“VPN can be useful”: experts advocate improvements to virtual private networks
Due to the increasing demand for VPN services in Russia, media experts recommend creating a system of local networks that would be regulated by law and counteract the flourishing of fraud using malware.
This was discussed by participants at a press conference in Moscow, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
Artem Geller, an expert at the Commission for the Development of the Information Society in the Federation Council and the chief developer of the Kremlin.ru website, emphasized that only VPN resources that were developed independently can be safe. He also noted that cyber attacks are currently targeting social services.
“If we talk about the information war that is happening, not only the Ministry of Defense and similar services are the target, but on the contrary, attacks are carried out on social services - the State Services website, sites where schoolchildren are currently taking exams, etc. There are certain problems with this.
Also, just pay attention to the fact that what service you use will not get you off, because even I, a professional in my field, do not understand and quickly cannot figure out how safe the VPN I want to use is. Only the one you created yourself can be safe and you know all the steps by which it works. Everything else is a mystery,” the expert explained.
As a clear example of the insecurity of Internet users, he cited the problem of transferring personal data by the Telegram messenger to Google.
“They send, but their agreement simply says that they do it impersonally. But we don’t know what and who is doing what there; we can only take his word as a gentleman in England. If you are ready, welcome to the club. The likelihood of your data leaking and being publicly available on any exchange is gigantic. I suggest everyone draw conclusions and be careful,” Geller added.
In turn, Internet Ombudsman Dmitry Marinichev recalled that it is not only through fake VPN services that attackers commit crimes on the World Wide Web. He is convinced that local networks can bring great benefits.
“Now we demonize VPNs too much and, for some reason, perceive them exclusively as a kind of service for bypassing blocking and getting to prohibited sites, receiving prohibited content. This is wrong. VPN is useful. Of course, if I had my way, I would legislate the obligation to install a VPN on all devices and use it, because it provides real security.
You need to understand that things are stolen not only through VPN. Attackers want their malicious code to be installed on your device. It can be installed in the service that you need. In the same way, data is stolen in free toys, and in free services, and (with the help - ed.) of free Wi-Fi - a lot of everything that surrounds us steals our data,” Marinichev reasoned.
The expert proposed organizing a state association of virtual private networks.
“The number of VPNs will be huge and each person, each apartment should have their own VPN network. He will be a telecom operator in his own right. The question is: how will legislation develop, how will it regulate this complex, a set of virtual networks, or will we make demands on citizens in terms of their use of virtual networks in which everything will be present? Here the state needs not to think about complex restrictive regulations, but to form a vector of development,” he added.
According to him, civilian VPN services would allow the user not only to protect the local home network, but also to gain access to each of his devices and files stored inside it, anywhere in the world.
English version :: Read in English "VPNs Can Be Useful": Experts Advocate for Improved Virtual Private Networks