and subjects, they tend to agree that free VPN services are not what they claim to be. Many think that VPN companies use these trials as a way to make money off users. This could happen by using cookies to track internet surfing, stealth advertising, and selling information to third parties. Should Someone Use a VPN When Accessing Reddit? It certainly would not hurt to use one when privacy is of the utmost priority. Also, VPNs do not just protect a person's privacy. They block annoying ads, protect people from hackers, and keep internet searches hidden from curious eyes. While Reddit users provide people with a lot of information, they are not all great people to contact, so do use discernment. Final Words Reddit users keep consumers up to date on what is happening in the VPN industry. Since the website is so large, it is hard to manipulate the opinions of Redditors. Take what they say with a grain of salt and conduct personal research to be sure. Visit MagnoliaMediaNetwork.com for the full review and other product research. Contact: info@magnoliamedianetwork.com  |
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