General questions abour AirVPN and using it over TOR

[TheSeveredHead1983 1]

Hello,

 

- I have been reading up on VPNs and keeping digital footprints to a minimal. I am already familiar with the fact that just because you have a VPN on it doesn't make you 100% completely anonymous and I have taken other measures to protect myself from that. However, I am disappointed when it comes to secure, completely anonymous VPN services. Some factors that usually make me unsubscribe from a VPN service are the following: they keep logs (or metadata), they don't care about their user's input or feedback, slow speeds, and not enough built-in and tight functionality such as killswitches or VPN over TOR. So I have done my research and majority of the sites/individual people have said this is the place to go. So here are some questions I have.

 

1. What logs or metadata do you keep about your users and for how long.

2. What are the pros and cons of using TOR ----> AirVPN (more commonly referred to as vpn over tor) on AirVPN.

3. If I use AirVPN over TOR what would the speeds look like on a normal connection?

4. If I use AirVPN over TOR what information or logs would you guys see?

5. What are the security risks of using AirVPN over TOR?

6. What special functionalty does AirVPN have (such as kill switches, built in TOR ---> AirVPN Connection)

7. Does AirVPN protect against DNS Leaks, WebRTC Detection?

 

- Thank you for reading, if someone could reply in detail to these questions I would be quite grateful!

 

 

[cm0s 118]

what LZ1 said

 

cheerz

[LZ1 672]

Hello !

 

Welcome to AirVPN. The rumours are true: this is one of the best VPNs if your concerns lie mainly within privacy and security (as opposed to for instance, just being able to watch Netflix).

 

1. What logs or metadata do you keep about your users and for how long.

 

AirVPN is a logless service, so it officially keeps none. However seeing as logless can be a bit of a bussword and/or marketing term, it depends how deep you really go. But AirVPN always tries to achieve a state of being logless, to my understanding and they have a strong policy when it comes to this. Both because they're made up of hacktivists and activists, but also because it shines through in their commitment to privacy and security in their actions. For instance, you can check AirVPN policy on server locations and to dismissing otherwise significant organisations such as ICANN, on grounds that they're not being neutral and such.

 

It should be noted that they do use website analytics to an extent, but that it's kept "in-house", versus say, simply using google analytics. AirVPN also runs its own support service, instead of outsourcing it to an external company and thereby sharing or potentially comprising user data/info; a nice attention to detail, if you ask me.

 

2. What are the pros and cons of using TOR ----> AirVPN (more commonly referred to as vpn over tor) on AirVPN.

 

3. If I use AirVPN over TOR what would the speeds look like on a normal connection?

 

I don't think this is realistic to ask. You'd best just try it yourself, as there's too many factors to consider, to give you a worthwhile estimate. However it's quite workable; meaning you don't have to have a terrible experience.
 

4. If I use AirVPN over TOR what information or logs would you guys see?

 

5. What are the security risks of using AirVPN over TOR?

 

6. What special functionalty does AirVPN have (such as kill switches, built in TOR ---> AirVPN Connection)

 

Well, depending on how you look at it, "integrity" would be one special function of AirVPN lol. Because in the end, it doesn't matter how good your software is, if the company behind it is corrupt and/or inept. The Air software, called Eddie, is exceedingly flexible. It's an OpenVPN wrapper, such that it gives a nice GUI interface for you to work with, in addition to some extra features that make life nice:

 

• easy changing of protocols,
• "Network Lock",
• connection details,
• customizeable client (custom directives and such) and much more.
• Free and Open Source Client, so that everyone can follow and contribute to Eddies development. Very good from a security POV too.
• Remote Portforwarding
• Uncompromising security standards. So for instance, Air doesn't advertise that it supports PPTP like most other VPNs do, just to "add another one". It sticks to OpenVPN/AES etc.
• It maintains comparable security standards for its website and doesn't for instance have facebook or google plugins everywhere.
• It doesn't discriminate based on what protocol you're using, thus making P2P completely fine for AirVPN. Which not all VPNs do.
• High quality servers/connections, which is very important for maintaining a good service. But even more so, Air is open about its infrastructure.
• Just check their hardcore specs lol.
• Micro-routing for certain websites, such that regardless of which server location you connect to, you can still get access to the website. Such as if you wanted a French website, it wouldn't be necessary to connect to a French server to do so, if that website was supported under the micro-routing scheme. It's super nice.

 

7. Does AirVPN protect against DNS Leaks, WebRTC Detection?

 

Yes of course, simply use Network Lock and/or configure your browser to avoid leaks; you can start by visting www.ipleak.net for this. I dare say you'll struggle to find a VPN service with a comparable attention to detail.

 

For the remaining questions, you can check my guide in my signature, as it'll also help answer other things, as well as AirVPNs Own Tor Explanation. I've compiled a big list of things to look at, exactly for questions like yours. You can go for a 3 day trial if you ask nicely perhaps. Otherwise the bar to entry is very low and the only way you'll know if it works for you, is if you try it . "Completely anonymous" can also be a buzzword by the way, so watchout. However if you ask the Air Staff, they'll definitely say that it's possible to sign up for AirVPN whilst maintaining complete anonymity as to who you are, from Airs point of view, if you do things such as use Bitcoins during signup.

 

As for Airs ability to listen to feedback, I'd say it's excellent. I did wish they were better when it came to answering what I thought to be issues regarding user friendliness, however they still take user feedback seriously:

 

1. You can submit support tickets and you can select which type of ticket it is. One is specifically named "Feedback", so they're open to it. I've tried.
2. The Staff account, which is the official voice of AirVPN, routinely posts answers to peoples problems on the forums and partake in discussion.
3. There's an actual forum for listening to community wishes regarding funding of various projects!
4. If you check the blocked sites or troubleshooting forums, you'll see Staff are quick to reply in a lot of cases.

You can be 10000000% sure that if you have feedback regarding a security flaw you found, that it'll be investigated almost before you post lol. They take security extremely seriously. So I think you'll be quite satisfied - of course I can't know what you specifically mean about listening to "user input".

 

The only downside to AirVPN is that:

 

1. Can be too technical; especially if you're not into this stuff. However that's what my initial guide was meant to help correct.
2. Doesn't support as many protocols as other VPNs and/or doesn't market itself that way, which can make it look inferior. But it means its "high security by default for all".
3. Is a relatively small VPN and can therefore seem to have less server locations compared to others.

However these aren't really so important if you're really conscious about security in my view and a lot of other VPNs use fake locations or insecure protocols anyway, just to "get another flag" or protocol, so to speak. It's a sad practice, but one that many unknowing customers fall for, in their search for a VPN which will encompass all their needs. But with Air, even if it might seem to have few or fewer locations, at least you can be certain they're the real deal. This is what I think

makes Air the greatest: the integrity and openness. Because without those two, it won't really matter how many features you have, because in the end,

you have to trust your provider and if they're corrupt, they can mess with you anyway. Air uses open software, maintains neutrality and very high in all networking matters and provides a ton of information about what they're seeing and their infrastructure.