Unsecured Wifi

jerm13

I had thought that BD IS provided protection when when using an unsecured WiFi.

I realize that it is not desirable to use unsecured WiFi's for financial transactions, but sometimes it is necessary when out of town in a hotel.

Although I had thought SafePay did provide security, I am wondering that if it is true, then why would one need a stand alone SafePay Premium Version? Is that in case one is not using BD or is it necessary when using BD Internet Security? Is there a difference in the stand alone Premium Version and the SafePay in BD IS?

http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/safepay.html

Thanks for the help. I am in the "slow group" so I ask dumb questions at times.

Regards,

Jerry

Cavehomme

I had thought that BD IS provided protection when when using an unsecured WiFi.

I realize that it is not desirable to use unsecured WiFi's for financial transactions, but sometimes it is necessary when out of town in a hotel.

Although I had thought SafePay did provide security, I am wondering that if it is true, then why would one need a stand alone SafePay Premium Version? Is that in case one is not using BD or is it necessary when using BD Internet Security? Is there a difference in the stand alone Premium Version and the SafePay in BD IS?

http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/safepay.html

Thanks for the help. I am in the "slow group" so I ask dumb questions at times.

Regards,

Jerry

It's definitely not a dumb question, I would like to know that too, is there a difference in the stand alone Premium Version and the SafePay in BD IS, and BD AV Plus.

6 days and waiting for an answer......

jerm13

It's definitely not a dumb question, I would like to know that too, is there a difference in the stand alone Premium Version and the SafePay in BD IS, and BD AV Plus.

6 days and waiting for an answer......

I just opened a ticket with Support and asked that question.

Not sure if or when I will get a reply.

Regards,

Jerry

camarie

The security mechanism, as provided by the VPN connection, is the same. The products are different not at what they do regarding VPN connection.

Of course, Safepay standalone is obviously smaller that an entire security suite, and is more self-contained. The most obvious example is that BD intercepts HTTP traffic to banks (hence the alert to open the link in Safepay instead of continuing in the current browser), while Safepay does not (hence the "standalone").

I think you can see the main difference in this way: BD security protects the entire computer, having a myriad of mechanisms for protection.

Safepay is not a protect solution for the entire computer, but for the browsing session (although employs a large number of methods, it does not substitute an AV).

Cristian

Cavehomme

The security mechanism, as provided by the VPN connection, is the same. The products are different not at what they do regarding VPN connection.

Of course, Safepay standalone is obviously smaller that an entire security suite, and is more self-contained. The most obvious example is that BD intercepts HTTP traffic to banks (hence the alert to open the link in Safepay instead of continuing in the current browser), while Safepay does not (hence the "standalone").

I think you can see the main difference in this way: BD security protects the entire computer, having a myriad of mechanisms for protection.

Safepay is not a protect solution for the entire computer, but for the browsing session (although employs a large number of methods, it does not substitute an AV).

Cristian

Thanks for the explanation.

If a user has BD installed (any version) as well as SafePay, when SP is opened and therefore establishes a VPN for the communication, is that VPN tunnel also available to the computer for all other connections? The reason that I ask is that the way I think about VPN is that it provides the whole computer with a VPN not just a specific browser process, but perhaps not?

camarie

Thanks for the explanation.

If a user has BD installed (any version) as well as SafePay, when SP is opened and therefore establishes a VPN for the communication, is that VPN tunnel also available to the computer for all other connections? The reason that I ask is that the way I think about VPN is that it provides the whole computer with a VPN not just a specific browser process, but perhaps not?

(A detail: we do not recommend installing Safepay standalone along a BD version that also contain Safepay. Not that they cannot work, but the self protect mechanism installed by two separate products can end up in conflicts regarding what to protect).

The VPN tunnel is protecting only Safepay. When Safepay connects using VPN, it does these things:

1. creates VPN connection

2. set Safepay proxy to an internal proxy server from MyBD;

3. routes connections via proxy to VPN.

(This way we ensure that all traffic of Safepay goes to BD proxy and then to BD VPN).

In theory, one could set for another program - if supports - to use the same proxy as Safepay, but this proxy is determined at runtime, and is NOT a supported scenario (that is, nobody will guarantee the correct functioning of another browser "hooking up" onto the same connection). Safepay does many other internal things (logon from MyBD, for example, getting/updating logon token, activating VPN subscription for a premium product if is not yet activated etc.), and the sequence of operations cannot be determined at startup since it collaborates with a custom server to ensure the tunnel.

Indeed, a VPN connection is created for the entire computer since this is how Windows handles client connections (there are no "private" connections specific to an application only), but, again, the supported scenario is Safepay only usage.

Regards,

Cristian

Cavehomme

(A detail: we do not recommend installing Safepay standalone along a BD version that also contain Safepay. Not that they cannot work, but the self protect mechanism installed by two separate products can end up in conflicts regarding what to protect).

The VPN tunnel is protecting only Safepay. When Safepay connects using VPN, it does these things:

1. creates VPN connection

2. set Safepay proxy to an internal proxy server from MyBD;

3. routes connections via proxy to VPN.

(This way we ensure that all traffic of Safepay goes to BD proxy and then to BD VPN).

In theory, one could set for another program - if supports - to use the same proxy as Safepay, but this proxy is determined at runtime, and is NOT a supported scenario (that is, nobody will guarantee the correct functioning of another browser "hooking up" onto the same connection). Safepay does many other internal things (logon from MyBD, for example, getting/updating logon token, activating VPN subscription for a premium product if is not yet activated etc.), and the sequence of operations cannot be determined at startup since it collaborates with a custom server to ensure the tunnel.

Indeed, a VPN connection is created for the entire computer since this is how Windows handles client connections (there are no "private" connections specific to an application only), but, again, the supported scenario is Safepay only usage.

Regards,

Cristian

Cristian, that is very clear, thank you.

Cavehomme

(A detail: we do not recommend installing Safepay standalone along a BD version that also contain Safepay. Not that they cannot work, but the self protect mechanism installed by two separate products can end up in conflicts regarding what to protect).

The VPN tunnel is protecting only Safepay. When Safepay connects using VPN, it does these things:

1. creates VPN connection

2. set Safepay proxy to an internal proxy server from MyBD;

3. routes connections via proxy to VPN.

(This way we ensure that all traffic of Safepay goes to BD proxy and then to BD VPN).

In theory, one could set for another program - if supports - to use the same proxy as Safepay, but this proxy is determined at runtime, and is NOT a supported scenario (that is, nobody will guarantee the correct functioning of another browser "hooking up" onto the same connection). Safepay does many other internal things (logon from MyBD, for example, getting/updating logon token, activating VPN subscription for a premium product if is not yet activated etc.), and the sequence of operations cannot be determined at startup since it collaborates with a custom server to ensure the tunnel.

Indeed, a VPN connection is created for the entire computer since this is how Windows handles client connections (there are no "private" connections specific to an application only), but, again, the supported scenario is Safepay only usage.

Regards,

Cristian

Could I just clarify one point, perhaps it was previously covered but I cannot see it at the moment?

Is it true that the Safepay free version creates a VPN link for the safepay/banking session only - or does one need to purchase the premium version of Safepay to have that vpn function? If the vpn is included in the free version, then what extra functions does Safepay premium option provide?

Thanks.

camarie

Could I just clarify one point, perhaps it was previously covered but I cannot see it at the moment?

Is it true that the Safepay free version creates a VPN link for the safepay/banking session only - or does one need to purchase the premium version of Safepay to have that vpn function? If the vpn is included in the free version, then what extra functions does Safepay premium option provide?

Thanks.

No. The VPN feature is available only in the premium version. This is the main difference between the free and premium versions.

Cristian