"You didn't just Google that did you?" - VPNs, Security, etc
Discussion
What is it about people who work in IT that makes them paranoid?
I was drinking in the pub last week with a few friends, two of whom work in IT/business systems. A topic of conversation cropped up, and a certain female celebrity was mentioned and someone commented that her 'nudes had just been leaked'.
I made a joke about everyone probably wanting to check the photos carefully to make sure it really was her, then pulled out my phone and Googled the name of the celebrity followed by 'nude pics leaked' or something like that. This was met with absolute horror by the two IT chaps, who asked me "You didn't seriously just google that did you?".
They were genuinely horrified that someone would actually type something like that into Google search and made some remarks along the lines of "Wow. Thats amazing. No f
ks given. Don't you even use a VPN or anything? Well, I await the Security Services or C.I.D knocking on your front door then" etc.
I asked them why on earth such searches would be an issue, and they just laughed as they do when a layperson starts asking about IT matters, and started going on about how they never use the internet without VPN's, stuff to hide their identity, random IP addresses, always using private browser settings, never store their history, and never search for anything 'provocative'.
As far as I'm concerned, as long as you aren't searching for anything that is blatantly illegal, then who cares? All my devices are set to 'private browsing' and don't store history or allowing tracking and cookies etc, but that's about as far as it goes for security. My internet search history and web address log is probably filled with all kinds of stuff from the smutty to the bizarre, right through to reading about how nuclear powered submarines and diesel locomotives work. I Google loads of stuff daily, even minor things like slang terms I heard used in the street and didn't understand.
I'm not daft. I know what the scams are and what dodgy sites look like. I don't fall for phishing emails or fake websites and so on.
Are you worried about the sites you visit or your search history? If so, why?
I was drinking in the pub last week with a few friends, two of whom work in IT/business systems. A topic of conversation cropped up, and a certain female celebrity was mentioned and someone commented that her 'nudes had just been leaked'.
I made a joke about everyone probably wanting to check the photos carefully to make sure it really was her, then pulled out my phone and Googled the name of the celebrity followed by 'nude pics leaked' or something like that. This was met with absolute horror by the two IT chaps, who asked me "You didn't seriously just google that did you?".
They were genuinely horrified that someone would actually type something like that into Google search and made some remarks along the lines of "Wow. Thats amazing. No f
ks given. Don't you even use a VPN or anything? Well, I await the Security Services or C.I.D knocking on your front door then" etc.I asked them why on earth such searches would be an issue, and they just laughed as they do when a layperson starts asking about IT matters, and started going on about how they never use the internet without VPN's, stuff to hide their identity, random IP addresses, always using private browser settings, never store their history, and never search for anything 'provocative'.
As far as I'm concerned, as long as you aren't searching for anything that is blatantly illegal, then who cares? All my devices are set to 'private browsing' and don't store history or allowing tracking and cookies etc, but that's about as far as it goes for security. My internet search history and web address log is probably filled with all kinds of stuff from the smutty to the bizarre, right through to reading about how nuclear powered submarines and diesel locomotives work. I Google loads of stuff daily, even minor things like slang terms I heard used in the street and didn't understand.
I'm not daft. I know what the scams are and what dodgy sites look like. I don't fall for phishing emails or fake websites and so on.
Are you worried about the sites you visit or your search history? If so, why?
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 5th January 19:56
No, but then everyone in the organization has copies of my search history automatically appearing to be associated with them.
I'd bother if I was googling for how to dispose of a dead body before I did it, but knocking on the door of everyone googling for celebrity nudes would challenge the resources the Stasi were reputed to have.
I'd bother if I was googling for how to dispose of a dead body before I did it, but knocking on the door of everyone googling for celebrity nudes would challenge the resources the Stasi were reputed to have.
xeny said:
No, but then everyone in the organization has copies of my search history automatically appearing to be associated with them.
I'd bother if I was googling for how to dispose of a dead body before I did it, but knocking on the door of everyone googling for celebrity nudes would challenge the resources the Stasi were reputed to have.
This was my point exactly.I'd bother if I was googling for how to dispose of a dead body before I did it, but knocking on the door of everyone googling for celebrity nudes would challenge the resources the Stasi were reputed to have.
The authorities do not have anywhere near the time nor the inclination to be vaguely interested in anyone's search history or visited sites, provided they aren't criminal.
I was just curious as to the thought process as I have heard this sort of 'internet history fearmongering' a few times from IT and technology types.
I assume this was via a personal phone rather than a work phone which is a different scenario.
There is zero chance of anyone being interested in what you Google (along those lines) proactively. IF you were accused of a relevant / related crime then maybe your search history may be used as indiciative behaviour retrospectively, but again, that's a different scenario.
There is zero chance of anyone being interested in what you Google (along those lines) proactively. IF you were accused of a relevant / related crime then maybe your search history may be used as indiciative behaviour retrospectively, but again, that's a different scenario.
Moss is genius!Lord Marylebone said:
What is it about people who work in IT that makes them paranoid?
I was drinking in the pub last week with a few friends, two of whom work in IT/business systems. A topic of conversation cropped up, and a certain female celebrity was mentioned and someone commented that her 'nudes had just been leaked'.
I made a joke about everyone probably wanting to check the photos carefully to make sure it really was her, then pulled out my phone and Googled the name of the celebrity followed by 'nude pics leaked' or something like that. This was met with absolute horror by the two IT chaps, who asked me "You didn't seriously just google that did you?".
They were genuinely horrified that someone would actually type something like that into Google search and made some remarks along the lines of "Wow. Thats amazing. No fks given. Don't you even use a VPN or anything? Well, I await the Security Services or C.I.D knocking on your front door then" etc.
I asked them why on earth such searches would be an issue, and they just laughed as they do when a layperson starts asking about IT matters, and started going on about how they never use the internet without VPN's, stuff to hide their identity, random IP addresses, always using private browser settings, never store their history, and never search for anything 'provocative'.
As far as I'm concerned, as long as you aren't searching for anything that is blatantly illegal, then who cares? All my devices are set to 'private browsing' and don't store history or allowing tracking and cookies etc, but that's about as far as it goes for security. My internet search history and web address log is probably filled with all kinds of stuff from the smutty to the bizarre, right through to reading about how nuclear powered submarines and diesel locomotives work. I Google loads of stuff daily, even minor things like slang terms I heard used in the street and didn't understand.
I'm not daft. I know what the scams are and what dodgy sites look like. I don't fall for phishing emails or fake websites and so on.
Are you worried about the sites you visit or your search history? If so, why?
i know fake and dont fall for them...I was drinking in the pub last week with a few friends, two of whom work in IT/business systems. A topic of conversation cropped up, and a certain female celebrity was mentioned and someone commented that her 'nudes had just been leaked'.
I made a joke about everyone probably wanting to check the photos carefully to make sure it really was her, then pulled out my phone and Googled the name of the celebrity followed by 'nude pics leaked' or something like that. This was met with absolute horror by the two IT chaps, who asked me "You didn't seriously just google that did you?".
They were genuinely horrified that someone would actually type something like that into Google search and made some remarks along the lines of "Wow. Thats amazing. No f
ks given. Don't you even use a VPN or anything? Well, I await the Security Services or C.I.D knocking on your front door then" etc.I asked them why on earth such searches would be an issue, and they just laughed as they do when a layperson starts asking about IT matters, and started going on about how they never use the internet without VPN's, stuff to hide their identity, random IP addresses, always using private browser settings, never store their history, and never search for anything 'provocative'.
As far as I'm concerned, as long as you aren't searching for anything that is blatantly illegal, then who cares? All my devices are set to 'private browsing' and don't store history or allowing tracking and cookies etc, but that's about as far as it goes for security. My internet search history and web address log is probably filled with all kinds of stuff from the smutty to the bizarre, right through to reading about how nuclear powered submarines and diesel locomotives work. I Google loads of stuff daily, even minor things like slang terms I heard used in the street and didn't understand.
I'm not daft. I know what the scams are and what dodgy sites look like. I don't fall for phishing emails or fake websites and so on.
Are you worried about the sites you visit or your search history? If so, why?
Edited by Lord Marylebone on Wednesday 5th January 19:56
Aye but they are getting clever too.. I know someone that didnt do anything wrong, so they thought.. computer froze during trying to log onto back, reset rebooted and logged back in. account had been comprimised and emptied during that time. bank coughed. but there was no falling for anything involved.
company send out fishing emails, once came out that was quite devious and it must have captured many as next thing an official email came out about this is how you will be approached on this matter and will never ever be approached in the manner that this email approached. there phising email seemingly was to phishing good at phising...
At one level, of course it is absurd to worry about search history unless you are looking for something illegal - in which case you'd use someone else's computer. I am not in the slightest bit worried about the Stasi showing up.
At a different level, the amount of data that search providers gather is alarming, Google probably has a more comprehensive history of my interests over the last 20 years than I do. Would I rather they didn't have that - of course. Am I worried that they may use it to my detriment in the future? Yes.
Maxing privacy settings on browsers is sensible, if only to reduce the volume of ads that are displayed. Is browser fingerprinting a thing - yes. So I run tools to stop that. I install them by default on any machine I use, set and forget.
I have a slight anti "the man" streak that thinks encryption is a powerful tool that we should all use, by default. If everything is a stream of garbage, then it is harder for any less benign government in the future to do anything with it. So, sure, if you have a VPN, use it. But don't get excited if you don't.
I happen to work for a very large IT services outfit. My observation of techies is very different - we sack plenty for watching porn on company machines. They seem to think they are invulnerable.
At a different level, the amount of data that search providers gather is alarming, Google probably has a more comprehensive history of my interests over the last 20 years than I do. Would I rather they didn't have that - of course. Am I worried that they may use it to my detriment in the future? Yes.
Maxing privacy settings on browsers is sensible, if only to reduce the volume of ads that are displayed. Is browser fingerprinting a thing - yes. So I run tools to stop that. I install them by default on any machine I use, set and forget.
I have a slight anti "the man" streak that thinks encryption is a powerful tool that we should all use, by default. If everything is a stream of garbage, then it is harder for any less benign government in the future to do anything with it. So, sure, if you have a VPN, use it. But don't get excited if you don't.
I happen to work for a very large IT services outfit. My observation of techies is very different - we sack plenty for watching porn on company machines. They seem to think they are invulnerable.
I'm in IT Security and have been for years. What those two are waffling on about is theatre.
Just use DuckDuckGo and a decent browser with decent plugins to clear the cookies and kill scripts - I use Cookie AutoDelete and uBlock.
It's not like some guys will be helicoptered in to SWAT you for that search
Just use DuckDuckGo and a decent browser with decent plugins to clear the cookies and kill scripts - I use Cookie AutoDelete and uBlock.
It's not like some guys will be helicoptered in to SWAT you for that search
DodgyGeezer said:
Lord Marylebone said:
, but I have a golden rule of never do anything with company IT or company internet that you wouldn’t be happy explaining to your manager.
What I can't understand is why anyone would do anything different to that 
Or maybe you’ve already seen it, and watched people sacked like I’ve seen.
I remember a few years ago we informed one of our teams of maintenance engineers that we would be asking them to take a drugs test (we suspected one of them was taking drugs or smoking weed on break times) and then basically sat and watched as the IT department showed us him searching “how long does cannabis stay in your blood” on his work PC.
Could have searched that on his personal phone, but no, sat at his work computer and did it.
I’ve seen people do all kinds of insane things using company internet. Watching hardcore smut, spending all day every day on Facebook, using the company email to tell their colleagues how much they hated the company and hated their boss. Everything really.
You would be amazed how daft seemingly normal people are.
I can tell you that most people who work in IT especially security are ignorant, pig headed morons
They constantly tell you about obfuscation and how "the Government tracks you" and "you should use a VPN for everything" , completely ignoring the fact most "hacks" aren't done at the Router or Man-in-Middle style but by malware / virus installed directly on the users PC
Bull st, even using other Search engines like DDG, I've spent my whole life using Google and I've searched for all kinds of stuff
Even if you search for "Kiddy porn" that isn't initially going to raise anything, only by means of if you end up actually clicking on something which infects you or you interact / download something
VPN's are one of the most stupid things for home personal computer users, a way for companies like TunnelBear, NORDVPN etc to make loads of money from peoples ignorance
The ONLY time these are of any use are in "Open" (IE no password) WiFi connections but most of the time now you end up with a password or once you log into the Captive portal your details are hidden from open view
Of course anything is possible but...........
Tell your mates to stop reading the Matrix
Of course, at work (or rather on a corporate network connection, irrespective if the device is private or not) don't do anything you can't explain away (obviously nothing sexual or drug related) but in the Pub on your own device? Lol, do as you please
They constantly tell you about obfuscation and how "the Government tracks you" and "you should use a VPN for everything" , completely ignoring the fact most "hacks" aren't done at the Router or Man-in-Middle style but by malware / virus installed directly on the users PC
Bull s
t, even using other Search engines like DDG, I've spent my whole life using Google and I've searched for all kinds of stuffEven if you search for "Kiddy porn" that isn't initially going to raise anything, only by means of if you end up actually clicking on something which infects you or you interact / download something
VPN's are one of the most stupid things for home personal computer users, a way for companies like TunnelBear, NORDVPN etc to make loads of money from peoples ignorance
The ONLY time these are of any use are in "Open" (IE no password) WiFi connections but most of the time now you end up with a password or once you log into the Captive portal your details are hidden from open view
Of course anything is possible but...........
Tell your mates to stop reading the Matrix
Of course, at work (or rather on a corporate network connection, irrespective if the device is private or not) don't do anything you can't explain away (obviously nothing sexual or drug related) but in the Pub on your own device? Lol, do as you please
I work in IT and I wouldn't tell you to use a VPN.
If you wanted to watch US TV or something where there's a geographic requirement there might be arguments but it's annoying when you see adverts (even on TV now) suggesting that you're safer doing online banking and whatever else behind whatever VPN service it is.
If you wanted to watch US TV or something where there's a geographic requirement there might be arguments but it's annoying when you see adverts (even on TV now) suggesting that you're safer doing online banking and whatever else behind whatever VPN service it is.
I do not work in IT. I have read a lot about internet security: I use DuckDuckGo as my search default and I do use a VPN on my mobile devices. Obviously I've come to that decision because what I've read that says I should, so in the interest of not being blinded by a confirmation bias: why should I not, or why do I not need to?
McAndy said:
I do not work in IT. I have read a lot about internet security: I use DuckDuckGo as my search default and I do use a VPN on my mobile devices. Obviously I've come to that decision because what I've read that says I should, so in the interest of not being blinded by a confirmation bias: why should I not, or why do I not need to?
Bearing in mind that we all carry our own biases, I tend to go with the chap above re VPNs. If you have a use case that NEEDS a VPN, crack on. If you are doing it because the ad said filthy hackers in spandex are interested in you, maybe read a few less adverts. DDG is an interesting one - I tend to use Google because it works - I search for something, and it shows me the answer - they put a lot of work into Search, and the price of them seeing me type stuff in is a valud trade. Shopping, am more cynical about - I think its pretty obvious that they use kickback as a primary ranking mechanism.
a question or two to those thinking VPNs are necessary.
1. Which VPN do you use?
2. How have you evaluated that provider?
3. Why do you trust them so much more than your ISP?
4. Do you still put the same search terms into Google?
5. Is your browser logged into Google all the time?
I ask the question because:
a. the VPN provider will see a lot of what you do and where you go
b. the VPN provider and the ISP will not see the complete URL of what you're looking at nor the search terms (because TLS/HTTPS encrypts it)
c. Google will see the search that you make every. single. time.
I feel sure some people feel spied on but with TLS on most sites, only the service you connect to knows what you're surfing.
1. Which VPN do you use?
2. How have you evaluated that provider?
3. Why do you trust them so much more than your ISP?
4. Do you still put the same search terms into Google?
5. Is your browser logged into Google all the time?
I ask the question because:
a. the VPN provider will see a lot of what you do and where you go
b. the VPN provider and the ISP will not see the complete URL of what you're looking at nor the search terms (because TLS/HTTPS encrypts it)
c. Google will see the search that you make every. single. time.
I feel sure some people feel spied on but with TLS on most sites, only the service you connect to knows what you're surfing.
eeLee said:
a question or two to those thinking VPNs are necessary.
1. Which VPN do you use? ExpressVPN
2. How have you evaluated that provider? Multiple reviews, checking securoty scores by zero-logs, encryption etc.
3. Why do you trust them so much more than your ISP? Unless I am misguided, ISPs can sell your browsing data (perhaps anonymised?) to marketing companies?
4. Do you still put the same search terms into Google? I don't use Google search. I am weaning myself off them, including buying my own domain to run e-mails through
5. Is your browser logged into Google all the time? No. Firefox. I dislike the marketing profiling intensely, that is my reason for changing my internet security
I ask the question because:
a. the VPN provider will see a lot of what you do and where you go
b. the VPN provider and the ISP will not see the complete URL of what you're looking at nor the search terms (because TLS/HTTPS encrypts it)
c. Google will see the search that you make every. single. time.
I feel sure some people feel spied on but with TLS on most sites, only the service you connect to knows what you're surfing.
Answers in bold. Please feel free to educate me if I'm mistaken/misguided!1. Which VPN do you use? ExpressVPN
2. How have you evaluated that provider? Multiple reviews, checking securoty scores by zero-logs, encryption etc.
3. Why do you trust them so much more than your ISP? Unless I am misguided, ISPs can sell your browsing data (perhaps anonymised?) to marketing companies?
4. Do you still put the same search terms into Google? I don't use Google search. I am weaning myself off them, including buying my own domain to run e-mails through
5. Is your browser logged into Google all the time? No. Firefox. I dislike the marketing profiling intensely, that is my reason for changing my internet security
I ask the question because:
a. the VPN provider will see a lot of what you do and where you go
b. the VPN provider and the ISP will not see the complete URL of what you're looking at nor the search terms (because TLS/HTTPS encrypts it)
c. Google will see the search that you make every. single. time.
I feel sure some people feel spied on but with TLS on most sites, only the service you connect to knows what you're surfing.
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