US senator calls on the NSA to give guidance for use of VPNs
Summary
Senator Ron Wyden has asked the National Security Agency (NSA) to give clear advice to the public about how to safely use virtual private networks (VPNs) to protect against spying by foreign countries. He wants the NSA to explain which types of VPNs and security features work best for keeping communications private.Key Facts
- VPNs protect internet traffic by sending it through encrypted connections to remote servers.
- VPNs hide a user's IP address from the websites or services they visit.
- Current US agencies recommend using VPNs but do not specify which ones are safest.
- Some VPNs decrypt traffic at a single server, which can be vulnerable to spying by insiders or hackers.
- VPNs do not encrypt some metadata, like timing information, which can still be used to track users.
- Senator Wyden’s letter asks the NSA to update public guidance on VPN use, focusing on single-hop vs. multi-hop VPNs.
- Multi-hop VPNs send traffic through multiple servers, making it harder to trace the source and destination.
- The letter also asks about technologies like Apple Private Relay, Tor, and Nym, which provide advanced privacy protections.
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