Using a VPN? Find out the risks you run ☠️

If you often use programs or websites to stream films and series, such as Stremio or Popcorn Time, be aware that your IP may be compromised. If you use a VPN, your connection may be used anywhere in the world for business that may be illegal, as well as for transactions that may not have serious consequences, but can still do harm.

Frightening, right? Let's start at the beginning: what is a VPN?

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network. It is normally used when you want a more secure communication channel. On websites where you watch that film that has just reached cinemas, or the series that is only available on Netflix or in other countries, one of these networks is generally recommended, because the practice is illegal and this way you hide your real IP and identity.

You often can only watch that content through a VPN. It is almost as if you were using an untraceable secure network on top of a conventional, or home, network. In this way, through highly encrypted data, it is possible to exchange information reliably over public networks.

Picture a shop with an internet connection: the retailer can set up a company VPN and enter the internal system as if they were physically connected to the company's local network. This is a practice widely used by university students, for example, since from home they can join the faculty network and access or share documents and files.

Always be wary of free VPNs

Never, and we mean never, accept a free VPN without first reading every last bit of small print in the terms, conditions and frequently asked questions. That is because the money you are not spending may be costing you your security and privacy.

The most common solutions are those where you access content in Portugal but appear to be somewhere else in the world. Proxies and VPNs do this job: they let you watch content blocked in your home country, for example, by setting your location in another country.

Of course everyone likes to access content for free, or content that would be restricted for legal reasons, and it is often because of this that people fall for schemes through free VPNs.

One of the most common practices is the use of botnets, that is, networked computers that use home networks, which are rarely blocked, to carry out dubious activity.

So let's look at one of the schemes that has been making the most headlines, precisely because it takes advantage of home connections, and of users who simply cannot be bothered, or forget, to read all the conditions before joining the free VPN.

It is free, but your IP is held hostage

The word "free" can never be taken at face value when we are talking about accessing blocked websites through a VPN or a proxy. In reality, these services allow third parties, maliciously, to access your personal data or, in extreme cases, use your internet connection to do illegal business online.

That is the case with Hola, a service that provides virtual private networks for free and is already used by more than 182 million people. The company was founded "with the goal of making the internet better through advanced routing technologies, making the web faster, more open and cheaper".

On the website, it is described as "profitable and growing rapidly". With a "global presence", the main investors are DFJ (Silicon Valley), Trilogy (Seattle), Magma (Israel), Horizons Ventures (Hong Kong) and Orange (France).

It all sounds fine and legitimate, doesn't it? Well, if we look at the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions), we see that if you choose the free version, your IP and internet connection will be used by the company, or sold to third parties, for them to do exactly as they please.

"Use (...) is free of charge in exchange for the safe use of some of your devices' resources (WiFi and very limited mobile data on your phone), and only when you are not using them. You can turn this option off by subscribing to the Hola PLUS service." In other words, if you do not allow these uses, you can pay the company to get access to the VPN or proxy.

Remember that you will never know how your connection is being used: crimes may be being committed, such as money laundering or buying weapons, or fake Instagram accounts may be being created, but you will never know for sure.

Free VPNs can let third parties in and give them access to everything you visit, and these companies sell them your IP address, the type of sites you visit, and more. In short, they do the exact opposite of what you are looking for when you join one of these secure networks.

Besides the serious security issue, your connection may become slower, the link unstable and the encryption may fail.

And of course, if any illegal activity is carried out from your network, the trail leads to you and never to whoever used it.

The link to Luminati

Hola recommends Luminati for commercial use of proxies anywhere in the world, and Luminati's aim is to sell residential IPs that are not blocked so easily.

All of this is a serious violation of digital security, and many people end up subscribing to this kind of service without even a rough idea of the dangers they face. A proxy, for example, that routes your internet traffic without encrypting it can read all of your personal information. That means these private data, sent over insecure connections, can be captured and held hostage by the operator.

In essence, VPNs are more secure than a proxy, but these free versions may not be quite so secure.

Illegal films and series: dangers in disguise

Popcorn Time and Stremio, two of the most widely used pirate streaming services, are a real danger to your data. If you use these services, they are accessing your internet connection to... well, we will never know what for, but the fact is that this is dangerous because crimes may be being committed with your IP. Basically, in your name.

Have you ever wondered how these services are free? They only are because they gain something from it. Without meaning to, you hand them your information, your IP and your home internet connection in exchange for HD films or series that only air in the United States or some other country.

If you sniff the network while using these services to watch films and series, you will see activity you do not recognise. For this you can use tools such as Burp Suite, Fiddler or WireShark.

What should you do?

To start with, get rid of every pirate service that may be accessing your IP and network unlawfully and selling them to third parties. If you really need a VPN or proxy, research the most transparent and reliable solutions thoroughly. Never forget to read the terms and conditions, as well as any note on how the service actually works.