
Google is working on a new VPN service for use on open WiFi networks - bloody0815
http://www.pocketables.com/2015/03/exclusive-google-is-working-on-a-new-vpn-service-for-use-on-open-wifi-networks.html
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whoopdedo
How does Google benefit from being a VPN server? Obviously they get to track
web usage patterns for analytics and reinforcing their search algorithm. But
what the other thing a VPN does is hide that same information from the
tunneled through networks. And who else is pushing for the use of public wifi?
AT&T and Comcast. But neither of them are in the advertising business so don't
have a reason to be collecting the same information that Google makes their
money off of. But what Comcast and AT&T do make their money off of is
providing telecommunication service. How would AT&T feel about their public
wifi being used for, say, handling VOIP calls to T-Mobile telephone customers?
Or Google telephone customers.

Net neutrality promises that AT&T won't be able to discriminate VOIP but
Google doesn't trust them. This VPN is a hedge so they won't have their
traffic interfered with when they compete directly with the traditional
telecom providers.

~~~
bydo
Some ISPs are in the advertising business to some degree, with DNS redirection
and even sometimes direct ad injection. One of the other things the VPN will
do, semi-ironically, is prevent this.

I suppose Google's philosophy on advertising is similar to how they feel about
operating systems: if they can't make money on something, they want to ensure
that no one else can, either.

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ForHackernews
So to hide your traffic from CoffeeShopSSIDThatMightBeLoggingEverything, route
it through a Google-VPN-that's-guaranteed-to-log-everything? Nice try, Google!

~~~
antsar
The pitch is presumably "to hide your traffic from
CoffeeShopSSIDThatMightBeMITMingYou, route it through a Google-VPN-
that's-logging-everything-but-at-least-not-injecting-malware".

Technical users like you and I can already set up our own VPN-server-that-
logs-nothing. This would serve the needs of others, who currently have the
options of (a) be MITM'ed or (b) get scammed by some shady offshore company
because it was the first search result for "vpn service".

~~~
ForHackernews
Isn't the whole point of validated HTTPS that it protects you from MITM
attacks? (barring shenanigans like Lenovo) And if somebody MITMs my regular-
HTTP connection...well then, oh no I might see ads instead of the blog I
wanted to read.

~~~
antsar
Or, you know, redirect "[http://bank.com/login"](http://bank.com/login") to
"[https://bank.com.totally.not.phishing.you.co.za"](https://bank.com.totally.not.phishing.you.co.za").

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cpeterso
Google already did this back in 2005. Google Secure Access was a similar VPN
service to protect your traffic on open Wi-Fi networks. I wonder what other
shuttered Google projects from ten years ago might be interesting again.

[http://lifehacker.com/126454/google-secure-access---
encrypt-...](http://lifehacker.com/126454/google-secure-access---encrypt-your-
wifi-connection)

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zacharycohn
Seems like a good place to plug one of my favorite osx apps,
[https://www.getcloak.com](https://www.getcloak.com). Blocks your Wi-Fi
connection on open networks until it's able to secure a vpn connection to one
of the many services they use (aws, rackspace, etc)

~~~
benyami
Not quite the same concept, but I setup Little Snitch to work differently on
my home/work networks versus tethered phone or untrusted wireless. I
originally did this because I didn't want updates running while tethered at a
coffee shop. This article got me started:
[http://www.practicallyefficient.com/home/2014/7/8/little-
sni...](http://www.practicallyefficient.com/home/2014/7/8/little-snitch)

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sandworm
There may be some good here.

My vpn is often blocked at airports and the like. I doubt the would dare block
a google server.

~~~
aselzer
Use SSH as a SOCKS proxy on port 80 / 443.

If you want a Google Server, use Google Compute Engine :)

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cookiecaper
I usually have a hard time connecting to VPN over public wifi, even when I use
servers that are designed to be connectable even if there's a firewall in the
way. This is true of servers I've set up myself and it's true of servers from
commercial VPN providers like HideMyAss. Even if there isn't active
manipulation or blocking from the firewall, it just seems that the connection
is rarely strong or consistent enough to keep the tunnel from breaking all the
time.

I have had better luck with a SOCKS proxy hosted at my home, but it's still
not as good as VPN.

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ocdtrekkie
Hey look, it's yet another way to route all of your data through Google's
servers. I'm certain there's no hidden agenda there.

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killface
better them, who already have most of my info, than some random coffee house
with who-knows-what for security.

~~~
ocdtrekkie
Likelihood Google is collecting your info: High to Certain.

Likelihood Bob the Tomato's Coffee Shop is collecting your info: Low.

~~~
chrisdhal
The Coffee Shop itself? Low. Other people in the coffee shop? High

Airport itself? Low Other people in the airport? High

It's not necessarily the place itself, but anywhere there's open (or easy to
get) WiFi, the chance of nefarious users increases dramatically.

~~~
MichaelGG
> Other people in the coffee shop? High

Citation needed. I get that it's trivial to actually do, but do you have any
studies that show that a lot/any WiFi is being sniffed and/or MiTM'd? The most
I've seen is airports and so on tracking people via MAC addresses or the WiFi
AP names they request.

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BilalGaditek
I am not going to give my data to google or anyone. Now i am using pure vpn
which i choose from [http://www.vpnranks.com/5-best-vpn-
software/](http://www.vpnranks.com/5-best-vpn-software/) and my provider did
not keep logs.

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callesgg
Based on openvpn? or what technology are they using?

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r3bl
If they're going to discontinue their service after a couple of years (like
they did on countless occasion, last one being Google Code), then no thank
you.

~~~
indians_pro
That's probably their next attack target. VPNs. Put out this awesome new
'secure' service for free, suddenly make everyone aware of VPNs and what they
are, and how they are suddenly the most important thing for security, through
subtle ads and 'techcrunch-y' articles. BAM, people start switching in droves,
other reliable and cheap VPN service providers start losing business, google
reader (but the service actually stays up this time, just logging like hell,
and eventually becomes _necessary_ to use google services, because SECURITY!)
yada yada

How is google allowed to repeat this again and again is beyond me

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mdekkers
....of course they are.

